The Entailed Hat; Or, Patty Cannon's Times

efore the revolutionary war, and its courts separated, the original court-house faded from the world, and the forest pines have concealed its site. Two new towns arose, and flou

se grave-stones, upright or recumbent, or in family rows, say, in epitaphs Latinized, poetical, or pious, "We belonged to the society of Princess Anne." That, at least

ncess Anne in the early half of our century, a

Jack produced a new hat from the stock no oftener than when he had well worn its predecessor, and, at the rate of two hats a year, was very slowly extinguishing the store. Like most people who frequent auctions, he was not

itely increased. If the wearer had walked out of the court of King James I. directly into our times and presence, he could not have produced a more singular effect. He did not wear this hat on every occasion, nor every day, but always on Sabbaths and holidays, on funeral or corporate celebrations, on certain English church days, and whenever he wore the rema

f the Milburns had lifted himself out of the forest region of Somerset, and settled in the town, and, by silence, frugality, hard bargaining, and, finally, by money-lending, had become a person of unknown means-himself almost unknown. He was, ostensibly, a merchant or storekeeper, and did

Samson Hat," as the boys called him, exercised his brush vigorously, and put the queer old head-gear in as formal shape as possible, and he silently attended to its rehabilitation through the medium of the village hatter, never leaving the shop until the tile had

illing, and powerful negro. His physical and mental system seemed to require some such periodical indulgence, and he measured every negro who came to town solely in the light of his prowess. At the appearance of some Herculean or clean-chested athl

befo'! I'se jined de church! I

. "You're too good a man to go froo Somer

me!" and after a tremendous battle the

dependence equal to his nerve, he merely waited in his lonely cabin until Meshach Milburn sent him word to return. Then silently the ol

occasion the court had imposed penalties on Samson's breaches of the peace, and he lay in jail, unsolicitous and proud, until M

een summoned on a jury, when he put on his best suit and his steeple-crown, and formally went through his task. He attended the Episcopal worship every Sunday and great holiday, wearing inevitably

quite unkindly, and his Indian-like hair, were the leading elements of a face not large, but appearing so, as if the buried will of so

t it on! Meshach's loose!" But he paid no attention to anybody, until once, at court time, some carousing fellows hired Jack Wonnell to walk up to Meshach Milburn and ask to swap a new bell-

onnell, afterwards. "He seemed to

tle children in front of Judge Custis's house began to whisper and titter, and one, bolder than the rest, the

"may I put a rose

n her face of composure and courtesy. Then he looked up and over the Judge's residence to see if any misch

a flower?" he said, b

h a very old hat might

off the venerable old head-gear, and put it in the pretty maid's hand. She fixed a white rose to it,

ou take

will not le

down the streets, amid more than the usual simpering, and the weat