h upon the relation
between them, and said he need not wish the young lady happiness in
her new home, for he believed Mrs. Delano always created an
atmosphere of happiness around her. After a few moments of desultory
conversation, Flora left the room. When she had gone, Mr. Percival
remarked, "That is a very fascinating young person."

"I thought she would strike you agreeably," replied Mrs. Delano. "Her
beauty and gracefulness attracted me the first time I saw her; and
afterward I was still more taken by her extremely _naive_ manner.
She has been brought up in seclusion as complete as Miranda's on the
enchanted island; and there is no resisting the charm of her impulsive
naturalness. But, if you please, I will now explain the note I sent
to you this morning. I heard some months ago that you had joined the
Anti-Slavery Society."

"And did you send for me hoping to convert me from the error of my
ways?" inquired he, smiling.

"On the contrary, I sent for you to consult concerning a slave in whom
I am interested."

"_You_, Mrs. Delano!" he exclaimed, in a tone of great surprise.

"You may well think it strange," she replied, "knowing, as you do,
how bitterly both my father and my husband were opposed to the
anti-slavery agitation, and how entirely apart my own life has been
from anything of that sort. But while I was at the South this winter,
I heard of a case which greatly interested my feelings. A wealthy
American merchant in New Orleans became strongly attached to a
beautiful quadroon, who was both the daughter and the slave of a
Spanish planter. Her father became involved in some pecuniary trouble,
and sold his daughter to the American merchant, knowing that they were
mutually attached. Her bondage was merely nominal, for the tie of
affection remained constant between them as long as she lived; and he
would have married her if such marriages had been legal in Louisiana.
By some unaccountable carelessness, he neglected to manumit her. She
left two handsome and accomplished daughters, who always supposed
their mother to be a Spanish lady, and the wedded wife of their
father. But he died insolvent, and, to their great dismay, they found
themselves claimed as slaves under the Southern law, that 'the child
follows the condition of the mother.' A Southern gentleman, who was in
love with the eldest, married her privately, and smuggled them both
away to Nassau. After a while he went there to meet them, having
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