Fanny Middleton arrives in new York

Three weeks after Mr. Middleton’s departure for New Orleans, Mr. Miller’s school closed.  Uncle Joshua was present at the examination, and congratulated himself much because he did not feel at all “stuck up” at seeing both Julia and Fanny acquit themselves so creditably.  After the exercises were concluded, he returned with Mr. Miller to Mrs. Crane’s.  Just before he started for home he drew from his sheepskin pocketbook five hundred dollars, which he divided equally between his daughters, saying, “Here, gals, I reckon this will be enough to pay for all the furbelows you’ve bought or will want to buy.  I’ll leave you here the rest of the week to see to fixin’ up your rig, but Saturday I shall send for you.”

Fanny was surprised at her father’s unlooked-for generosity, and thanked him again and again.  Julia was silent, but her face told how vexed and disappointed she was.  As soon as her father was gone, her rage burst forth.  “Stingy old thing,” said she, “and yet he thinks he’s done something wonderful.  Why, my bill at C——­’s already amounts to two hundred, and I want as much more.  What I am to do, I don’t know.”

She would have said more, but Fanny quieted her by saying, “Don’t talk so about father, Julia.  It was very liberal, and really I do not know what to do with all mine.”

But we will not continue this conversation.  Suffice it to say that when Julia retired that night, her own money was safe in her purse, and by the side of it lay the hundred dollars she had coaxed from Fanny.  As they were preparing to return home on Saturday, Julia said to her sister, “Fan, don’t let father know that you gave me a hundred dollars, for I fear all your powers of persuasion would be of no avail to stay the storm he would consider it his bounden duty to raise.”

There was no need of this caution, for Fanny was not one to do a generous act, and then boast of it, neither did her father ask her how she had disposed of her money.  He was satisfied to know that the “four silk gowns” were purchased, as, in his estimation they constituted the essential part of a young lady’s wardrobe.

Since Fanny had disclosed the heartless desertion of Dr. Lacey, she seemed to be doubly dear to her father; for pity now mingled with the intense love he always had for his youngest and best-loved daughter.  Often during the last three days she passed at home prior to her departure for New York, he would sit and gaze fondly upon her until the tears would blind his vision, then springing up, he would pace the floor, impetuously muttering, “The scamp—­the vagabond—­but he’ll get his pay fast enough—­and I’d pay him, too, if I hadn’t promised not to.  But ’tain’t worth a while, for I reckon ’twould only make her face grow whiter and thinner if I did anything.”

At length the morning came on which Julia and Fanny were to leave for the first time their native state.  Side by side near the landing at Frankfort lay the two boats, Blue Wing and Diana.  The one was to bear Fanny on her Northern tour, and the other would convey Julia as far as Louisville on her way South.  Mr. Woodburn, who had business in New Orleans, was to take Julia under his protection.