The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-04-06

were MS red as those Of cherries in
May.
checked myself.
Are you angry with mcT' l asked,
trcnbllngly. Are you angry with INC
Roscg
She held out to me her hand ON
that, my heart seething with audacity,
my head on fire. cried:
"Rosc-l swear II! will be your hus-
handr' And as as she shook her head
and looked at me sadly. added: "Oh.
| well know that my uncle Is self
willed. but | will be more self-willed
still; and, since he must be forced to
say yes l will force him to say it,
"But howT' asked Rose.
All! how? That was exactly the
difficulty. But no matter; | would
find way to surmount i'll
At that moment heavy step re-
sounded In the street. lnstinctively
we moved away from each other;
returned to my dOuhlchanded sword,
aud Rose, to keep herself in counter.
ance. set to duSting with corner of
her apron little statue;tc in its fad
cd red velvet case
My uncle entered. Surprised at find
ing us together, he stopped short and
looked sharply at us, from one to the
other
We each of us went on rubbing with
out raising our heads.
Herr, take this" said my uncle.
handing me II bulky parcel from
under his arm. "A splendid purchase.
youll see"
The subject did not interest me in
the least
l opened the parcel, and from the
enveloping paper emerged steel hcl-
met-but not an ordinary helmet. oh.
no!-a suherb. 4 monumental morton.
with gorgot and pointed visor of
strange form. The visor was raised.
and | tried ~ discover what prevented
1t from being lowered.
1T will not go down-the hinges
have got out of order" said my uncle:
but its superb piece. and wien il
has been thoroughly cleaned anu touch.
ed up will look well-that shall be
your tO-mOrrow'S Job.
Very good. uncle" / murmured. not
daring TO raise my eyes to his
That night on reaching my home.
at once went TO bed. l was eager To
be alone and able to think at my
ease Night brings counsel. 1t Is said.
and l had great need that the provcrb
should prove true. But after lying
awake for an hour without receiving
any assistance, fell of 10 sleep, and
till next morning did nothing but
dream the oldest dreams, l saw
Rose on her way 10 church in ahriia
costume. 4 fourteenth century cap.
three feet high. on her head. but look
ing prettier than ever; then suddenly
rhe scene changed to moonlight. in
which innumerable helmets and pleccs
OF old china were dancing wild
farlndola. while my uncle clad in
complete armor, and with formid-
able halberd In his hand. conduct
ed the bewidering whirl.
The next day-aN. the next day
was no nearer. In vain, with cleuch-
ed teeth. l ScourCd the immense hel-
met brought by my uncle the previous
evening-Scoured II with such fury
as almost 10 break the iron; not an
idea came 10 me. The helmet shOnc
like sun; my uncle sat smoking his
pipe and watching ne: but CNud
think OF nothing. OF no way of forcing
him 10 give me his daughter.
At O'clock Rose went into the
country. whence she WAS not 10 return
until dinner time in the evening. on
the threshold she could only make
sign 70 me with her hand; my uncle
had not left us alone for Il single in
stant. He was not easy in his mind;
could see that by his face. No
doubt he had not forgotten our cOuyer>
SatiOn ~ the previous evening.
l went On rubbing at my helmet.
You have made il quite bright
enough-put il down." said my uncle.
l put il down. The storm was gath
ering. ! could not do better than
allow il 70 blow over.
But suddenly. as il Oyertaken by 4
strange fancy, my uncle took up the
great morton and turned and eNanln-
ed il ON an sides,
"A handsome piecs OF arInor, there
is no doubt about Il: but il must have
weighed pretty heavily on its wcarerS
shoulders" he mutIered; and urged by
| know not what demon. he capped IL
on his head and latched the s0rseS-
piece about his neck.
Struck almOS. speechlesS. l watched
what he WAS dOing-thinking only how
ugly he looked.
suddenly there was sharp sound
-aS II i spring had snappsd-dnd
crack,-down fen the visor; and there
WAS my uncle. with his head in an
iron cage. csSricplating AMI swearing
like pSgdn,
could contain myself no longer, aT,j
burst into roar Ot laughter; for my
uncle. S,uupy. fat and rUblcuDi. pres
entef an irreSiSJihly connie SpEe5gs,uce-
Threa teniDsiy he came towards me
The hinseSs-Jhe hinges. rOolS he
yelled
I could not see his face. but l felt
that Il WAS red 70 bursting.
When you have done laughing,
tiiOtr' he cried.
But the helmet Swayed - oddly on
his shoulders, his vOice came tr0M CUg
IL in such strange tones. that the more
he EeSriculated. the more he yelled
and JhrVaJ5nJd me the louder huSA-
eli.
AT that moment the clock Of the
Hotel da Nille. striking i've was heard
The mulicipal cOuncilr' murmUrv~l
my uncle. In Sti1ed voice. 'NluicS,
- -ffS - w.