The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-06-20
UMBRELLAS.
Speaking about umbrellas the

A mere glance at an umbrella-stand
is enough to show the wonderful di-
versities of character which can be
expressed in this way. We see the
dapper little darling with its curious
monogram on the top, and know we
shall hear all the scandal Of town as
soon as we enter the drawing-room.
The rough horn of another tells us
that our solicitor is fussing for us in
the study. It's neighbor, unkempt
but lovely in its negligence, is the
sign of an artist friend whose pictures
find no favor with the Academy. The
square, short umbrella leaning against
the wall means 'a little BILL" When
Mr.. Sampson Brass is recalling the
memories of the departed Quilp, he
does not miss the one great symbol
of his character His wit and humor
his pathos and his umbrella, all come
before me like visions of my youth.
But if it is this to the world without,
| it is more than this to it's owner.-
There are few things so companion
able as an umbrella. A stick is
shade too troublesome. A friend
walks either too fast or too slow. But
an umbrella is just heavy enough to
give one the feeling of having some
thing with one, it never bothers, and
it always goes ones own pace. 1t is
prop in the moment of languor when
one is forced to make talk in front Of
Lady Dwaddle's garden-chair. 1t is
toy with which one plays as one
firts with her daughters. 1t has it's
peculiarities, its history, it's stories of
flights and returns, its memories Of
pleasant little tete-G-teteS with charm
ing beings who found shelter in it
from showers. There is something
human about it which endears it to
us. We talk of it to our frIen0s, we
discuss it's stick and its colorwe make
grievance of it, and write to the
Times about the harpies who rob us
of it at the Academy. There are few
hours of loneliness and assertion
when a man cannot console himself
with his umbrella. It is owing, per-
haps, to their late introduction into
Europe that men have as yet their
late introduction into Europe that
men have as yet hardly recognised
any distinct or separate property in
umbrellas. Like game, they belong
to the class of tera nature. A faint
trace of communism fingers over the
stand in the hall. Nobody feels very
guilty at taking stray umbrella,
if it happens to be raining as he leaves
his club, or at finding himself walking
home with new umbrella when he
was conscious Of having left it with
an old one. It is amusing TO notice
the unconcerned curiosity with which
the new owner, as he puts his spoil
by with his hat and coat, guesses Who
on earth such pretty little thing
could have belonged to- There is
not the least sense of guilt in the
question. In common thought the
umbrella is gifted with certain
vague personality which is supposed
to explain its constant tendency to
get astray. A kind Of gipsy-like
and vagrant nature is assumed to
belong to it. It is credited with a
volition Of its own, and supposed to
be in some way itself responsible for
Tits presence in any mans hand but
/ the man who bought it. It's own
Twill brought il to us, and if it hap
Opens to be new one we generally
leave it to its own will to take it back
lagain. There are, we believe, per
sons eccentric enough to return UNI,
brellas, but the instances are rare
i AGREAT INVENTION. The inven-
tor of hydrate of chloral has introduce
ed a new organic compound called
croton-chloraI. by which,it is claimed,
the head may be rendered insensible
while the other parts Of the body re-
main unaffected. 1t promises to pro-
duce all the good effects of hydrate
of choral. without any drawbacks.