The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-11-06

"But, uncle, l love my cousin"

Don't bother mew
at will be my death9
Nonsense! You'll console yourself
with some other girl"
"Pray-"
My uncle, whose back had been to-
ward me, whirled around, his face was
red to bursting, and brought his closed
fist down upon the counter with heavy
thump.
"Never!' he cried; never! Do you
hear what 1 say?"
And as looked at him beseechingly
and with Joined hands he went on:
"a pretty husband you look like!
Without sou and dreaming of going
into housekeeping! A nice mess should
make of it by giving you my daughter!
It's no use your insisting. You know
that when have said No nothing un-
der the sun can make me say 'Yesp"
l ceased to make any further appeal.
1 knew my uncle-about as headstrong
an old fellow as could be found in a
days search. 1 contented myself with
giving vent to a deep sigh, and then
went on with the furnishing of a big
double-handed sword. rusty from point
to hilt.
This memorable conversation took
place, in fact, in the shop of my ma
ternal uncle a well-known dealer in an
tiquities and objets dart, So Rue des
Claquettes, at the sign of the Maltese
Cross"-a perfect museum of curiosi-
ties.
The walls were hung with Marseilles
and old Rouen china, facing ancient
cuirasses, sabers and muskets and pic
ture frames; below these were arranged
old cabinets, Golfers of all sorts and
statues of saints, one-armed or one
legged for the most part and dilapidat-
ed as to their gliding; then, here and
there, in glass cases, hermetically clos
ed and locked, there were knickknacks
in infinite variety-lachrymato tiny
urns, rings, precious stones, fragments
of marble, bracelets, crosses, neck
laces, medals and miniature ivory stat
uettes, the yellow tints of which in>the
sun took momentarily fleshlike trans
parency.
Time out of mind the shop had be-
longed to the Coduberts. 1t passed reg
ularly from father to son, and my un-
cle-his neighbors said-could not but
be the possessor of a nice little fortune.
Held in esteem by all, municipal coun-
cillor, impressed by the Importance and
gravity of his office, short, fat, highly
choleric and headstrong, but at bottom
not in the least degree an unkind sort
Of man-such was my. uncle Corubert,
my only living male relative, who as
soon as left school had elevated me tG
the dignity of chief and only clerk and
shopman of the Maltese Cross"
But my uncle was not only a dealer
in antiquities and a municipal council
lor, he was yet more, and above all,
the father of my cousin Rose, with
whom l 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, magni-
flying glass in hand, was engaged in the
examination of lot of medals which
he had purchased that morning. Sud-
denly he raised his head; 5 o'clock was
striking
1.-THE councilr' he cried.
When my uncle pronounced that au-
gust word it made mouthful; for a
pin he would have saluted it barehead-
ed. But this time, after a moments
consideration, he tapped his forehead
and added, in tone of supreme relief:
mo, the sitting does not take place
before to-morrow-and l am forgetting
that have to go to the railway station
to get the consignment of which was
advised this morning"
Rising from his seat and lying down
his glass, he called out:
"Rose, give me my cane and hatv'
Then, turning toward me, he added,
In lower tone and speaking very
quickly:
"As to you-don't forget our conver.
sation. If you think you can make me
say Yes try it!-but don't think you'll
| succeed. Meanwhile, not a word to
Rose, or, by St Barthelemy, my patron
| VI Adppy "cHlOTy, III INSTANTLY KICK
you out of doorsv'
At that moment Rose appeared with
my uncle's cane and hat, which she
handed to him. He kissed her on the
forehead; then. giving me a last but
eloquent look. hurried from the shop.
/ went on securing my double-handed
| sword. Rose came quietly toward me
"What is the matter with my faith
err" she asked. "He seems to be an
CRY with you"
/ looked at her-her eyes were SC
black, her look so kind, her mouth SC
rosy and her teeth SO white that told
her all-my love, my suit to her father
and his rough refusal. could not help
it-after all, it was his fault. He was
not there; determined to brave his an.
ger. Besides, there is nobody like timid
persons for displaying courage under
certain circumstances.
My cousin said nothing; she only held
down her eyes-whiie her cheeks were
as red as those Of cherries in May.
checked myself.
"Are you angry with meY I asked
tremblingly. "Are you angry with me
Rose?'
She held out to me her hand. On that,
my heart seething with audacity, my
head on fre. cried:
{usaSur1