Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-06-29
WELL HELMETED.

awaited the coming Saturday. For on
Alhambra under the auspices of the So
ciety Ell Mochuelo. 1t was to be a mas
querade, and it would be his first time
to appear in disguise. He had made tho
engagement with several friends, and
besides intended to make formal decla-
ration of his love- long and silently cher
ished, to Pepita, a very clever girl, the
daughter of a prominent merchant who
lived in the Gale del Ave Maria The
occasion would be propitious because
Pepita would attend the ball masked,
and GervasiO knew exactly what her
costume was going to be. He had al
ready bargained with friend to intro
duce him to her father in order that he
might obtain permission to dance with
the young girl, for whom he had al
ready destined a fine box Of sweets,
bought for this express purpose at the
shop of La Pajarita in the Puorta del
Sol.
Gervasio was a good fellow, He had
obtained a government position, mod
est one, to be sure, but his income suf-
feed to cover all his expenses and as
he had no family and lived alone III a
small apartment and had good relations
he could call himself a happy man.
That ball aggravated him. He lived
upon his illusion Of appearing i'll the
cuitume of troubadour, which he had
adjusted to his form, and as climax
to his good fortune Baron de las Rosas,
who had many fine armors at his house,
had promised him helmet, an ancient
breastplate and a sword.
How many nights the good Gervasio
dreamed about that beautiful costume
the compliments from his friends and
the covetous glances Of some pretty girls !!
Surely Pepita would not be able to
resist him and would at least on that
night write a chapter on hope i'll the
history Of her love affairs.
AT last came the nights so long looked
forward to. Gervasio arrived at the
house of the baron when the latter re-
turned from the theater at about 1890
o'clock. He was already dressed for the
ball and lacked nothing except the he'll
met and breastplate OF course he did
not wear mask.
"Who would think Of mask, " said
be- ''whcn one can pull down the visor:
and, above all, the beard and neck will
not show.
"But, ny friend, said the baron
while his valet was putting the hermot
ca C,ryi,.io, you are going to h. WY
tired indeed. This weighs too much to
be Worn all night long. "
ono, sill 1t is all right "
Every well, do as you wish. l."
And Govasio was an armed knight.
He returned to his cab and drove to the
Alham bra.
Gervasio entered the ballroom, carry
ing himself like a veritable troubadour
What a martial and elegant aspect
he imagined himself presenting! III his
imagination he saw himself, as i'll a
mirror, walking about among similar
costumes, and red, blue and yellow
dominos of percaline. He elbowed his
way among the testers, who gracefully
donned the embroideed MANILA man
ties, and passed haughtily by the girls
disguised as babies or virgins whose cos
tunes looked as if they We're "home-
made. He thought himself the object
of the admiration of all and was him
self dazZled by the reflection of helmet
and breastplate i'll the rays of electric
light. He sought Pepita, and finally,
after great trouble, succeeded III mcetil Z
her The friend who was to introduce
him to the girls father kept his word.
They began waltz, and the troubadOur,
Offering his arm to Pepita, promenaded
in the salon.
But there he soon found out that the
baron had spoken as by the mouth of Il
prophet. He could scarcely hear what
he was saying under his helmet His
voice sounded like hollow echo. The
heat was something uncomfortable Shut
in, as he was, with the visor tightly
fastened, in an atmosphere impover-
ished by the heat and the presence of so
many people, he could scarcely catch
his breath.
Pepita did not hear word he said
He wanted to make a final effort and
began to waltz, but that, too, became
lIlpOsslDle ne SAW uOtHlIS. Inc mel
met jogging about ON all sides bumped
his Uranium at every turn, and he mar
rowly escaped falling down in the mid
die Of the room.
Finally he was forced to abandon Pep
ita and to discard his incognito 1t
was necessary for him to get some air.
to wipe off the perspiration which bath
ed his countenance and to see where he
was going But he found no relief in
spite of his lifting the visor, for he
could neither put in the handkerchief
with his hand, nor did the weight he
carried on his head cease paining him
Then raging and desperate, having lost
his fond illusions, without being able
to propose to Pepita, and what was
worse without any one having taken no
tice of him, he determined to return
home, and like one contemplating sui
eide lac left the theater, after having
spent one hour there, exhausted in body
as we'll as i'll spirit. Neither mind nor
matter had been able to support he'll
met of the tournament ON the night of
/ the ball.
4 T., l.. =. L