Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-07-18
Mr.. rhompson's Umbrella.


Augusta, I wish you would practice Cho-
pin 5 march. Mr.. Thompson likes music. -
Obi how sick | was hearing abeut Mr..
Thompson Ny peor aant, she meant it
very kindly, of coarse, but she little knew
how she made me hate those single gentle
men whom she so wished nae to please. /
was an orphan, and had forty pounds year,
and Hy aunt annuity died with her so L
suppose her anxiety to see me married was
both commendable and natural, but to me it
was dreadful Moreover, perhaps, because
| was proud girl, and perhaps, too, because
/ was a foolish one, the mere fact of man,
young, or middle-aged-fo only the old and
welded were excluded-coming to the house
ON my account, made him detestable in my
eyes should not wonder ifthat was the
reason why / pleased none / was said to be
pretty-I may say that now, alas it is so
long ago-but palmer girls, with no greater
advantages than had, went off at a premium
in the marriage market and / remained
Augusta Raymond, uncared and unsought
for. / did not care, not /. | only lamented
that aunt would worry both these unfortu-
nate gentlemen and nae, with vain efforts to
make them admire me, and make me ike
them She was my best friend, however,
and [ loved her dearly. So / now sat down
to the piano and played Chopin march, and
practiced for the benefit of the devoted Mr..
Thompson, who was to come this evening,
and who little knew, poor fellow, he had
been invited to spend week with us for the
express purpose of falling in love with his
second cousin 8 niece. lad not seen him
since was a child. He was q young man
then, tall, dark and grave, and already on
the road to prosperity. lie was a rich man
now-at least, rich for such poor gin as
was, but he was Mr. Thompson, and [ hated
him; he must be old, quite old.
thought of all these things whilst was
playing, and then forgot them, for the divine
music bore me away, and music was a pas
sion to me then.
'SMy dearl Mr. Thompson said my
aunt's voice, as closed the instrument. /
turned round and saw him talL dark, grave
very little altered, and not at all old. We
lad expected him for dinner, and he had
come to luncheon; forget how the mistake
arose As he opened the garden gate he
met my aunt. They heard me playing, and
stood by one of the windows to listen. When
ceased, they entered the room, and 1t was
then that. as / said, J. saw him.
did not know it at the time, but / knew
it later / liked him troza that very moment.
/ am not sure that every girl would have
liked Mr. Thompson. He was decidedly good
looking, and he was both shrewd and pleas
aat; but he had quaint and abrupt manner
which was apt to startle strangers. L liked
it well, however. | liked that eccentricity
which never took him too far, and that slight
want of polish which gave great favor to
everything he said or did. ] liked all, ex-
was large, soiled, massive and dreadfully OBJ
trusive He had it in his hand on that
bright warm day, and long as our acquanit-
ance lasted | never saw Mr.. Thompson with
out it. Later, when our intimacy had pro-
gressed / taxed him with this. Yes, he
said good humoredly. II confess it is my
hobby My earliest ambition as a boy was to
possess an umbrella, and my greatest happi-
ness as man is to go about with one.
Of course. we did not speak about his UNI
brella on this the first morning We spent to-
gether Mr. Thompson praised my music,
and, looking me full in the face, told me l
played divinely. He sai2 it without pream-
bic, and | saw he meant it. My aunt was
delighted and felt pleased but somehow
or other, / also felt that Mr. Thompson
treated me like little girl; and so he did
NOT merely then, out ever afterward.-
Tiresome mani / had thought him old be-
fore / saw him. could not make him
think me old now that he saw me.
Mr. Thompson did not stay week with
us, but month Oil that happy month,
with long golden days and delicious evenings
and music and sweet converse! Shall L ever
forget it? If the awakening was bitter, let
me remember the dream was very sweet.
Mr. Thompson was to leave us next morn
ing, and we were IN the garden together.
knew by this time how felt toward him.
and, kind though he was, [ doubted if he
cared much for me- And when he said,
Augusta, | have something to say to you, F"
my heart began to beat. He used to call me
Augusta now and then, having known rue as
child, but never had he said it SO kindly as
this evening.
All, well suppose many women have to
go through the bitterness which came to me
then: Mr.: Thompson had met my Cousin
Jessie at Mrs. Gray 8, proposed to her, and
been accepted. From the moment he men
toned Jessie name, knew my fate. With
out seeing it, / suppose, she had ever stood
between me and every good She had taken
the friendship of my pest friend, the liking
of my nearest relative-I was not really my
aunt's niece, only her late husband sand
now she had forestalled me in the love of the
only man | ever cared for. Surely she was
not to blame for that, but, oh how hard,
how very hard, it seemed to me- The night
insale sang in the trees above us, pure bril-
liant stars burned in the sky, the garden was
full OF fragrance, and Mr. Thompson went
on pouring Jessie praises in my ear. She
was so handsome, so bright, so genial, and
so delightfully."- innocent. And what do you
suppose he told me all this for? Why, be-
cause he wanted me to go and live with
them. My aunt's heath had been falling Of
late, and he was aware that / knew the worst
might soon come, so he wanted me to be sure
of home burst into tears
Ny dear, good child, he cried warmly,
''if / were not going away, / would not have
grieved you so. You have, know, a true
woman's heart. Your dear. aunt may live
and T."
Pray, don'tr' interrupted. / could not
bear it. The more he praised me the kinder