Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-18
THE HELMET.

Get Outi
Give her to me-"
Don't bother mer'
ut will be my DEATH"
Nonsense! You'll console yourself with
S me other girl
pray
My uncle, whose back had been toward
me, whirled around, his face red to burst
ing, and brought his closed fist down
upon the counter with a heavy thump.
.Neveri' he cried; never! Do you hear
what Say?"
And as looked as him beseechingly
and with Joined hands, he went on:
"A pretty husband you look like
without sou, and dreaming of going into
housekeeping! nice mess l should make
of 1t by giving you my daughter! It's no
use your insisting. You know that when
I have said no. nothing under the sun
can make me say syesr'
ceased to make any further appeal
knew my uncle-about as headstrong an
old fellow as could be found in a days
search. l contented myself with giving
vent to 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 maternal
uncle, a we'll known dealer in antiquities
and objects dart, SO Rue des Claquettes,
at the sign of the Maltese Cross''-a per-
feet museum of curiosities.
The walls were hung with Marseilles
and old Rouen china, facing ancient
cuirasses, sabers, and muskets, and pic
ture 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, Theoretically closed and locked,
there were knick-knacks in infinite va
riety-lachrymatories, tiny urns, rings,
.s.@.rC
bracelets, crosses, necklaces, medals and
miniature ivory statuettes the yellow
tints of which, in the sun, took momen-
tarily fiesh-like transparency.
Time out of mind the shop had be-
longed to the Cornuberts. 1t passed regu-
larly from father to son, and my uncle
his neighbors said-could not but be the
possessor of nice little fortune. Held in
esteem by all, municipal councillor, i'm
pressed by the Importance and gravity
of his office, fat, highly choleric and
headstrong, 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 had
elevated me to the dignity of chief and
only clerk and shopman of the Maltese
Cross"
But my uncle was not only a dealer in
antiquities and municipal councillor he
was yet more, and above all, the father
of my cousin Rose, with whom was nat
urally in love.
To come back to the point at which
depressed
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 engaged in the ex-
animation of a lot Of medals which he had
purchased that morning. Suddenly he
raised his head 8 o'clock was striking.
1.-THE cot ncil" he cried.
When my uncle pronounced that august
word, 1T made mouthful; for pin, he
would have saluted it bareheaded. But,
this time, after moments considera-
ton, he tapped his forehead and added,
in a tone of supreme relief;
NO the sitting does not take place be-
fore tomorrow-and | 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 laying down
his glass, he called OUT
Rose. give me my cane and hatr'
Then, turning toward me he added, in
lower tone and speaking very quickly
As to you-don't forget our CONVERSE
ton. If you think you can make me say
Yes, try!-but / don't think you'll sue
coed Meanwhile, not a word to Rose, or,
by Saint Barthelemy, my patron of hap
Ply 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. 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 father?"
she asked. "t1e seems to be angry with
you"
looked at her-her eyes were so black,
her look so kind. her mouth so rosy and
r teeth so white that / told her all
ny love, my suit to her father and his
rough refusal I could not help it-after
al it was his fault. He was not there;
'etermined to brave his anger. Be
:. there is nobody Ike timid persons
displaying courage under certain cir
{ instances.
Wy cousin said nothing; she only held
den her eyes. while her cheeks were as
re- s those of cherries in May.
'ehecked myself.
Are you angry with me?" l asked,
tremblingly. Are you angry with me,
i seq"
s,he held out to me her hand. On that,
ny heart seething with audacity, my
lad on fire, I cried:
"Rose-I swear I'll will be your hus-
] a,ad,' And as she shook her head and
locked at me sadly, added: "Oh. l well
] nnw that my uncle is self-willed, but I
WI be more seif-willed still; and, since
ne must DC IOTCtu 10 say les, L Will
force him to say it,"
But how?" asked Rose.
All, howl That was exactly the diff
calty. But no matter; would find a way
to surmount 1t!
At that moment a heavy step resound-
ed in the street. Instinctively we moved
away from each other; / returned to my
double handed sword, and Rose, to keep
herself in countenance, set to busting,
with corner of her apron, a little statu-
cite in It's faded red velvet case.
Nv uncle entered. Surprised at finding
us together, he stopped short and looked
sharply at US, from one to the other.
We each of us went on rubbing without
raising our heads.
Here, take this" said my uncle, hand
ing me a bulky parcel from under his
arm. A splendid purchase. you'll see."
The subject did not interest me in the
least.
opened the parcel, and from the en-
veloping paper emerged a steel helmet
but not an ordinary helmet, oh, no-a
superb, monumental morton, with gor-
get and pointed visor of strange form.
The visor was raised, and tried to dis
cover what prevented 1t from being low
cred.
TT will not go down-the hinges have
<-,+ <,,t ~ orda. . III NV uncle. "but ira