Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-08-13
EVENING STAR.
THE RED COTTON UMBRELLA.

A
The other day as was walking up Wash.
| ington street, my attention was drawn toward
an object which seemed to receive considerable
notice from the psssers by, and especially from
the boys, Of whom q large company were fol-
lowing In close pursuit. -,
Looking more narrowly, discovered that ii
was man With q large red cotton umbrella
hoisted above his head. He presented an ap-
pearance SO strange that I did not at all wonder
at the vociferous greeting of the boys-''Say,
old feller, what II you take for your umberil!'
| 'Look here, stranger, what do. you call that
ere!s "Do they raise them things down East
where you come from?"
1 ioas surprised, however, when in the bear
er of the umbrella recognised my old friend
Jones.
"Ehy, in the name of all that's wonderful, -
said I, as soon as got within hailing distance,
| ''do you carry about such thing as that?"
''It IS rather odd looking" answered Jones,
meditatively, ..you are right there"
'.Then why do you carry it," asked, i'm
| patiently.
'DO you think said he, ''thst anybody
would be tempted to steal it?''
''Stesl it Not the least danger of that; but
| why don't you answer my question"
Because. in order to do it, must give you a
leaf from my experience. I think will, on
the whole. 1t will relieve me to unburthen
| my sorrows. You will stop me when you get
tired?'' .sa
Certainly. Proceed mi. ...
"From early boyhood," !" resumed Jones, mu-
| singly, "1 was ambitious to own an umbrella.
Watches, breastpins and rings, such as boys in
general are desirous Of possessing cared moth
| ing about. But 1 was determined not to have
| one until could get good one. AT length
when was sixteen, the desire of my heart was
| fulfilled. 1 became the owner of q silk um-
brella. How ardently longed for rain, that
might have an opportunity to display it.
| One Wednesday evening there was a Lyceum
lecture to which was engaged to escort Q
young lady-a cousin Of mine. To my great
delight, as the hour approached it began to rain
| little, but not enough to prevent our going.
walked to the hall door with a happy
| heart, carefully shielding my cousin from the
rain with my umbrella. In the pride of my
| heart I could not help asking her how she
liked my umbrella, bu' my ardor was somewhat
checked by her Indifferent reply
Very well; what did you give for it p"
81 was about to carry it into the lecture room
but the door tender told me this was not al
lowed. l accordingly hid it behind the door,
| in what imagined a safe place. There was
but one other with it-a faded cotton umbrella,
which, in its palmiest days, now gone by, might
have cost fifty cents.
Though under some apprehension, ma n
| aged to sit quietly through the lecture. At
the close darted out in'search of my treasure
| Alas! was too late. Mine was gone, and
tic faded one keft' Picture my consternation,
my dismay. But was forced to put up with
the loss or rather exchange, and, horror vt hor-
rors. escort my cousin home, as it was still
raining, under the odious faded cotton.
"Thus was my first boyish dream rudely
broken in upon. l need notsay that never
set my eyes upon my umbrella again. As for
the one had got in exchange, hated he
sight of it, for it racalled the memory of nav
loss. / took the earliest opportunity to lend it,
and it was never brought back again.
'In process time l got another umbrella
1t rcseMbled as nearly as possible the first one
1 possessed. To make sure that it would not
be taken, had inscribed upon it in large bold
letters Stolen from John Jones, Jr'
"Walking out with it, one day, suddenly
felt heavy hand upon my shoulder, and turn
ing round, faced policeman. -. 30
"'Ah ha! my fine fellow, so you carry around
stolen property, do youf' -4
I" SITS mine, SIR said L, trembling.
go, yes, no doubt. As am bound for the
" latch House, Ill trouble you to go with me
and hold the umbrella over nv head
Il was forced to CO. The next day il was
easily proved that was the bona fds owner,
but the property had disappeared in some un-
accountable manner.
"After had somewhat recovered the shock
produced by this loss, procured another,
though of not so good a quality as the two pre-
ceding. This one 1 keep for some time but
one day lady who had made q short call at
our house, being overtaken by a shower, and
yet anxious to return, asked me to lend it to
her. Could / refuse?
''As 1T was not returned the next day, went
the day after to inquire after it. Itwas sought
for in vain. Suddenly reflection came to the
lady's aid, and she exclaimed LIZ
+" i have it. James returned to boarding
school yesterday, and as likely as not he took
your umbrella with him by mistake. When
he comes back at vacation you shall have It.
6" How long will he be gone?' 1 enquired.
>" six months
'My heart sank within me. In six months
it might get broken or lost. At ali events it
would be no longer new. I felt presentiment
that never should see 1t again, and nevsr
dtd. ..
81 began to be discouraged. However,
purchased an umbrella next day, and as had
no doubt that should lose it, l bought it for
fifty cents. 1t was more useful than ornamen-
tai, certainly.
"a week Afterwards, it rained, and looked |
around for 1t, but it was no where to be found. |
l asked my wife Il was married man now, D
Have you seen an umbrella in the entry, /
lately?'
Nothing but cheap cotton one, that I |
hnem cooiu not DC yours, 20 gave IL 70 Driugeb-
@ sighed, and departed to the umbrella
shop to purchase another. This time L pur-
chased good one. Three days afterwards o
friend borrowed it without leave. The next 1 /
heard of him he had sailed for Europe and
carried it with him.
"YOu see, my dear friend, from this brief
to what miseries have been subject
ed on account of umbrellas. Were 10 give
full and faithful detail of all my losses, it
would FL q volume. But will not weary you
any longer. During the last fifteen years
have purchased one hundred and fifty umbrel-
las. Where they are now L don't know.
all over the globe, / have no doubt.
"At length have resOrted to this expedient,
This umbrella have had made of red cotton.
expressly for me. You don't think, " he added
with faint smile, 'they will take this, do you''
shook my head and my friend departed,
leaving me to muse on his unhappy fate My
neditations were brought to an end by hear
ng a shout of derision. 1 turned around and
that gust of wind had turned tke
red cotton umbrella inside out, and injured it
beyond repair.
Poor Jones! / have not seen him since
hall call tomorrow at the umbrella merchant