The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-11-20

at home. and whose prosecutions he alb
solutely enjoyed, even in its hardest
phases.
He knew everybody-that is to say,
everybody who, linen of the world" OF
course, knew everybody The gallant
captain could be seen any day walking
arm in arm with such gentlemen as my
Lord yauxhall or the Marquis of Billings
gate and nodding over their shoulders to
young Moses. the dandy bailiff," or
Loder, the gambling house keeper. The
captains age was indefinite. He was
either a young man with whom time
had dealt hardly or middle-aged man
to whom time had been kind. He said
he was eight and twenty-which is, of
course, evidence that this was not any
where near his true age. patronized Egg
lantine extensively and never paid. For
among his own industries Captain Walk
er was so obiging, when occasion served,
as to act as a mediator between those
who we're willing to lend at an exorbitant
rate and those who were willing to Dor
row at the same price. Hence his pat
ronage of Byzantine. Not only one money
lender but several were possessed of
the signature of Mr.. Byzantine. He had
borrowed a thousand pounds 20 years
ago to purchase his stock and his shop
and had paid upwards of 10000 pounds
since then for the use of the money and
still owed tho original debt.
In his outer shop sat a Mr.. Mossrose,
who, while nominally an employe of Egg
lantine. was really there to watch the
receipts in behalf of the various money
lenders. who, combining their business
OF selling money with other businesses,
or making alliances with them, furnished
the perfumer, at an enormous advance
or current prices. with all his supplies.
rs Byzantine at home Mossrose?' asked
the dashing captain. Don't know; go
and look" replied Mr.. Mossrose, who
hated the captain: IF you are uncivil I'll
breaw your neck, Mr.. Amos!' retorted
the captain-there was a rumor that the
real name of Mossrose was Mr.. Amos.
Il should like to see you try 1t, Mr..
Hooker Walker!'' rejoined Mossrose. from
which interchange of courtesies and such
discrimination in regard to names it
will be seen that the two gentlemen
| Knew edCu OlueT pretty lHuIOuBHiys
Mr.. Byzantine was at home, and the
captain requested that that artist heat
his irons and curl his (the captains)
whiskers. Cant do 1t, captain" said
Mr.. Byzantine; II expect ladies, captain,
every minute" very good; 1 don't
want to trouble such a great man." said
Walker calmly; good bye-and let me
hear from you this day week."
| This was a shot that brought down
the game. for this day week" meant
that Walker would expect Byzantine
| to settle a little note which he had
negotiated through the captain-and
settle 1t upon the date mentioned So
they compromised, or rather they par
leyed, and Byzantine surrendered. and
curled the captains whiskers. And.
greatly to the annoyance of Byzantine,
the expected ladies arrived before Cap
tain Walker had taken his departure.
These ladies were none other than the
excellent Mrs Crump and her charm
Ing daughter, Morgiana.
Needless to say, the captain pro-
longed his stay and made himself vast
ly agreeable both to Morgiana and her
mother. When Morgiana's hair was
let down and flowed a dark and shin
ing mass over her shoulders and down
her back, the enthusiasm of the captain
was visibly increased. The girl was
handsome. there was no mistake about
that. and her hair-well, it Is no won
der that her admirers compared 1t to
| ravens wing. In fact, captain Walker,
!, -,
call her the Ravenswing. 1t really was
wonderful hair When 1t came the turn
of Mrs. Crump to have her hair Cor
| rather her false front') dressed Cap
| tain Walker took his leave, greatly
to the relief of Byzantine, who had
been on pins and needles. SO to speak.
while the captain was present.
Now Byzantine in one of his at
tempts to stave off Walker in the col
he was expecting to be married to a
young lady with a fortune of $4,000 to
her name. and Walker, of course. saw
at once that the Ravenswing was the
heiress referred to. So he went away
from the perfumer's shop saying to
himself: what hair. what eyes that
girl has-And $4,000" The shadows
were beginning to gather over the love
affairs of Mr.. Byzantine
Mrs. Crump and Morgiana were hav-
ing their hair dressed because Mr..
Woolsey was to take them to the the
atre that night. and when Byzantine
discovered this he was cast into a
violent fit of jealous rage. 1t certainly
was too bad of Morgiana to go to one
lover to have her hair dressed in order
that she might go to the treatre with
ankind. However, 1t did not matter
much Captain Howard Walker sought
out The Bootjack. renewed his ac-.
quaintance with Morgiana and her
mother and completely "cut out" both
the tailor and the perfumer. And this
in spite of the fact that Mr.. Woolsey
and Mr.. Byzantine made a temporary
treaty by which they combined their
forces against Walker. agreeing to re-
new the fight between themselves
when he, the captain. should have been
put out of the running. More, much
more, Mr.. Byzantine made a wig for
Mr.. Woolsey, and Mr.. Woolsey made
coat for Mr.. Byzantine.
But Capt. Howard Walker, completely
defeated the allies and carried off Nor
giana in triumph. Morgiana thought the
captain the greatest and best of created
mortals. and the captain-well, he really
did care a little, just a little, for Nor
giana, not enough to interfere with his