"An I'll juist ging in til't instead o' Sam'l." "Quite so." "An' I cudna think to disappoint the lassie." "Your sentiments do you credit, Sanders," said the minister; "but I hope you do not enter upon the blessed state of matrimony without full consideration of its responsibilities.

It is a serious business, marriage." "It's a' that," said Sanders, "but I'm willin' to stan' the risk." So, as soon as it could be done, Sanders Elshioner took to wife T'nowhead's Bell, and I remember seeing Sam'l Dickie trying to dance at the penny wedding.
Years afterwards it was said in Thrums that Sam'l had treated Bell badly, but he was never sure about it himself.
"It was a near thing--a michty near thing," he admitted in the square.
"They say," some other weaver would remark, "'at it was you Bell liked best." "I d'na kin," Sam'l would reply, "but there's nae doot the lassie was fell fond o' me.

Ou, a mere passin' fancy's ye micht say.".