Her own Way by Eglanton Thorne

DEATH had surprised Ralph Tracy ere he had found time to settle his property upon Juliet for her sole and entire use under conditions which, should she marry, would prevent her husband from having any control over it. Despite his wise foresight and prudent resolves, Juliet came into absolute possession of all he had left, untrammelled by any provisions.

It was no great fortune. Her uncle had never been a wealthy man. He had always been generous to others, though extremely sparing in his personal expenditure. It was only by strict self-denial that he was able to serve others liberally, and lay up a provision for his old age. His rigorous mode of life, simple and unluxurious as that of a hermit, had cost little, and he had saved sufficient money to enable him to return to England and resume the life of an ordinary gentleman, with a purse full enough to supply the wants and gratify the fancies of the charming, capricious girl whom he found and claimed as his niece in London.

By his death, Juliet came into possession of moneys that would yield her an income of rather less than five hundred pounds a year. It was not a great inheritance, certainly; yet think what the command of so much money must mean to a girl brought up as Juliet had been, one of a household where every kind of domestic economy had to be rigidly practised; accustomed till lately to wear simple frocks made for her by her mother of material chosen for its good wearing qualities, and expected to serve two seasons, and who till the coming of her uncle, had never enjoyed a day's pleasure of which the cost had not been carefully calculated beforehand.

"I hope it may prove for Juliet's good," said Salome, with a shake of the head which signified that she held a belief to the contrary.

"I am afraid she is hardly one to make a wise use of so much money," said Hannah solemnly.

Mrs. Tracy had some doubts on this score too, but she was not seriously uneasy about it. She had great faith in Juliet's goodness of heart. Juliet's faults were on the surface; but the goodness her mother believed to be a solid, firm stratum at the basis of her character. She could not but be thankful that this darling child was so well provided for.

"We must try to influence her without seeming to do so," she said cheerfully. "Juliet is really not difficult to guide, if you use a little tact and kindness. She not be driven, but she may be led."

"I am glad to hear you say so," replied Hannah, with bitter significance, "for it seems to me that Juliet is sadly in need of guidance with regard to her choice of associates."

And she proceeded to tell her mother how Mrs. Hayes had seen Juliet at one of the metropolitan stations in the company of "that man Chalcombe who sings at music halls," talking together as if they were on most friendly terms.

Mrs. Tracy was inexpressibly shocked and distressed. Here indeed was true cause for uneasiness. Juliet's acquisition of property would be deplorable, if it led her into the toils of an unprincipled man.

"Does Mrs. Hayes know anything about the man? " she asked.

"She does not know him, of course," said Salome, with emphasis, "but she knows him to be a fast, dissipated sort of character. She said no one could look at him and fail to see that."

"Oh dear," Mrs. Tracy groaned, "what shall I do? Juliet is always so ready to believe the best of people."

"Of some people," put in Salome.

"I must speak to her about it, yet I hardly know what to say. I cannot tell how she will take it. She will not hear a word just now," said Mrs. Tracy, forgetting that a minute before she had asserted that it was easy to lead Juliet. "If only she had a father or a brother to protect her!"

"You must be very firm with her," said Hannah; "you must tell her decidedly that you will not have her meeting that young man, that it is disgraceful, and not to be tolerated."

"And drive her into open opposition to us all," said Mrs. Tracy. "Oh, my dear, that will not do at all. You forget that Juliet will soon be twenty-one, and she has always threatened that she would take her own way when she came of age. And now that she is quite independent-Oh, that would not do at all!"

"It is certainly rather late for mother to begin to be firm with Juliet," said Salome, with an unpleasant curl of the lips.

"The best thing would be to take her out of London for a time, so that she should not see anything of those horrid Chalcombes," said Hannah.

"Certainly it would; but who is to take Juliet away if she does not choose to go? " asked Mrs. Tracy, with despair in her tones. "She would not give up her lessons with Signor Lombardi. And she has announced her intention of attending all the popular concerts this season."