The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1875-03-06
miscellaneous.
Concerning UmbreIIaS.

This short dialogue look place DetWeen LwS
young men as they rushed breathlessly dowr
two flights of stairs, and, seizing hats and um
brellas, issued from the door OF a fashionable
boarding house on - street, New York city
A young lady was just stepping upon horse
car before the door. The. passed on, leav
ing the two lines OF aristocratic houses tha
com posed the street wrapped in the mists o
the rainy afternoon.
That evening a young lady entered the di.
ming room OF one Of these arstocratic houses
and on being chiden for lateness, rejoined, pet.
tishly:
'1 couldn't help it, mamma. I've been sc
Unfortunate to-day. declare l could cry !"
"Why, how? What do you mean ?"
ain the first place, left my purse on my
toilet table, / was in such hurry TO catch thai
car. l stuffed the bank-check into my glove
for safety. went to the bank and got it cash
ed-ffty dollars you know-and it occurred to
me the money wouldn't be safe in my cloak
pocket, so unscrewed the top of the handle oi
my umbrella and put the bills in that hollow
within the broad part. Then | went to the
photographers and got my proofs, and for want
of better place, foOlishly put those In the
hollow, too Well, it rained in torrents, and
needn't look shocked, mamma-they were,
though they did it very unobtrusively. I've
seen both of them before, and believe they
room opposite. At aaysaate, they got on the
car that l did, this nools and they got on the
one came horAe. in. One of them sat next to
me, and the other near the door on the oppo-
site side, and if turned my eyes anywhere but
straight forward, was sure to receive glance
of admiration"
"We'll dispense with that part Of it, Mary. -
"No, we can't mamma" was the demure re-
sponse, "for my confusion, and the fact OF my
umbrellas dripping over my dress, caused the
catastrophe. had to set the umbrella aside a
little, you see, and when got up to leave the
car, both these young men rushed for the door
It was really comical, mamma. was no soon
er outside. the car whep two umbrallss met
ever my head, and there stood the two young
gentlemen, both quite determined to escort me
to the house door. I never wanted to laugh SO
much but didn't laugh. l thanked them
with a very dignifed bow-one apiece-and
then producing my own umbrella from the folds
of my water r-proof, opened that and walked oil
Mamma" continued the speaker, tragically,
"I neuer will have another umbrella that is
like every one else's.
81 don't see at all what you are coming TO-
Mary" said her mother, perplexedly. "What
was the trouble?"
"Trouble? Why, mamma, when l got home
found hadn't my own umbrella at all, but
some one else's just like mine"
"Andt the fifty dollars and photograph proofs?'
"Were gone"
have done such thingT
"It is the greatest shame in the world that
umbrellas are made so much alike" was the
vexed response.
els the one you have just like yours?"
"Precisely black alpaca, with an ivory han
de-"
"Somebody must have stolen yours, or rather
exchanged purposely."
81 don't think it, mamma; in fact, I know
they couldn't. No one could have known wha
was in the handle of mine; and the one
brought home is much sprucer I'm sure the
person who took mine would never think o
looking in the handle"
"Perhaps not"
"But, mamma, want the fifty dollars; els'
how can l have that light silk dress |"
"I dare say you do, but you can't haveit jus
now"
"But / must" And the speaker coaxingly
put her hand on her mothers arm.
"Nonsense. Advertise your umbrella. Some
of the people on the car must have it,"
Two days later appeared an advertisement
in the Herald to this effect:
LOST, on Tuesday last on an Eighth Avenue
car, at o'clock, black alpaca umbrella, witt
ornamented ivory handle. The finder will b.
rewarded if it is returned to No. 8 - street
"H'm!" said Miss Mary Armstrong, as she
glanced over the paragraph in the morning.
paper, "that'll never bring back the uni brella.'
In the bachelor apartments across the stree
| the advertisement was differently commented
upon. Mr.. Frank Kennedy, who had tiltee
| back in his arm chair, when his eye fell upon
| it suddenly sprang to his feet with an exclama
| ton:
"By George, I'll win that wager"
"I wonder" he continued, apprehensively
off Courtenay'n see it? I'll borrow his morning
paper, for fear he will. Why, what roya
road to an introduction this is I'll take ar
umbrella any umbrella-my own would an
swer the description-no, by George! it's toe
much worn out, and I'd be ashamed OF it-and
go over and present myself. Courtenayll be
| furious-ha! ha By George, though, how did
this umbrella get so shabby I've only had il
four weeks. I'll go buy new one, black al
paca, with carved ivory handle, and introduce
myself to Miss Armstrong with that. l fee
that box of cigars already in my pocket"
Mr.. Kennedy walked across the hall and
tapped thrice, each time louder, upon the op-
posite door. Getting no answer, he called
through the key-hole
az say, Courtenay"
Noreply. Mr.. Kennedy shook the door, then
hailed the chambermaid:
"Where's Mr.. Courtenay"
"Gone down town, sir, half an hour ago"
"Gone down town The deuce he has !" NUT
tered Mr.. Kennedy, searching distractedly ior
hat and gloves. al say w-to the chamber
"Right round the corner"
"Run out and buy me an umbrella, VIII you
There's a good soul Take this bill, and KEEP
the change, and get me a black alpaca umbrel'
Ia (ladies' size, remember that with an orna-
mented ivory handle. Understand 2"
"All right, sir"
"And hurry-do"
The maid vanished, aud Mr.. Kennedy began
L, make himself irresistible as far as haste
would allow. lie met the returning chamber
maid at the door, inspected the umbrella in the
hall, and then triumphantly marched across
the street He rang the bell, inquired conf.
IDENTIFY for miss Armstrong" and was ushered
in. With umbrella still in hand, be walked
into the parlOr, but was arrested and stricken
speechless almost on the threshold by the sight
oil his chum, Ellis Courtenay, who, also hold
ing an umbrella in hand, occupied an easy
chair by the table Mr.. Courtenay was dressed
with suspicious nicely, and the umbrella was
apparently new.
The two occupants Of the parlor faced each
other in blank surprise, which, in Mr.. Courte-
nays case, changed to amusement AS for Mr.
Konnedy, after uttering explosively his favor
lie aBy George! I" he subsded into chair, and
began, fsebly:
"HOw-how-in-"
ash Some ones coming|
Miss Armstrong, opening the parlor door, had
TO hide her face behind her handkerchief for q
moment ere she could advance with requisite
gravity. Her two "knights Of yesterday" were
considerably embarrassed but managed to pre-
sent themselves, their excuses and their um-