The Entailed Hat; Or, Patty Cannon's Times

ce, with an extravagant livery team, had spread among all the circle around the principal tavern, and they were discussing the motive and probabilities of the act, with

ows off! Meshach's jest spilin' with money and he must have a splurge-two hosses

up of "Dogged if I kin

rapin-buyer, made a w

. He's a ben in everything else, and has tuk to hosse

w chuckle, spun around half-way on their boot-heels

ed, and looking like a vagrant who had tried on a militia gren

ilently, it's a gal. I went into my bell-crowns to git a gal. Milbun's gwyn

held their mouths agape, executed the revolution upon; on

l all take off our hats an' do it polite, for, by smoke! thar's

resinous bold eyes to the front, his nose informing him of what was in the air like any silken terrier's, and yet

is, "them's the shakes, comin' on him by

to profanity current in that land was again

led on the Eastern Shore, and Ph?bus looked it yet, with his rich brown complexion, broad

r. Ph?bus. Gentlem

ghbors. His stature was reduced, his unsociableness seemed modified; he now looked to be a smallish, friendless person, as if some ownerless dog had darted through th

vernager this mo

gliding along as if ba

rivolity, to feel the effect; but this remark was regarded by the group as too forward,

usually, or am I more timid? What is it in the air that makes every

the houses all around looked like live objects, with their windows fixed upon his walk, like married folks' eyes. As he came in sight of Judge Custis's residence,

been there so long that it has no fears, and every window in it faces benignant to my coming. The three gables survey yonder fore

er's uneasy paroxysm. "It is the Forest these gentles have to fear to-day!"

negro's peachtree, the ripe persimmons on the roadside, plenteous to every forester's child, and humility and affection making all ri

e path to the gate, also walking slow, and showed neither animosity n

ged his tail at me in all that time. Could I acquire the heart even of this dog, though I might buy him

fter sentence has been passed. He seemed to be there a very long time with his heart quite vacant, as if the debtor's knocker had scared every chatterer out of it, and yet his temple

d been wont to keep equal society, on a carved mahogany rack of colonial times. The venerable object, once there, gave a common look to everything, as M

that we must also cringe in spirit, and acknowledge it! I expected to feel triumphan

la south of the Choptank river and Cape Henlopen; and near the door was a tall clock, that a giant might stand in, solemnly cogging and waving time, and giving the monotony of everlasting evening to the place, which was increased by the flic

fferent, so suggestive, almost a thing of superstition, poised, like a woman's instinct and will, upon nothing firm, yet, like the sphere it moved upon, tra

o gracefully, that, when it died away, he pressed his lips to the top of it, nearest where he

inscribed, he guessed at them all, right or wrong, fro

paid him in a distant office in Accomac, where they might never see him and his bills again, and there they let him steal most of the revenue, and, of course, his loyalty was in proportion to his booty. Many a time, no doubt, he was procurer for both royal brothers, Charles and James,

these ocean islands, till his father's friend, Charles II., in a merry mood, made Henry Bennet, the king's bastard son's father-in-law, Earl of Arlington and lessee of Virginia. All the province for forty shillings a year rent! Those were pure, economical times, indeed, around the court. So salt-

surable interest in the warm room and genial surroundings led him to pass the time

The neat chamber-servant, Virgie, had carried the wondrous information to the colonnade that the dreadful creditor had come, and Roxy, the ta

nquired Aunt Hominy, laying down the club with w

on the hat-rack. I'm afrai

big black fireplace, with a face expressive of so much fright and cunning humor toget

de fire! Maybe it'll liff de trouble off o' dis yer house. We got de hat

a snake: "'Deed, Aunt Hominy, I wouldn't touch it t

h Milbun, offer Miss Vessy a gole dollar, an' she wouldn' have none of his gole? Dat she did! Virgie, you go git dat hat, chile! Poke it of

e fifty articles of negro pharmacy were kept-bunches of herbs, dri

fraid to move that hat, because Miss Vessy would be mortified. Think of her

e begun to git all de gole. Fo' dat he had been po' as a lizzer, sellin' to niggers, cookin' fo' heseff, an' no' count, nohow. He sot up in de loft of his ole sto' readin' de Bible upside down to git de debbil's frenship. De debb

came up almost chilled with terror, to listen; but it produced the greatest effect on Aunt Hominy herself, who

, Aunty?" asked Virgie, drawing Roxy to he

'mos' on de groun, an' ebery tree an' fence-pos' and standin' thing goes away over de land, frowin' long crooked shadows. Dat's de time Meshach stans up, wid dat hat de debbil gib him to make him longer, jest a layin' on de

wide open; the maids heard w

er measured in Judge Custis's house, an

up at Miss Vessy's window. He took de dark nights, when de streets of Prencess Anne was clar ob folks, an' de dogs was in deir cribs, an' nuffin' goin' aroun' but him an' wind an' cold an' rain. One night, while he was watchin' Miss Vessy's window like a black crow, from de shadow of de tree, I was a-watchin' o

r a pause, "I know I wouldn'

id Virgie, "but if Miss Vessy told me

unt Hominy, "and take a peep at it. M

children, from five to fourteen years of age-filed softly from the kitchen through the covered colonnade, and thence alo

e old hat on the hall rack. They hastily fled at her appearance, but the idea of the hat was also conveyed to her own fancy by their unwonted behavior. She looked up an instant at the queer, faded article hanging among its betters, and with a reminiscence of childhood, and of

a, walking to the visitor, and exte

e took it, and then he did not let it go. His strong, rather than bold, look, continuing, she dropped her eyes to the hand that mildly held her own, and then she observed, all calm as she was, t

while the yellowish-brown eyes, wide open and intense, answered to the open, almost observant nostrils at the end of his straight, fine nose. His complexion was dark and forester-like, seeming to show a poor, unnutritious diet. He was

times, Mr. Milburn, bu

itated. "Nor anywhere in Princess Anne. Yo

e was a little stiff, appearing to be at want for some corresponding inflec

aste to-day. I hope you have not felt that we were inhospitable. But little town

ut any of the suavity of a compliment, still carrying t

ity as well as her good-breeding, and made allowance for her visitor's want of sophistication. He was like an Indian before a mirror, in a stolid excitement of apprehen

ite as the milky corn-rows, moved in the May cherries of her lips. The delicate arches of her brows, shaded by bla

now I was unself

have hear

ar me in our chu

ou sung there for years," said Meshac

d of music,

I have ever hea

but, to avoid changing the scene, as well as to use a simpler accompaniment for an ignorant man's ears, she brou

ome sadly

silent hou

the bustling

ight wake

strain is a

almost des

l accents

rs not its

n hour of d

on my heart

t nature dre

t upon me

then awake

rapture's h

earth's vain

in Immor

nd, her visitor saying nothin

o was grandfather's rector, Rev. James Eastburn. He was only twenty-two years old when he died, at sea, of con

Milburn, after hesitation. "Now it is realized, I feel sce

mused, since her humor could flow freely as her music. It faintly

never felt so sad to sing as just now. Father is ill. Mamma is ill. I have become the business agent of th

Milbur

d mortgages? Is it more than he can

ything, but the household servants here; these maids in the fam

th me; what right have I to sell he

n, bluntly, "but th

apa waste his plentiful substance in such a hopeless experiment? If my singing in the church has given you happiness, why could it not move you to mercy? Think

me to me to borrow, my mind was in a liberal disposition, for you had just entered it with your innocent attentions. I s

money? Why, sir, I was a child. He has been bor

s contents on the table. He opened a piece of folded paper, and drew from it two objec

ided hat. I kept it till it was dead, and laid it away with my mother's hair, the two re

and looked at him wit

ter that, to save my father? Then you informed yourself, and knew that he w

ugh grasping every cent from every source but that. I did know, then, he could not probably repay me, but every Sabbath at the church you sang, and that seemed some compensation. I was bewitched; indistinct visions of gratitude and recognition from you filled the preaching with concourses of angels, all bearing your image, and hovering above me. The pri

so, with a fri

es wide open under their startled lashes. "My father h

e Meshach Milburn

love me," he said, bitterly. "I thought G

ove is?" asked Vest

N

arrying even my childhood about in your evil imagination, and cur

perfect humility th

Custis?" he said, with a slight flu

s eyes again

ing," faltered Vesta. "I saw no

ighted my childhood; my youth was spent in the study of myself and man; at last a beautiful child appeared to me, spoke her way to my soul, and it could never expel her glorious presence. All things became subordinate to her, even avarice and success. She kept me a Christian, or I shoul

something that should forever exasperate her father's creditor,

ave ever done so? Though I almost dreamed it had, because you filled my life so many years with your rich image, I thought you might have felt me, like an apparition, stealing around this dwelling often in the dark and rain, content with the ray of light your

Vesta sat down in the fair

feeling could be returned by me? My youth, my connections, everything, would forbid me, without haughtiness, to see a suitor in you. Then, you took

Milburn said

t accurs

tion ruffled

will, in a few weeks, put me in possession of your father's entire property. I shall change outward circumstances with him in Princess Anne. He is too old to adopt my sacrifices, and recover his situation; he may find some shifting refuge with his s

notes her father had negotia

the comfort and honor of her parents, which she could confer in a si

ht. "It will be a sin to say 'Yes

islature or to congress, to sustain his pride, and keep him well occupied. The Furnace he may appear to have sold to me, and I will accept the unpopularity of closing it. I ask only to s

hook he

before that act that we must consider everything. How could I make you happy? My own happiness I will dismiss

ll be thankful for a dry crust and a cup of ice. Here at the fireside let me sit and warm, and hear the

s-by the terms on which you obtain me. It may never be known out of this family that I married you for the sake of my father and mother. But how am I to prevent you from remembering it, especially when yo

large brown eyes upon the floor,

e had any real love for yo

where. To be an obedient wife is the lot of woman; but love, such as you have some glimmering of, is a mystic instinct so mutua

t learn to trust me. Your comparison does not, therefore, discourage

study of him again. With her intelligence and sense of higher worth coming to her rescue, she thou

es conveying love, her skin like the wild plum's, and her raven brows and crown of luxuriant hair rising upon a queenly presence worth

her highest self-respect and alert intelligence. "Have you any

forester. "I am nothing but myse

you born a

burn, with a flush of obdurate pride; "it was burned last night,

natural life for you. Iron ceases to be occult when you take it up. Your birthplace in this world disappears by fire the night before yo

y a skilful approach, yet he changed

a lady like that little miss.' That was several years ago, and to-day, for the first time, my hat is on the rack of your hall. The long wish of the heart is not often denied. We are not responsible for it. The only conspiracy I have plotted here, was that I did not oppose most natural occurrences, al

ore your family hat from some filial respect, it was, in part,

asy again. He he

may have been something of revenge in

h instigates you here-even in this profes

and the shadows cle

indignant thought has ever harbored in my brain. It has b

onal charity exte

N

een exasperated, b

ever insulte

t is a subject that galls me to mention it. Yet, I must be consistent with my only eccentricity. Wherever I may go, there goes

eccentricity founded on family respect. We were Virginians, and that is next to r

shook

ycamore trees, and made no sound in events more than their insectivorous tapping. Out yonder beyond Dividing Creek, in the thickets of small oak and low pines, many a little farm, scratched from the devouring forest, speckling the plains and wastes with huts and with little barns of logs, once bore the name of Milburn through all the localities of the Pocomoke to and beyond the great Cypress Swamp. They are dying, but never dead. The few who live ex

wholly insulted sens

is. You may smile, but I

you are a proud man. My father, who has had reason

while. He was not displeased at Vesta's complim

ed the obsolete hat of your people. Whatever vanity led you

hat she was entering into his

y race has been influential and prosperous. Indeed, I have been told so. He was ele

is greater errand instigating her to defer it, while she was ye

till it became the property of Jacob Milborne, the popular martyr who was executed in New York, and

ll. The wind or air from some of the large, cold apartments of the long house, coming in

sitor re-entered with the antediluvian hat, a

gravity of the forester guest, who was about to demonstrate his aristocracy through this old hat. It seemed to her, also, that the portraits of the Custises, on the wall, carried indignant noses in the air at th

while the Netherlands was her ally against the house of Spain, and,

ost she could admit was the tyranny of fashion over the mind-it seemed, over the soul its

deas, but now, that he brought this hat in and associated his person with it, she s

ner could be ascribed to that article, for he resumed his strong, wild-man's stare, deepened and