Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-09-15
Selrt:f0 StorD.

-ybAA'%NV lN%"~D'
NED 2PRUClNaT1NS UMBRELLA
"Name p
"Charles Blank.
Occupation p
Civil engineer
address -
1901 Great George street, Westminster,
and 6 Verbena villas, hammersmith, "
slowly repeated the police sergeant, as he
entered the foregoing particulars IN day
book "Wall, you know the charge
stealing this gentenans umbrella. Have
you anything to say in addition to what
you have already stated p
Nothing whatever" | answered; 81
can only repeat that ii was entirely mis-
take on my part.
Just so, was the grim reply. you'll
have an opportunity OF proving chat ia the
morning You are by 40 means the first
person we have had to deal with here who
has mistaken other peoples properly tor
his own. Take him to the cells" And
then | was marched of,
The circumstances which had brought
me into this scrape are as follows. Myself
and my friend Sprucington wore in the en-
ployment Of o railway contractor whose Of
fees were situated in the locality already
mentioned. The duties OF our department
were shared by some half dozen other
young gentlemen of our own age, who,
like US, were qualifying themselves for the
survey OF ground and construction OF lines
1,l, tl,st,,
should call ia en- to- But plans and speci-
Hcations are rot particularly celebrating
in themselves, apart from their professional
Interest; so 1t is not to be wondered at
that smong several young fellows, full
Of animal spirits, little practical joking
should have been at tines INDUCED in.
Ned Sprucington and | We're Old Carthu-
slams. When W. met, therefore, after some
years separation, at the Office in George
street we had only to renew our friend
ship. The great dandy OF our room. nay,
OF our entire house, was Ned | honestly
believe, too, that he was one OF the most
guileiess, supplemented fellows alive. 10
had, however, one conspicuous weakness
which was to be taken for man OF fash 2
ion. He dressed, | admit, unexcephona-
bly,; and, to aid him IN producing the I'M
preston which he desired upon behoiIerS,
he carried about with him. IN oil weathers,
beautiful silk umbrella, scarcely balller
than q iadys perasol, though, OF course,
considerably longer. Judging from the
cut onyx handle. mounted in gold, II must
have cost him mint Of money
Wei, this umbrella of Ned's we tried all
We could think Of to get hold Of But he
was too wary for MS; it was always left III
some safe place II we had succeeded IN
gaining possession of It, it would at once
have taken conspicuous position IN socl-
ETY.. such as covering an cid apple-womHn
at the corner, but II was unapproacheble
AT last we became so desperate that l &C.
cepted o heavy wager from one otthe other
fellows that would present myself at the
Office the Iext morning, ut MI hazards, the
proud possessor Of Ned Sprucington's um-
brelle
On that particular day, work being slack
every ono was enabled to leave unusually
early. so that by o'clock III the afternoon
the house was cleared of all save myself
nv brother-conspireto and the old sol
dior who lived with his wife on the premls
a.. NV friend Ned, as was his custom a
such times, had announced his intention
OF prouenaliug the Ladies' Mile, there
70 mir himself. his aristocracy, and-hi
umbrella, decided upon following hin
tGftGer Az there were yet two hours o
daylight, however, thought | could no
DO better tlan fortiiy myself for the enter
uriss by taking some substantial refresh
ment before commencing operations Al
terwlich, would trust to the chapter 0
accidents,
VITA this object in view, | was repairln
toward my iayortte place OF reflection u
the Strand, when who should | see look
nv in ut the topographer's shop by North
umLorland House but Ned Sprucington
lie ought, by rights, 10 have been nearl
two miles away at Hydc Park Corner; ye
here he was Ut Charlug Cross, calml
studying some map OF 's5nt o. war
de YVES so wedged IN among other gazer
,het could nor get at him to speak, o
even to have clear view Of his face
But knew him by his height, by th
neatly braided coat the dellcately tlnte
trousers, the well-poised hat, and
last but not least, the umbrella h
WAS holding his hands behind his back
and a ne Of them the precious artirl
was hrmly casped Yes, there it was
ONYX handle gold mounting, and all. A
looked, q sudden idea took possession o
,ne--a foolish idea | admit as II coult
hardly lead to practical result. But
thought Il could only GET the umbrella
orI of his hand in some way, and run Of
with 1t, that he, seeing 1t III the possession
Of q friend, woald give up the chase, know
irQ that he would recover his property mex
dan. AT the worst the result would onlS
10 day or tvos GOODNESS between uF on
encnunf ~ my freak