Herald Of The United States

From the Massachusetts Magazine.

STORY by JULIA. - A real Character

Soon as Julia recovered, Edwards conducted her on shore,
leaving poor Piemont behind them,
mortified and confounded at the
novel scene that had been exhibited.
So great was his disappointment, and
the reflection of his having lost the
esteem of the good and virtuous,
without completing his anticipated
sacrifice, that he spent the night in
hopeless despair of ever retrieving his
reputation. Sometimes he thought of
writing to Julia, and in the most pa-
thetic language to crave her pardon
and solicit her friendship. But his
guilt was so enormous, as convinced
him that such a measure would have
no effect. This he well knew, and
thus his mind was perpetually vibrat-
ing between inclination and the cer-
tainty of proving unsuccessful in his
attempts of reconciliation; till at
length reflection wasted his frame, and
impaired his constitution. He forever
after secluded himself from society,
and lived like an outcast and one who
had forfeited all claim to the notice of
civilized man; and like one, too, who
was conscious that his conduct was
such as debarred him from the en-
joyments of this life, and the happiness
of that which is to come.

It is now time to draw the cur-
tain of oblivion over the tragick scene,
and employ our thoughts upon a more
pleasing subject.

The combination of circumstan-
ces which had hitherto tended to ren-
der the conduct of Mrs. Sumpter stron-
gly suspected, were now become appar-
ent, and her participation in Piemont's
villany no longer doubted. Julia
thought it prudent to avoid her, and
went immediately to the apartment of
Miss Sophia Bayard, to whom she re-
lated every circumstance relative to her
dangerous excursion; the fearful ap-
prehension of returning to her aunt's
and was soon led to discover the de-
ception of the billet. Miss Bayard re-
lieved her from her anxiety, by with-
ing her to make herself easy in her
present situation.

The next day she wrote to her aunt
a particular account of what had hap-
pened, alleging, by way of excuse,
that she was suddenly taken ill which
was the cause of her absence the pre-
ceding evening: but received for an-
swer, that she must come directly. This
positive command not a little per-
plexed her. On the one hand she
considered, that, if she obeyed, she
was liable to still greater suspicions,
and those, too, which would end in
the completion of her ruin; for she
plainly saw that one disappointment
only prepared the way for some more
fatal experiment: on the other, she
was convinced, that if she refused to
comply with her aunt's injunctions,
her fortune would be exposed, and no
doubt the avaricious desires of pre-
tended friends would wallow it up,
and leave her destitute and depend-
ent. She carefully weighed all these
circumstances, and came to the reso-
lution of sacrificing every consideration
of interest to her personal safety.
The reflection, however, of becoming
dependent and forlorn, did not, at first,
so much shock her feelings: for the
series of misfortunes to which she had
been exposed, rendered her mind less
susceptible of impression. But reflec-
tion, and the rugged scenes which o-
pened to her view, cast a gloomy
shade over her mind, and for a while
disturbed her tranquil repose.

From this period, Edwards be-
came solicitous for the happiness of
Julia, and poverty alone prevented
him from openly avowing his passion.
She, on her part, equally esteemed
him for his good disposition, integrity
and virtue, and felt herself under no
small obligation to him for her late
deliverance from impending ruin.
Their mutual harmony and love dai-
ly increased, till, at last, Edwards,
seeing no prospect of being in a situa-
tion to offer her his hand, and her
own interest being as yet precarious,
took his leave, and sailed for Canton,
in China, in hopes that fortune would
so far smile upon him, as to return
him in better circumstances, and ena-
ble him to complete his connexion
with Julia. Although their intimacy
was great, yet they were both very
cautious in opening their sentiments,
both fearful of not meeting a favour-
able reception, which would not a
little mortify the one who first made
the proposition. When they parted,
the tears shed were sure testimonials
of the tender passion of both, and they
were no longer in doubt as to the
sincerity of each other's intentions.
Notwithstanding she affected to main-
rain her usual vivacity, yet she ap-
peared evidently dejected, and the
cause of it was easily explained. She
applied herself to reading and seemed
to relish retirement. She would
spend hours in walking in the garden
in a very pensive mood. She had
contracted such a taste for reading
The Vicar of Wakefield, that she never
amused herself more agreeably, and
the mournful progress of the good
old man, and his amiable family.
through life, would draw tears from
her eyes. She greatly admired the
fled from society, and met in the
ballad of the two lovers, who had
lonely wilderness, as typical of her
own situation. The striking simplicity
of the style and sentiment, were cap-
tivating; and whilst secluded from
the busy scenes of life, and wandering
amid the shady bowers, she has been
often heard to repeat these lines:--

Forlorn and lost
With fainting steps and slow
These were the mournful accents of
the distressed female, addressed to her
unknown lover; and were never
more applicable than to Julia, when
separated from the only object of her
affections.

An event soon happened, which
determined the fate of Julia's fortune.
Her aunt very unjustly cast her off as
unworthy of her regard, and debarred
her from having any part or lot
in the inheritance of her father. This
could not be prevented, as Littleton
placed such implicit confidence in
the rectitude of his sister, that he
little thought of guarding his proper-
ity against any encroachments. How-
ever severe this stroke would have
been to the generality of mankind,
it did not seem to add to the per-
turbed feelings of Julia, for her misfor-
tunes before had arisen to as great a
height as she was capable of enduring,
and she bore this last painful stroke with
christian fortitude and philosophy.
The family in which she had resided
since she left her aunt, were very kind,
and gave her to understand, that she
was henceforth to be considered as a
daughter.

The amusements of the world now
became insipid; nevertheless she acted
her part with such a grace, that it
required the greatest penetration to
discover her anxieties. She never
complained, but praised her maker,
that she had been hitherto preserved.
She constantly attended to the duties
of religion, for she rightly considered,
that every other concern of life de-
pended on these, without which her
best services would prove unaccepta-
ble in the sight of her creator. She
happily divided her time between these
duties and other rational amusements,
so as not to injure her health by too
great application to one constant em-
ployment. In this way she spent
nearly two years without hearing from
Edwards, about whose fate she began
to entertain some fearful apprehen-
sions. But the great rewarder of
good, and punisher of evil, never
suffers the virtuous to perish. At last
the long wished for Edwards arrived.
He flew to inquire the fate of Julia.
Both were agreeably delighted. Their
first meeting was attended with mu-
tual pleasure. Fortune had so far
dealt out her favours, as to return
him in health and in the possession
of a competency of wealth.
Their
affection for each other was great.
He made proposals of marriage, which
met the approbation of Julia. They
were accordingly united in the bands
of Hymen; and if Love and Virtue
can render this life agreeable, Ed-
wards and Julia must be happy.