The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-02-24
He Formed an Attachment.

A few evenings since we dropped into
| the Washington Hotel for short time.
While there we saw weary looking
gentleman of subdued respectability
spinning around at terrible rate.
The gentleman was dressed in shah
by genteel suit of well worn black, wore
light colOred tall stiff hat, and green
glasses. His face was pale and he look
ed weary; his large shoes (No. 12) were
well polished We afterwards learned
that he liv, d in the neighboring metrep-
oils of Monroe.
After dashing across the sitting-roOm
several times, he seized old Sam, the
porter, by the collar, and peering earn
estly in his face, said:
"My dear, colored friend, have you
seen any thing of my umbrella; fine
silk one, two tassels, an ivory handle
cut to resemble a dogs head-can't tell
the exact cOst?"
Old Sam scratched his head in thought,
but declared he "hadn't seen nary um-
brella of no sort"
Away flew the Monroe man to the
office.
"Have you seen a fine silk umbrella,
ivory handle, two tassels, handle cut
like a dogs head?"
Sid took his cigar out of his mouth
long enough to remark to the distressed
man, that the article had not come un-
der his observation.
After Sid's assurance, the Monroe
man rushed behind the counter, peered
into every corner, tried the lock of the
safe, opened the hotel register and ex-
amined it, and searched everywhere
with the greatest diligence.
A perfect picture of despair, he sailed
into the railroad ticket office. He i'm
mediately overwhelmed the gentleman
ly agent with questions. But he got no
satisfaction. The Colonel, in his cool
est, most truthful and solidest manner,
assured the distressed Individual that he
had not seen so fine an umbrella since
one of the Parisot boys had borrowed
his. The Monroe man dashed across
the hall and stopped lady just in the
act of going out on the street.
"Ah, my dear miss-ah madam, have
you seen 4 fine silk umbrella, two tas-
sells, ivory handle, cut like dogs head,
perfectly new, just lost it, so dis
tressed?"
"Sir!" said the lady, and she switch
ed around SO quickly, that she made
her back hair pop; and then she ran
up stairs.
just then a tall, handsome mild-look-
ing pious steamboat agent came up.
The Monroe man Immediately besieged
him. But brother Sam could give him
no more satisfaction than the balance.
He Immediately tried to soothe him,
though, so as to find out whether he was
" travelling or just going somewhere. ."
"It must have been Il mighty valua-
bic umbrella, my friend, that its loss
should so distress you?'' said brother
Sam.
''Oh it was, YOU can't imagine what
a liking l had taken to it, replied the
Monroe man.
"If you are going to New Orleans, l
can tell you where you can replace it
mighty cheap, and can sell you
mighty cheap ticket to get there by the
Lee" ="
"But l amt going to New Orleans,
and don't know what shall do"
"Going to Memphis? Louisville? St.
Louis? Shreveport? Texas? Little
Rock? Hot Springs?" anxiously in
quired brother Sam.
" No, I'm just going back to Monroe,
but I'm ruined if l don't get my UNI
brella. You can't know how highly l
priced it."
"Just the thing" said brother Sam.
Here are some tickets | got from
passengers in exchange. l can sell you
one at half price, and you will save
enough to buy you another umbrella" ."
"Buy another umbrella indeed! Do
you suppose, sir, that | would form
such an attachment for an umbrella |
bought? Bought umbrella! A pur-
chased article, forsoOth! | didn't buy
it, sir. l took up with it, and wanted
to cleave to it. | was down at the Her.
aid office, subscribing for the Daily
Herald, ten dollars a year in advance,
when l began to fool with that superb
umbrella. As it was raining, walked
out with it, and oh! unhappy me! ]
formed such an attachment for it.
Alas! it is gone"
And he rushed off to the Delta ferry,
leaving brother Sam, stupefied with ad-
miration.-W WckSburg Herald.