According to her biographer Iosold Ni Dheirg, Emily worked for a family as a private nursemaid and traveled with them to France and Germany. It is not clear how long she stayed in France as a nursemaid with that particular family. She certainly stayed long enough in the country to become a fluent French speaker

With French and a good command of German she had certainly had the option to travel as a nurse. Iosold Ni Dheirg, who knew Emily personally mentioned that she had a great sense of adventure, another reason behind her visit. The third possible reason could possibly have been that she was on a tour of Europe, not an uncommon for young ladies at her time. Having lost her parents and all but one of her siblings, her other relations may have taken her to the Continent as part of her education.

Either one of the ways described or another way completely young Emily found herself in the South of France in the Spring of 1896, having  brush with destiny too.

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Sources

Ní Dheirg, Íosold. Emily M. Weddall: Bunaitheoir Scoil Acla. Baile Atha Cliath: Coisceim, 1995

http://gutenberg.polytechnic.edu.na/4/7/4/6/47463/47463-h/47463-h.htm