Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-04-04
rFrom the Literary Musenm
The Red Cotton Umbrella.
BY AoRATIo ALGIER, JR.


the passers-by, and especially the boys,
of whom large company were in close
pursuit. Looking more narrowly, 1
discovered it was man with a red cot
ton umbrella hoisted above his head.
He presented an appearance , strange
that l sid not at all wonder at the vo-
ciferous greeting of the boys. Say old
feller, what'll you take for your UNI
brel p Look here stranger, what do
you call that ere ? do you raise them
down East, where you come from p
1 was surprised, however, when in
the bearer Of the umbrella, I recogniz-
ed my old friend, Jones.
why said I, as I got within hail
ing distance, do yau carry about such
a thing as that p
1t is rather odd looking answered
Jones, meditatively, you are right
there
Then why do you carry it ? I ask
ed impatiently.
do you think said she, anybody
would be tempted to steal il p
Steal it Not the least danger of
that, but why don't you answer my
question 2
Because, to do it, mnst give you
a leaf ofmy experience. | think | will
on the whole. 1t will relieve me TO
unburden my sorrows. You will stop
me when you get tired
Certainly, proceed
'From early boyhood. resumed Jones
musingly, 4 was ambitious to own an
umbrella. Watches, breastpins and
rings, such as boys generally aro desir-
Gus of possessing, | cared nothing
about. But | was determined not to
have one until l could get good one.
At lenght, when sixteen, the desire of
my heart was fulfilled. 1 became the
owner of a silk umbrella. 1t was a
proud day for me. | was never tired
of looking at and admiring my umbrel
la. How ardently [ longed for rain,
that l might have an opportunity to
display it.
One Wednesday evening there was a
Lyceum lecture to which l was engag-
ed to escort young lady, a cousin of
mine. To my great delight as the
hour approached it.began to rain lit
tie, but not enough to prevent our 60
ing.
| walked to the hall door with hap
py heart, carefully shielding my cousin
from the rain with my umbrella. In
the pride of my heart [ could not help
asking her how she liked my umbrella,
but my ardor was checked by her in
different reply
very well, what did you give for lt''
Il was about to carry it into the lee
tureroom, but the door dender told me
this was not allowed, l accordingly hid
it behind the door, in what imagined
a safe place. There was but one 9th
er one with it, faded course cotton
umbrella, which in its palmiest days,
now long gone by, might have cost fif-
ty cents.
Though under some apprehensions,
| managed TO sit quietly through the
lecture. At the close | darted out In
search of my treasure. Alas | was
too lste. Mine was gone, and the fad
ed cotton one left ! Picture my con.
sternation, my dismay. But l was
forced to put up with the loss, or ra-
lher with the exchange, and horror of
horrors, escort my cousin home, as it
was still raining, nnder the odious cot
ton one.
Thus was my first boyish dream
rudely broken in upon. | need not
say that l did not set eyes upon my
my umbrella again. As for the Que
got in exchane, hated the sight of it,
for it recalled the memory of my loss
l took the earliest opportunity to lend
it, and it was never brought back
again.
In the process of time l got another
umbrella. 1t resembled nearly as pos
sible the first one | possessed. To
make sure that it would not be taken,
| inscribed upon it in large letters =
Stolen from John Jones, Jr.'
Walking out with it one day, | sud
denly felt heavy hand laid upon my
shoulder, and turning round faced a
policeman.
'Ha ha, my fine fellow, so you carry
round stolen property, do yon 7
1T is mine, sir said trembling.
20, yes, no doubt; but as am
bound for the Watch house, Pll trouble
you to go along with me, and hold the
umbrella over my head
Il was forced to go. The next day
it was eaily proved uhat was the bona
Gde owner, but the property had disap-
peared in some unacountable manner
After 1 had somewhat recovered
from the shock produced by this loss,
| procured another though not of sc
good quality as the two preceding
Tais one | kept for some time. but one
day lady who had made short cal
at our house, being overtaken by ,
shower, and yet anxious to return, ask.
ed me to lend it to her. Could re-
fuse'
As it was not retured the next day
| went to inquire after it. Il wa'