Imagination and Heart, Tales for Fifteen | Page 6

her manners were absolutely submitted to the
discretion of an hireling. Notwithstanding this willing concession of
power on the part of Miss Emmerson, there was no deficiency in ability
to judge between right and wrong in her character; but the homely
nature of her good sense, unassisted by any confidence in her own
powers, was unable to compete with the dazzling display of
accomplishments which met her in every house where she visited; and
if she sometimes thought that she could not always discover much of
the useful amid this excess of the agreeable, she rather attributed the
deficiency to her own ignorance than to any error in the new system of
instruction. From the age of six to that of sixteen, Julia had no other
communications with Miss Emmerson than those endearments which
neither could suppress, and a constant and assiduous attention on the
part of the aunt to the health and attire of her niece.
{fever of 1805 = New York City had suffered a major epidemic of
yellow fever in the summer of 1805; tambour-frame = a circular frame
used to hold material being embroidered}
Miss Emmerson had a brother residing in the city of New-York, who
was a man of eminence at the bar, and who, having been educated fifty
years ago, was, from that circumstance, just so much superior to his
successors of his own sex by twenty years, as his sisters were the losers
from the some cause. The family of Mr. Emmerson was large, and,
besides several sons, he had two daughters, one of whom remained still

unmarried in the house of her father. Katherine Emmerson was but
eighteen months the senior of Julia Warren; but her father had adopted
a different course from that which was ordinarily pursued with girls of
her expectations. He had married a woman of sense, and now reaped
the richest blessing of such a connexion in her ability to superintend the
education of her daughter. A mother's care was employed to correct
errors that a mother's tenderness could only discover; and in the place
of general systems, and comprehensive theories, was substituted the
close and rigorous watchfulness which adapted the remedy to the
disease; which studied the disposition; and which knew the failings or
merits of the pupil, and could best tell when to reward, and how to
punish. The consequences were easily to be seen in the manners and
character of their daughter. Her accomplishments, even where a master
had been employed in their attainment, were naturally displayed, and
suited to her powers. Her manners, instead of the artificial movements
of prescribed rules, exhibited the chaste and delicate modesty of
refinement, mingled with good principles--such as were not worn in
order to be in character as a woman and a lady, but were deeply seated,
and formed part, not only of her habits, but, if we may use the
expression, of her nature also. Miss Emmerson had good sense enough
to perceive the value of such an acquaintance for her ward; but,
unfortunately for her wish to establish an intimacy between her nieces,
Julia had already formed a friendship at school, and did not conceive
her heart was large enough to admit two at the same time to its
sanctuary. How much Julia was mistaken the sequel of our tale will
show.
So long as Anna Miller was the inmate of the school, Julia was satisfied
to remain also, but the father of Anna having determined to remove to
an estate in the interior of the country, his daughter was taken from
school; and while the arrangements were making for the reception of
the family on the banks of the Gennessee, Anna was permitted to taste,
for a short time, the pleasures of the world, at the residence of Miss
Emmerson on the banks of the Hudson.
{Gennessee = Genesee River, which flows north through central New
York State to Lake Ontario--at the time of Cooper's story it was still on
the frontier of settlement}
Charles Weston was a distant relative of the good aunt, and was, like

Julia, an orphan, who was moderately endowed with the goods of
fortune. He was a student in the office of her uncle, and being a great
favourite with Miss Emmerson, spent many of his leisure hours, during
the heats of the summer, in the retirement of her country residence.
Whatever might be the composure of the maiden aunt, while Julia was
weeping in her chamber over the long separation that was now to exist
between herself and her friend, young Weston by no means displayed
the same philosophic indifference. He paced the hall of the building
with rapid steps, cast many a longing glance at the door of his cousin's
room, and then rested himself with an apparent intention to