best to marry Cissie at once and go North. Further time in this place would not be good for the girl. Even if he could not lift all Niggertown, he could at least help Cissie. He had had no idea, when he first planned his work, what a tremendous task he was essaying. The white village had looked upon the negroes so long as non-moral and non- human that the negroes, with the flexibility of their race, had assimilated that point of view. The whites tried to regulate the negroes by endless laws. The negroes had come to accept this, and it seemed that they verily believed that anything not discovered by the constable was permissible. Mr. Dawson Bobbs was Niggertown's conscience. It was best for Peter to take from this atmosphere what was dearest to him, and go at once.
The brown man's thoughts came trailing back to the old negro parson hobbling at his side. He looked at the old man, hesitated a moment, then told him what was in his mind.
Parson Ranson's face wrinkled into a grin.
“You's gwine to git ma'ied?”
“And I thought I'd have you perform the ceremony.”
This suggestion threw the old negro into excitement.
“Me, Mr. Peter?”
“Yes. Why not?”
“Why, Mr. Peter, I kain't jine you an' Miss Cissie Dildine.”
Peter looked at him, astonished.
