The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-19
UNDER AN UMBRELLA.

Ing an umbrella on that glorious LIST of
June" but those who live in the WEST
eountrie" kave a saying that 'if the weather
be fine when you 60 out, you should take an
umbrella; if it rains, you may do as you
please"
1t had been very fine, an exquisite morn
ing, and several bright-faced young girls had
peeped eagerly from behind their closed
blinds before the nightingale had finished
his song, to see what the weather was like,
and had uttered EXPLANATIONS of delight at
The beauty of the rising sun Ia beauty which
only few daily witnessl and had curled
themselves round again in their soft beds for
another sleep, to take all the rest they could
before the days pleasure began, for Radleigh-
Dn-Thaines was gay, sociable little place,
and Mrs. Roley, who was the leader in it as
regarded fashion and society, on this LIST Of
June was to give water-party.
At II in the morning large ''shallop" was
moored against the landing-stage of one Of
those charming places which are SO plentiful
upon the rivers banks.
Mrs. Roley's house (there was Mr.. Roley,
and he, too, lived decorously at Ripplebank;
but the lady was decidedly the better half,
both as to size, popularity and abilities, and
he was generally known as Mrs. Roley's
husband so, we repeat Mrs. Roley's house
was one of the prettiest of those de-
lightful water-side residences which are so
pleasant in summer and so utterly doleful in
winter.
1t had many gables; its outer walls were
clad with charming Towering plants; its
porches were trellised and rose-hung; its
gardens were bejeweled with all the bright
blossoms which horticulture could suggest
1t had its stable, and well-filled stable,
too; its conservatory, its billiard-room, its
boat-house, with a smoking-room over, its
tennis-ground and the softest of messy lawns
leading down to the rivers brink, where the
willows waved their branches with a quiet,
lazy motion, gently kissing the passing
stream, and hammock rocked tenantless
among the scented leaves of the walnut.
As the boat was moored, tall, handsome
woman of some thirty years of age walked
slowly acress the grass, followed by a small
man dressed in boating costume, and several
servants carrying hampers etc. All at once
the dark eyes of Mrs. Roley-and handsome
NaTk eyes tD6y W6Te-Were turned upon ner
caro- sposo.
You wiIlsnot have any pulling to do,
George" she said, $50 you had better go and
change your Clothes"
'Oh, 1 told them all to come as they liked"
gasned Mrs. Roley's husband, who bad quite
enough of top hats and frock coats in the
city but look from his wife changed his
tone LAS you please, of course, nv love;
only l thought should be more comforta-
ble"-and he looked affectonately at his
white fannels-"and less singular, you
know"
you will be more singular as you are, for
my friends will be dressed like gentlemen
and the lady turned away to issue ner orders
as to the stowage of the provisions. and when
she looked around again Mr.. Roley was gone.
To say that he was not a little inclined to
rebel would be untrue he was fond of COM
fort, and well he knew the difference be-
tween the comfort of flannels and the dis
comfort OF a frock coat with its accom-
paniments of starched shirt, stiff collar, and
tie.
So he went up stairs to his dressing-room
and stood by the window to watch for the
first arrivals.
Had any bold spirit asserted itself, and APP
peared in like trim to his own, Mrs. Roley's
husband would have remained as he was; but
no such good luck befell him. The first man
who made his appearance was Mr.. Edwin
Dunstan, of the India Office, and he was
faultlessly got up, even to his umbrella.
Then. with an exclamation which did not
sound very amiable, and which it would
have been as much as his place was worth to
let Mrs. Roley hear the little man savagely
tore off his clothes as though they had an
noyed him. made rent in the unoffending
flannels rumpled several shirt-fronts put
ting in his studs, broke off a few
buttons, and abused the washerwoman,
although she had nothing whatever
do xryffi "a, L. 81 g.
a kick because he got in his way, but
in truth the small animal had only come:to
sympathize with his master, seeing by the ex-
preston of his face that something had gone
wrong with him. Mr.. Roley was fond OF his
dog, but when people are out OF temper they
seldom stop TO consider what they are going
to do, nor question whether their acts are
Just or unjust. He was also of a saving dis
position, yet he wasted nearly a shilling in
shirtfronts without thought as to the un-
wisdom of the action, whereas he would lose
his temper and haggle with a cabman for half
that amount, and take his number for
though harmless being enough, Mrs. Ro-
leys husband was not an exalted character.
He was self-made man. his money had been
earned with care, patience. and toll. and it
was pain and grief to him to part with it, ex-
cept for anything which added to his com
fort He had seen and admired woman de-
cidedly above him in position, and had pro-
posed to her. She had wondered at his au-
dacity, and for a moment felt inclined to box
his ears; but in the next remembered his
house in town, his pretty place on the
Thames, and his reptued wealth, and she had
reversed the picture studying both atten-
lively. A good name, a long list of
ancestors, widowed mother and
three manageable sisters as beautiful as her
self; home with an outside show OF affiu-
ence, but with sore pinching within, and a
pile of unpaid bills; and how weary she was
of cutting and contriving dresses for her
mother, sisters. and herself, 1t was a mar
rage of convenience. of course, and she knew
it must be so when she made up her mind to
accept him. Onlookers said, What could
that handsome Miss de Lara see in the man2'
and she asked herself the same question a
dozen times in the day, and answered it with
a smile that, If somewhat cynical, she was not