The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-11-30
A Crimson Paraplute.

In the London Methodist Recorder we
find a story Of crimson umbrella. 1t
contains good hit at the public, ever real
dy to NEEDLE with business in no wise con-
corning it, and has a moral also for class
Of reformers who are ready TO set them
selves in opposition to popular opinion IN
matters involving no question of morals or
principle:
Some years ago an English gentleman
arrived at his lodgings in Pail Mall with a
bright, crimson colored cotton umbrella in
his possession. The article was one i'll COM
mon use in the country from which he had
come, and he had bought it without
thought. a few days residence in the eli
mate of England naturally occasioned the
use of an umbrella, and lie took his foreign
acquisition with him into the streets of
Loudon. 1t answered his purpose; 1t kept
off the rain, and our hero was not particu-
lar about the Indifferent accidents of color
and fabric. But he soon became aware
that his appearance was creating sensa-
ton. Every one turned and stared after
him: the crossing sweeper stood aghast
and forgot to beg then little crowd ga
thered at his heels, and people began to
give expression to their opinion. Some
said he was foreign spy some thought
he was Red Republican refugee; but all
agreed that he WAS an exceptional and dam
gerous person. Being man OF plain,
common sense, he at once concluded that
this was too heavy cost to bear for the
sake of tve-shilling umbrella; so he
folded up the too remarkable article, and
submitted to sprinkling on his way home
A few days afterward he was visited by
a gentleman not very much in the habit OF
deferring to public opinion, who was, in
deed, rather fond Of being remarkable.
An English shower was falling when this
guest took leave, and the owner of the
umbrella, while telling the story, offered
him the loan of it.: The dauntless dandy
laughed at his friends weakness, and sal
lied forth canopied by the bright crimson
There was the same sensation. At first he
was pleased to be the object of attention
But the crowd began to accumulate; the
little boys asked him questions; the cads
of the omnibusSes, always inimlcal to
umbrellas, shouted impertinent observa-
tons to him the crowd pressed upon him
and when people asked each other what
was the matter, guesses soon grew into the
form of actual assertions. Sometimes be
was ticket ot.lcaye man; sometimes he
was identified with some notorious criml-
nal of whom the police were in search
The popular hostility was too great even
for him. He returned the umbrella.
The original proprietor told his story &c
many, and among others to young man
of a determined but rather bilious tenn
permanent, who did everything, to the
barring of his nails and the tying OF his
crayat, on principle. He was indignant at
the popular tyranny. What was there in
the color of an umbrella? There was NJ
moral harm in bright crimson. lie would
set himself against the despotism of the
public. He took the umbrella, with al
its responsibilities, and persisted i'll carry.
ing it. He always had mob of urchins
at his heels he was three times I'M police
office; he was often hustled and robbed
twice his umbrella was broken to pieces
and he had another made upon the same
pattern. The companionship of his UNI
brella became more important to him thar
his business; he was even ready to be a
martyr in the cause of bright crimson
The story says that, in the end, he grew
morose, and, as some thought, not quite
right in his mind, because crimson UNI
brellas would not come into fashion.