The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-05-13
The Story of an Umbrella.

''DOnp.'
This short dialogue took place between
two Young men as they rushed breath
lessly down two flights.o stairs, and, seiz-
ing hats and umbrellas, issued from the
door OF a fashionable boarding house in
New York city. A young lady was just
stepping into horse car before the door
and both hurried toward it. The car
passed on, leaving the two lines of aristo
cratic houses that composed the street
| wrapped in the mist of the rainy after
noon.
That evening 4 young lady entered the
dning-room of one Of these aristocratc
houses and OH being chdden for lateness
reioined, pcttishly:
II couldn't help it, mamma. I've been
so unfortunate to-day. | declare | could
cry"
"Why, how? What do you mean? ~
"ln the first place, LETT my purse on
my toilet-table, was in such hurry to
catch that car | stuffed the bank check
into my glove for safety | went to the
bank and got it cashed-tfty dollars, you
know-and it occurred to me the money
unscrewed the top OF the handle of my
umbrella and put the bills in that hollow
within the broad part. Then | went to
the photographers and got my proofs,
and Tor want of a better place. | foolishly
put them in the hollow, too. Well, it
rained in torrents, and two young gentle
men We're following me. You needn't
look shocked. mamma-they were, tho
they did it very unobtrusively. I've seen
both of them before, and | believe they
room opposite. At any rate, they got on
the car that did, this noon, and they got
on the one came home in. One cf them
sat next me, and the other near the door
on the opposite side, and if | turned my
eyes anywhere but straight forward, |
was sure to receive a glance Of admira-
ton
wen dispense with that palt Of it,
Mary"
"No, we can't, mamma" was the de-
mure response, ''ior my confusion, and
the fact of my umbrellas dripping all
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 those Young men rushed for the
door. 1t was really comical, mamma. |
was no sooner outside the car than two
Ulllb tllttN NIT oNCI ilIN llC.tt anu liCiC
stood the two Young gentlemen. both
quite determined to escort me to the
house door | never wanted to laugh so
much but | didn't laugh thanked
them with a very dgnitied bow, one
apiece-and then producing my own UNI
brella from the folds Of my waterproof,
opened that and walked Oft Mamma,
continued the speaker, tragically, II will
Al,
every one else's.''
81 don't see at all " hat you're coming
to, Mary" said her mother, perplexedly.
"What was the trouble?"
''Trouble? Why, mamma, when | got
home | found | hadn't my own umbrella
at all, but some one else's Just like mine!'
"And the fifty dollars and photograph
proofs?"
"Were gone"
as the one YOU have Just like yours?'
"Precisely; black alpaca, with an ivory
handle"
Somebody must have stolen yours. or,
rather, exchanged purposely.'
Il don't think it, mamma; in fact,
know they couldn't. No one could have
known what 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 of looking in the
handle
"Perhaps not, but you had better ac
vertise your umbrella. Some of the peo
pie on the car must have it."
Two days later appeared m advertise
ment to this effect:
lost, Oh Tuesday last, on an English Ave
| at e n,nlnnl black a, MI hrol lla
| with ornamented ivory handle. The finder
| will be rewarded if it is returned to No. : -
| street"
''H'mr said Miss Mary Armstrong, a
she glanced over this paragraph in the
mornings paper; that'll never bring bacl
the umbrellan
In the bachelors apartments across TIN
street the advertisement was dtferentl,
commented upon. Mr.. Frank Kennedy
who had been tilted back in his arm chair
when his eye fell upon it, suddenly sprans
to his feet with the exclamation:
"By George, III win that wager!'
81 WONDER" he continued, apprehen
siyely, ''if Courtenay'll see it? III Dor
row his morning paper, for fear he will
Why, what a royal road to an introduction
this isl I'll take an umbrella-any um
brella-my own would answer the descrip
tion--no, by George! it's too much worl
out. and I'd be ashamed of it-and g,
over and present myself. Courtenay'll b.
furious-ha! ha! By George, though
how did this umbrella get 80 shabby
I've only had it four weeks. III 90 an,
buy new one, black alpaca, with carve,
ivory handle, and introduce myself t.
Miss Armstrong with that feel tn
box Of cigars already in my pocket"
Mr.. Kennedy walked across the hal
and tapped thrice, each time louder upol
the opposite door Getting no answer
he called through the keyhoIe:
81 say, Courtenayr'
No reply. Mr.. X kennedy shook the door
then hailed the chambermad
where's Mr.. Courtenay ?n
"Gone down town, sir, half an hou
ago"
''Gone down town! The deuce he has !.
muttered MIR. Kennedy, searching distract
edly for hat and gloves. 81 say !'-t
the chambermaid-"w where's the neares
umbrella store?"
''Run out and buy me an umbrella, wi
you? There's a good soul. Take thi
bill and keep the change, and get me
black alpaca umbrella Qadies' size, re
member that with an ornamented ivor
handle. Understand ?'
"All right, sir"
''And hurry-dor'
The maid vanished. and Mr.. kenned
began to make himself irresistible as ia
as haste would allow He met the return
ing chambermaid at the door. inspecte
the umbrella in the hall and then triumph
antly marched across the street. He ran
the bell, inquired for miss Armstrong
and was ushered in. With umbrella sfi
in hand, he walked into the parlors. br
was arrested on the threshold by the SIGH
of his chum, Ellis Courtenay, who, ais
holding an umbrella in his hand, occupie
an easy chair by the table. Mr.. Courtena
was dressed with suspicious nicely. an
the umbrella he had was apparently nev
The two occupants of the parlor face
each other in blank surprise which,
Mr. Courtenay's case, changed to amus'
ment AS for Mr.. Kennedy, after utte1
ing explosively his favorite "By George
| no sl1haidaa into q chair and haUan fnehlv