Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1871-09-28
MY OLD UMBRELLA.

always DrluCu lnyScll uHou INC H'I-
tincSs of my appearance bet re l was
married; and if tnere was one particular
taing which liked to haze stylish, it was
my umbicl a. Thc.,e 81 k and the finest
frames we're hardly good enough, aud my
umbrella was generally abtut as slim anu
nicely shapel as clLe; 80 much SO tha'
Blown uss Il TO chatf me continually about
its appearance, and say it was bachelors s
uubrt lla-his being aims the size OF
Mrs. Camps.
1t was three years sgO this month. and
the weather was evidently in a very sor-
rowful mood, for it just poured all day
long, something like cats AMI dogs which
a,ln,ic always uses as simile when 1t
rains very hard. had tn leave the tfice
a number of times during the day, and
about two o'clock went to the bank to get
a c eek cashed, and OF course my umbrella,
MT this one, was in constant use. Ths re
were some dozen persons waiting on line
at the counter, and | had to wait alec.
Waiting thee in damp room Wasn't
very agreeable; but just hung my UNI
brella n the edge of the counter until
had doLe, and juss there l st it, for when
got the casa had fnrgo ten the umbrella,
and LIFT the bank without 1t.
When reached tho street missed it,
and back posted, but it WAS gohe-Where,
by whom taken, or how, never found out,
but hsI ging on the COULTER instead was an
old diapida!ed looking thing, made OF
blue cotton. 1t was enough to make me
shower left. hand d blessings oa the party
who had made the exchange; but here, by
the way, might just as we'll observe that
it was really q blessing to I.e, only IN
disguise.
As the rain poured in torrents, just
made the best of the mat er, aid sta!ked
i1to the street as apparently unc oncerned
as possible, me, the na'ty Thornton, as my
chums called me, perambulating those
streets where my said frienrs most do
congregate, and under big cotton UNI
brella, large enough to shelter whole
family of seven.
| Brown met me first
"Ah!' said he, got a family now-con-
gratulate you, my boy"
And from him to the office, each and
every friend had, seemed to be in the
street waiting to hail my appearance with
a jest or q laugh. Contound it! l was al
most mad enough to smash the old thing
tospieces; but didn't. for it rained too
hard for any >uch foolishness.
Several times during that afternoon I
vainly endeavored to borrow or steal an
home started with j., getting into the
same omnibus as Brown, who at once COM
menced at me with, ~ say, old fellow,
when did it take place."
| Thinking innocence might extricate me
from this confounded chatting, l asked,
"What take place?
why, your becoming married Bene-
Dict"
"Well, you are mistaken, for still re.
main my own ma ster and am not cOmpell-
| cd to b. at home every night at ten, or
else suffer the discordans din of scolding
! partner"
This was intended for him, but he shook
| it off easily, and gave it back with a ven.
geance.
eyes, but being as you are, you arc
nightly put out about carrying an um.
brella more service able than ornamental :;
| whereas, l, being married, satisfy myself
| with what have To be philosopher
you must get married, and who knows but
what tnat same umbrella may come in ser
| vice then?"
escaped from him then, ss had reach.
ed the street wanted t, get out at; and
leaving the omnibus, I elevated the UNI
brela to protect me fsom the pouring rain
! At the corner, under shop awning, stood
two lovely damsels, evidently awaiting for
the rain to Cease, for they were without
| umbrellas.
Over sensitive in regard to my appear
ance, could not help noticing the litter
as they regarded me. And, to tell the
| truth, there was somewhat of contrast
| to laugh at Imagine fashionably- dressed
young man, 1ather good. looking, decided
| ly genteel and over his head an enormous
old cotton un brella, aud you'll see me as
| those girls saw me then.
was nettled, put out and wrathful, but
res lived to check their mirth at all haz-
| ards. Stepping up to them, said La
dies, my umbrella is large, and as l see
you are without one, can offer you NY
services as far rs 60 ?" mentally resolV.
ing that if they went further than me my
umbrella should go to.
After whispering 1Or moment, one Of
them replied: Thank you sir; we would
be obliged for your escort"
Of course, as We Went along l did nv
best to open conversation, and soon had
the plea: ure of elciting few words from
them. They were both very pretty, but
the one called Mary thought was q par
ticularly pleasant young lady, and instinct.
ively desired to prolong our walk that We
might be better acquainted.
Having reached the street in which I
dwelt, turned to Miss Mary, and said, II
live in this street, and as l see you are
going further, you are welcome to the use
OF the umbrella, for l. is but step to my
residence. You can return it at your lci-
sur>. Good day"
And leaving them with the umbrella,
which knew they never would return,
for purposely did not give them my ad-
dress, l ran home congratulating myself
at having so pleasantly disposed of my
pest.
Somehow or other, Mary's eyes were
always ia my mind, and should almost
have forgotten about the old umbrella, if
1t were not for the remembrance of her
sweet f, ce. After while I came to the
conclusion that I had actually fallen in
love with Mary; but who was Mary, and
where to find her did not know. And
then l began to wish hsd given my ad-
dress, that the umbrella might have been
returned to me"
All this took place in March. Months
passed, and I never came across either
Mary or the umbrella. How wlshed for
glIlupse Of either cannot tell you; but
I q d-aWtul.
During September was down at my
friend Wyndham's place, on the sea coast,
1O1 week VI t"Oj duu OIo uty nc aUU
were out fishin in yacht, but noticing u
storm c,miug up, we til .usht we had
better put into the bay til! it cleared up
again.
The sky in the west was already black
with the rushing clouds advancing up the
zenith, and as we as:ed the Point, on
our way in, we noticed boat containing
some par les still fishing, perfectly uncon.
scious Of the rising storm, for the trees OBJ
scured the western sky, and overhead was
still clear. Wyndham called my attention
to them
"Good graciousI' exclaimed l., 'there
is my umbrella!"
"Wherey" said Wyndhnm.
why, tax re IN that boat, Wyndham
said |. Il must see tue people in that
boat, come what may"
Aud turning tn. yacht around we sailed
toward them. But we had to sail round a
considerable distance; and in the mean
time the people in the boat had evidently
noticed the coming storm, for they were
pulling up their anchor
The umbrc la Il was sure it was mine
still remained elevated, 80 could not see
who was beneath it, but my heart best
little exc,tcdly, 1or hoped it would be
Mary.
We had nearly reached them when the
windy torerunntr of the storm st, uck the
boat, and the next moment it was over
turned and saw two ladies and three men
st st'uggling in tho water one Of them
f1 <.t,ir I f1y ff 1,y,,Nr II ~,h