The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-02-17
R0mANCE OF 4 HELmET.

'GeL OUT!
"Give her to me
Don't bother me -
1T will be my deathl'
Nonsense! you'll console yourself
with some other girl"
"Pray-
NY uncle, whose back had been to-
ward me, whirled round, his face red
to bursting, and brought his closed
fist down upon the counter with "a
heavy thump.
"Neveri" he cried 'neverl DO
you hear what say"
And ms / looked at him b~esceching-
ly and with Joined hands he went
on
A pretty husband you look like J
without n sou, and dreaming Of going
into housekeeping A nice mess ]
should make OF il by giving you my
daughter! It's no use your insisting.
You know that when ] have said No,
nothing under the sun can make me
say 'Yes'!'
! ceased to make any further appeal.
knew my unclc-about as head
strong nm old fellow as could be found
in "a days search. ! contontcd' my
self with giving vent TO n deep sigh,
and then went on with furnishing of
n big doublc-handcd sword, rusty
from point to hilt.
This memorable conversation took
place, i'm fact, i'm the shop Of my ma
ternal uncle, wcll-knOwn dealer in
antiquit les and ojects Dart, 53 Rue
des C~laquettes, at the sign of the
Maltese Cross'-a perfect museum
Of curiosities.
The walls were hung with Mar
settles and old Rouen china, facing
ancient cuirasses, sabres and mus
kets and picture frames; below these
were ranged old cabinets, Golfers OF
all sorts and statues Of saints, one
armed or one-legged for the most part,
and dilapidated as TO their gliding (;
then, here and there, in glass cases
Dramatically scaled and locked, there
were knickknacks i'm infinite variety
-lachrymatories, tiny urns, rings,
precious stones, fragments of mar
BILE, bracelets, crosses, necklaces,
models and miniature ivory statu-
cites, the yellow tints Of which, in
the sun took momentarily II fiesh-like
transparency.
Time out of mind the shop had be-
longed to the Cornuberts. 1t passed
regularly from father TO son, and my
uncle-his neighbors said-could not
I,,t hn thn ,NnGynuCnr Of a nInn Iti1n
fortune. Held in esteem by all, n
municipal councillor, impressed by
the importance and gravity Of his
Office, short, fat, highly choleric and
h%eadstrong, but at bottom not in the
least degree an unkind sort of man
such was my uncle Cornubert, my
only living male relative, who as
soon as | left school elevated me to
tn. dignity Of chief and only clerk
and shop mar Of the Maltese
Cross"
But my uncle was not only Il
dealer in antiquities and n municipal
councillor-he was yet more, and
above all, the father of my cousin
Rose, with whom | was naturally in
love.
To come back to the point at which
] digressed
Without paying any attention to
the signs which exhaled from my
bosom while securing the rust from
my long, two-handed sword, my uncle,
magnifying glass in hand, was en-
gagged in the examination of a lot of
medals which he had purchased that
morning. Suddenly he raised his
head; 5 o'clock was striking.
The Council !" he cried.
When my uncle pronounced that
august word it made a mouthful; for
o pin he would have saluted it bare
headed. But, this time, after a mo-
ment's consideration, he tapped his
forehead and added, in a tone of SUI
preme relief
mo. the sitting does not take place
ting that ] have to go to the railway
station TO get the consignment OF
which i was advised this morning. F"
Rising from his seat and laying
down his glasses he called out:
Rose, give me my cane and hat y
Then, turning toward me, he added,
in a lower tone, and speaking very
quickly
LAS to you, don't forget our con
versation. IL you think you car
make me say yes, try-but | don
think you'll succeed. Meanwhile
not a word 20 Rose. or by 81. Rarthel
envy, my patron of happy memory
I'll instantly kick you out OF doors!'
At that moment Rose appeared
with my uncle's cane and hat, which
she handed TO him. lie kissed he.
on the forehead then, giving me
last but eloquent look. hurried from
the shop.