to own a slave than to hire one and pay the money to another.
Hence it was that he had been induced to purchase Marion.

Adolphus Morton, a young physician from the same State,
and who had just commenced the practice of his profession
in New Orleans, was boarding with Cardinay when Marion was
brought home. The young physician had been in New Orleans
but a very few weeks, and had seen but little of slavery.
In his own mountain-home, he had been taught that the slaves
of the Southern States were negroes, and if not from the coast
of Africa, the descendants of those who had been imported.
He was unprepared to behold with composure a beautiful white
girl of sixteen in the degraded position of a chattel slave.

The blood chilled in his young heart as he heard Cardinay tell how,
by bantering with the trader, he had bought her two hundred dollars less
than he first asked. His very looks showed that she had the deepest
sympathies of his heart.

Marion had been brought up by her mother to look
after the domestic concerns of her cottage in Virginia,
and well knew how to perform the duties imposed upon her.
Mrs. Cardinay was much pleased with her new servant, and often
mentioned her good qualities in the presence of Mr. Morton.

After eight months acquaintance with Marion, Morton's sympathies
ripened into love, which was most cordially reciprocated
by the friendless and injured child of sorrow. There was
but one course which the young man could honorably pursue,
and that was to purchase Marion and make her his lawful wife;