The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-23
MY SILK UMBRELLA.
gyvw Its Loss Completely Changed MY
Fate.


Fate.
whep Marcia came home from Europe she
brought with her pretty trites for every body
coraIs ftDy these and canoes for those, and cairn
rorms for others; and she brought me silk um.
6reIla. / had half huped for q picture, bit Of
bronze fbeng householder). maj loa platter.
Whatin the world do you suppose Marcia brought
me silk umbrella for
No shahby one. ither, let me tell you. The
sk or Che thickest the steels Of the stoutest and
che handle wonder Of soulptured ivory. To
ussg should as soon have thought OF going
out In the, rain with my new silk hat az with my
new elk umbrella. silk umbrella for man
who had never aspired to On alpaca one, and who
had always held fifty cent cotton, that could be
iIcft and forgotten, lost and stolen, with impunity,
and nobody grievously wronged thereby, az the
king of oil umbrellas, and who never carried in
umbrella anyway, but In rainy weather wore q
still. as umbrellas go, IL was beauty. 1t
would give an air of distinction to ones appear
ance armed cap-a.pie, fsultlessly dressed even
To the umbrella. Being an amateur farmer In q
small way, IL became me to be seen well dressed
when LEFT home. Then II would look finely on
The rack liz the hall. It would be nice thing to
!. Hend = lady going from the house in a shower
nice thing for her 10 forget TO return, too That
reminded me; should've like to lose IL, after all;
j must have IL marked; that was only proper re-
spect 10 Marcia. neat little silver plate, the
ieweler said (nickel would hardly suit 30 foe an
csaIy two dollars. Already the price Of four uni-
brellss.
When Che silk umbrella came home hung it,
I'm it's case, on the rack but ono OF several ire.
sponaible single ladies, who took more or less
interest In my affairs, assured that to keep II
hung up IN It's case would occasion it to split in
Che fold. 1 took 1t down and spread 1t wide open
on che floor Of the dark closet, when another OF
che irresponsibles don't know how under
heaven she knew IL was there--assured me that
my umbrella would become one sided cripple IL
left II wide open on the floor. began to wish
4 had never had an umbrella. took If the case,
shook loose the folds, and hung it up unmolested
nv the others.
The next result of my possession OF q elk UNI.
hrelfa was that, conscious Of my own resources,
4 mt my Msckintosh, and the pt rson TO whom
sent IL was drowned In it; and had previously
given away and recklessly lost all my fifty cent
nmbrcllas. When, then, in drizzIiDg weather
wished to tramp through field and visit the out
lying dependencies OF my pig-sties 1t seemed
altogether too homogeneous and unbecoming to
hang over the pig-ssies,. under silk umbrella
plate, and consequently went In the rain,
sanght . cold, had the Ipneumopia and doctor,
sEd receipted doctors bill for fifty dollars and
M strength TO speak of for six months. wished
Marcia had lEought me no present Ut all
/ had been looking for some time after my COM
pfets recovery, to Maroia's wedding aud my Jour-
psy TO Waterway. Marcia was mot the only sole
millionaire OF the name, but she was my favorite
tbs ceremony was to be performed In great state
~ DE-. Wilder Of Brentford, On old clergyman,
che dearest friend Of her dead father and Of
mime. OF course to make my best appearance,
and OF course my old hou.ekeeper insisted that
Shan should take my umbrella. demurred;
for IL was very much in my way, with my port
NnAuoau, my rugs and my wraps, and the box
holding my wedding present. But she carried
The day and / took IL.
A. soon ~ was in the cars that day, COM
fortably disposed Of my personal property in
various barriers around me, and enjoyed the
morning papers, till suddenly tho Junction was
called, and started up in hurry to make my
connection. Satisfying myself when the change
was made that was in the right car, began
sgAin 10 dispose of my incumbrances whom
where was my umbrella had left II behind
me. was not going togive that silk umbrella
to the porter Of any train on earth. had just
time TO spring off one train and back upon the
other. when away they both shot In opposite d.
rections, and / and my umbrella we're on one
train, and my vslise. my wraps and rugs, and
wedding presents we're on the other. Did bless
Jonas Hanway and his great original umb etla2
And the price OF how many kings OF all umbrel-
las was there in the ticket was obliged to buy
for place 10 which / didn't want to 70, to say
nothing OF the telegram at the frat station cen.
coruing che digpasnl OF my traps
Fastening into the station and setting down
ave umbrella had written the the message and
was Just paying for It, thinking the while with
regret OF the scenery we were to pass through,
since the only way to save my umbrella was to
keep my eye fixed on that, when the cry came,
S'al aboard u threw down the change and ran
''Your umbrella, sir" cried q flu eiike voice.
aHang the umbrella"
stepped back for tone seconds delay. In
thae second there was just enough steam 10 whlrl
che train out OF the station, past hope Of overtak-
ing. Strongly inclined to pitch it into the middle
oil Che track, tucked my umbrella under my arm
savagely, and wheeled about, only to tear of
with It's ferrule the top OF basket that the owner
Of the hute-like voice WAS carefully carrying be.
hind me, and away fed two white doves in the
air, and vanished in the blue.
turned ct her exclamation. "A thousand par
donsi" exclaimed. "What shocking careless
ness! We're they pets2 Are they quite irrecover
able2 liz 1t impossible to replace tnem?" In the
swift instants Of those few words had forgotten
all about train tramps, umbrella, wedding had
forgotten myself in short.
will 60 home again. I have hers there. Mrs
Burbank said would lose them. They were
meant for wedding present" she added, with
smile thas made the lips as perfect 90 the voice
wae Sweet ana that seemed to kin le the eyes to
blue. vivid as the skies, into which the doves had
vanished-eyes with long, black, back bent lashes
that gave them most infantie innocence. Ia
another moment under my gaze. the lids fell, and
the cneek and mounted almost to the soft, loose.
Iy-curling rings OF chestnut hair on the white
forehead. and fell again.
II don't know how to express my regrets" I
"0h, please don't think of it," she answered.
will telegraph to have another pair sent to
waterway. They will reach there as soon as I
shall, for found myself on the wrong train, and
to-day"
That is exactly my case" said !. Sand the
wedding feast to which am hidden takes place
tomorrow"
.Why, so does mine." she said laughing, and
Rlvlng nae quick, curious glance, 81 wonder"
WONDER said !. iii you are my Cousin
aon7" " ''e"'
Allan Ferguson, at your SERVICE" said 1.
10 you know" she said, slyly, and coloring
sEsin IN the same charming way, II thought L
must be you-for have seen your photograph. !"
NO photograph would look like You, said:
and then - she half drew back Nhastened I'd All
for her luggage. ~'-
'Dh. Dr.. Wilder took that for me yesterday
shs answered. "He is our old rector, you
know -.
al know, he il mine."
"Yoursl why, you don't belong in Brentford2n
halo L.. ~~suk