The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-09-03
Chasing an Umbrella.


A bachelor friend of ours, Smith we will
cali him,-Tom Smith, to distinguish him
from John, the ubiquitous,-has a mortal
dread and horror of two things,-a wet day
and lady in her widowhood He possesses
n remarkably handsome blue silk umbrella,
with bnckhorn handle, and small silver
plate containing his initials. lie bought this
umbrella in a distant region, and believes
nothing like it could be made near home so
he is ncrvously apprehensive of losing it,
and seldom trusts it out of his hand. But,
a day or two ago, he went into store to
buy himself pair of socks,-and strangely
enough, came out and left his umbrella be
hind. After walking three or four squares,
he discovered his loss, marched back TO the
s;ore,-bu, the umbrella was not to be seem
What have you done with my blue silk
umbrella, with buck.horn handle and sill
yer plate, with the initials T. S. ?" cried Tom
10 the store keeper " Just loaned it out to
lady," answered the merchant :" You must
have seen her. She was ia here at The same
time you were, and she looked very hard at
you" Blast her - said Tom. "She's We.
ry well off in the world, and nice young
widow NOT more than forty, I'm sure"
\ widow 2" "Yes." "Then I'll never
see it again" said Tom, desparingly. Hold"
cried the merchant running to the door =
"pcrhaps she's in sight yer. Yes there
she goes the lady with green bonnet
and a brown satin scarf"
Tom started in pursuit of the widow and
his umbrella. 1t was the first time he ever
went on a widow hunt and no wonder he
missed her, as in fact he did Coming up to
a lady, with green bonnet and brown
satin scarf, he addressed her with Madsm,
you have my blue silk umbrella, with a
bnck-horn handle, believe" SIR an
swercd the lady, in astonishment, 81 have
no umbrella with me; and seeing the rain
coming, was about to take an omnibus"
" Then I've missed the widow. after ALL"
bawlcd the unfortunate Smith; "Tell me,
Madam" he added very earnestly, = are
you not the widow ?" No" simperingly
replied the lady, Z" i am rot widow,-but
I'm an unmarried woman" "Curse all the
widows,-and unmarried women too" yelled
Tom, with objectionable rudoness, leaving
the petrfed lady standing in the street At
the same moment he recognized his umbrel
la, in the hand of another lady, who was as
cendIng the steps of house half square
off. He shot after her like an arrow. He
rang for twenty minutes, when the lady -,
glancing at him from hoi sted window, re-
who followed me for three squares he
must be madly in love with me Go let him
in" Tom was shown into a parlor, while
the widow prepared TO receive her visitor.
She was half an hour at her toilette, and
then came down. A" Madam" said Tom, "
hope you will pardon any want of ceremony
on my part--very sudden and unexpected, |
confess -" Oh, sir, don't mention such
things said the widow, encouragngly 4; "my
deceased husband introduced himself to me
in the same way, and we were married Just
six weeks afterwards" Madam,"I wish
you would understand me-" cried Tom en-
ergeticaily A" did not come on sparkling
expedition | want my blue silk umbrella,
with buck-horn handle; let me have it,
and I'll not trouble you long with my COM
pany."
"The umbrella YOU brought home, Mad
am," said the maid, "why Jane, the cook :
sister took il 10 see her cousin, who expects
10 be confined. She went out the back way
while you were dressing to see the gentle.
man" Where's the place? Where has
she gone with it ?" shouted Tom, starting up
in great excitement. mo 43, - street,
said the servant. In an instant, without
bidding a single adieu,-Mr. Smith was on
the track Of his umbrella We now come
to the most interesting part of our narrative;
but, as the magazines say" Conclusion
in our neri."-Pennsylgdniaa.