r him. His necessities were
known, and its salary was intended to compensate him for his losses
during the war. But the duties of the office were nominal. Even its
possible uses soon ceased to be apparent; and, with a daily increasing
sense of security, the people murmured at an appropriation which they
considered unnecessarily burdensome. The common mind could not well
perceive that the salary was not so much yielded for what was expected
of the office, as for what had already been performed. It was not
given for present, but for past services. It was the payment of a debt
incurred, not a simple appropriation for the liquidation of one growing
out of current performances. Legislative reformers waged constant war
against it, and it was finally cut down to five hundred dollars. A smile
of fortune,--one of the fairest perhaps, that had ever shone on our
hero,--just then relieved him from the mortifying necessity of holding
a sinecure which his fellow citizens pronounced an encumbrance. It had
been observed by his friends that there was a lady of good family and
considerable wealth, who appeared to take a more than ordinary interest
in hearing of his exploits. Modest and reserved himself, Marion was not
conscious of the favorable impression which he had made upon this lady.
It was left for others to discover the state of her affections. They
remarked the delight with which, like

"The gentle lady wedded to the Moor,"

she listened to the tale of his achievements, his

"Hair-breadth 'scapes in th' imminent deadly breach,
Of being taken by the insolent foe."--

and they augured favorably of the success of any desire which he might
express to make her the sharer in his future fortunes. On this hint he
spake. Miss Mary Videau, like himself, came of the good old Huguenot
stock, the virtues of which formed our theme in the opening chapter of
this narrative. He proposed to her and was accepted. Neither of them was
young. It was not in the heyday of passion that they loved. The tie that
bound them sprang from an affection growing out of a just appreciation
of their mutual merits. She is reported to have somewhat resembled him
as well in countenance as character. She certainly shared warmly in his
interests and feelings. She readily conformed to his habits no less than
his wishes--partook of his amusements, shared his journeys--which were
frequent--and still, in his absence, could listen with as keen a zest to
his p