The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-11-06
P. MOROSINI,

tured by an English frigate. Again we are
carried back past the age of gunpowder
and are examining great crossbows of steel
that wind up with a crank, bows too pow
erful for even Robin Hoods naked strength.
A French warrior in armor seems to
grasp his terrible double handed sword,
the blade about 5 feet long and the han
die giving it another foot and a half.
There is no more blood chilling weapon
among them all than that curved knife 16
inches long, that was taken 500 years ago
from one of the famous reef pirates off the
coast of Morocco. The blade is an inch
and a half wide and has an edge to split a
hair; a large diamond shines in the butt of
the handle, and the scabbard is strongly
bedded with small polished ocean shells.
In the armory hangs one trophy from the
sale of William Henry Hurlbert's collec-
tions-the collection that was sold when he
took himself to England. 1t is the smoked
head of an Amazon chief, a head that still
shows that the chief was a mar of powerful
physiognomy. 1t is not a repulsive looking
thing, because the uninitiated would al
ways take it for 4 curious piece Of clever
workmanship, black hair and all, but when
you find you are looking at the head of a
MANTLE veritable head in which he once
did his thinking-it is rather startling.
Cruelty to Burglars.
In passing through the halls one comes
upon odd barriers, steel gates something
like those that bar the way of the adven-
furious on the ferryboats. They show that
beyond is some one of the many rooms de-
voted to what l have called Mr.. Morosini's
museum, and that without his permission
you cannot get even so far as it's locked
door. The guarding of the whole house is
as complete and effectual as modern inge-
nuity and money can make it. A big alarm
bell hangs above the roof, Inc electricity
helps the Waterman. Any untoward FUN
bling with locks, at windows or doors after
the house is closed results in ringing not
only the alarm bell. but bells in all the
bedrooms, and at the same time all the
lights are automatically turned on. 1t is a
case of real cruelty to burglars, for they
could never find Il place more to their minds
if only they could get in it.
How fitted to their needs, for instance, is
this case of 500 Chinese and Japanese coinsl
They are of the purest gold. Four hundred
arc about the size of a $50 gold piece, and
100 are6 inches one way, 4 the other and
half III inch thick. A model of the tomb
Of an Egyptian king is in pure silver and
weighs IA hundred pounds.
che cablhct Is gwen up TO lUO SnuHD boxes,
all having a historical as we'll as artistic
and intrinsic value, and nearly all have fig
ured rs royal gifts-nearly all nave indeed
been given by one sovereign to another.
Gold and diamonds they are ~oftenest made
of, and many contain some of the finest
specimens of miniature painting in the
world.
A Fortune In Precious Metals.
Another cabinet contains so pieces of gold
plate. Among other things it contains 30
solid gold plates Il foot in diameter, four
gold loving cups y feet high and of pecu-
liarly fine workmanship; two urns of the
same metal 2 feet high, s inches across the
Mouth and fitted with covers.
The gold in The cabinet above would coin
into as much as 100000. More valuable
than its silver is the artistic quality of IL
SAKE of Isis. Though it is 4 feet high. it
Is made Of the solid metal and weighs 800
pounds.
Strange gods perch and squat above the