that her mother should accompany her; and after some deliberation upon
the subject, Mrs. Ashton consented, thinking they would both be much
happier together than otherwise. Emma proved quite as successful in thus
her second situation as in the first; and owing to her position as
teacher she soon formed acquaintance with several families of cultivated
tastes and high respectability. She often received invitations to
parties; but her tastes were quiet, and she usually preferred spending
her evenings with her mother in the quiet of their own home, to mingling
in scenes of mirth and gaiety; and it was only upon a few occasions that
she attended parties, that her friends might not think her unsocial. At
one of these parties she chanced to meet her former school mate, Miss
Carlton, whose only sign of recognition was a very formal bow. This gave
her no uneasiness; she cherished no malice towards Miss Carlton; but her
ideas and tastes so widely differed from her own that she did not covet
her friendship even had she been inclined to grant it her.

Meanwhile, with the widow and her daughter, time passed happily away.
Emma's salary was more than sufficient for their support and they were
happy in the society of each other. There was one family, by the name of
Milford, who had treated them with much kindness since their residence
in the city. Mrs. Milford at first placed two little girls under Emma's
instruction, and thus began an acquaintance which soon ripened into
intimate friendship; for, although occupying a high position of wealth
and influence, Mrs. Milford was one of the few who place "mind above
matter" and respected true worth wherever she met with it. Her eldest
daughter, having finished her education at a distant boarding school,
returned home about the same time her two sisters were placed in charge
of Emma; and the little girls were so eloquent in their praise of their
teacher, that their eldest sister became interested, and decided to call
upon her at her home; and the lady-like appearance of both mother and
daughter, together with the appearance of good taste which their home
exhibited, strongly interested her in their favor.

Some six months previous to the period of which I am writing a young
physician from the Upper Province located himself in the city of H. for
the practice of his profession. According to common report, he was
wealthy, and the study of a profession had with him been a matter not of
necessity b