Milburn said;
"meantime, I require something at my warehouse, and, as it is yet early
in the night, may I leave you a little while?"

She bowed her head again, and, while they proceeded towards the
church-door, lingering there, Samson took the opportunity to seize both
of Virgie's hands.

"Virgie," he exclaimed, "is all dat kissin a gwyin on an' we black folks
git none of it? Come hyeah, purty gal, an' kiss yer ole gran'fadder!"

Virgie consented without resistance, till Samson continued, "Oh, what
peach an' honey, Virgie! Gi me anoder one! I say, Virgie, sence my
marster an' your mistis have done gone an' leff us two orphans, sposen
we git Mr. Tilghman to pernounce us man an' wife, too?" Then Virgie drew
away.

"Samson Hat," she said, "what's that you are talking about? You ought to
be ashamed of yourself. You are old enough to be my father!"

"'Deed I ain't, my love. I'm good as four o' dese new kine o' Somoset
County beaux. I'm a free man. Maybe I'll sot you free too, Virgie--me
an' my marster yonder. He says we better git married. 'Deed he does."

"You are just an impertinent old negro," the girl replied. "Do you
suppose any well-raised girl would have a man who got rich by cleaning
the Bad Man's hat? You're nothing but the devil's serving-man, sir."

"Look out dat debbil don't ketch you, den," said Samson. "You pore,
foolish, believin' chile! Look out dem purty black eyes don't cry for
ole Samson yit. He's done bound to marry some spring chicken, ole Samson
is, an' I reckon you'll brile de tenderest, Virgie."

Virgie, indignant, but fluttered at her first real proposal, and from
one of the richest men of her color in Princess Anne, hastened to tie on
her young mistress's walking-shoes, and, as they all stepped from the
happy old church, where Vesta's voice had so often pierced, in her
flights of harmony, to a bliss that seemed to carry her soul, like a
lark, to heaven's gate, that

"singing, still dost soar, and, soaring, ever singest,"

she saw fall upon the pavement of the churchyard the long, preposterous,
moon-thrown hat of the bridegroom.

"Oh, what will he do with that hat, now that he has married me?" Vesta
thought. "Will he continue to afflict me with it?"

Her heart sank down, so that she felt relieved when he kissed her again
at the church-gate, and saying, "I will come soon, darling," went, with
his man, into Princess Anne.

"Is your buggy ready harnessed, Samson?" his master asked, whe