The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-03-17
NED'S BRELLA.
Hy riNXs.

ames McElfoy.
 Occupation
 Civil engineer.
 Address ?'
 ~,4o Great Jones street and 565 East Broadway
 ..,6, East Broadway slowly repeated the police sergeant as he entered the fore going particulars in big book. Well, you know the charge stealing this gen. tleman's umbrella. Have you anything to say in addition to what you have al ready stated ?'
 Nothing whatever can only repeat that ii was entirely a mistake upon my part
 You'll have an opportunity of proving that in the mo. ming. You are by no means the first person we have had to deal with here who has mistaken other peoples property for their own. Take him to the cells"
 The circumstances which had brought me into this scrape were as follows: My self and my friend Sprucington were Tn the employment of contractor, whose c.fices were situated in the locality al ready mentioned.
 Ned Sprueing,on and were old Balti- moreans. When we met, therefore, after some years separation, at the office in Great Jones street, we had only To renew our friendship. The great dandy Of our room, nay. ot the entire house. was Ned. He had. however, one consplcouus fash ion. He dressed. admit. uneNceptiona- bly, and to aid hin m producing the inn preston which he desired upon behold CTS. he carried abou, with him, in all weathers, beautiful silk umbrella. scarcely bulkicr than lady's parasol, though, of course considerably longer. Judging from the cut onyx handle mounted in gold, 1t must have cos, him a mint of money.
 Well. this umbrella of Neds we tried all we could think to ge, hold of. Bu, he was too wary for us Il was always left in some safe place. At last we became so desperate that l accepted heavy wager from one of the other fellows that would present myself at the office the mex, morning, at all hazards, the proud pos sessor of Ned Sprucington's umbrella.
 On that particular day, work being slack, every one was enabled to leave unusually early; so that four o'clock in the afternoon the house was cleared ot @h Sa'S ny SSii, hiy oAotuCt-SoIlSpHdto and the old man who lived with his wife on the premises. My friend Ned. as was his custom at such tunes. had announced his intention Of promenading Broadway there to air himself. his arlstocracy and his umbrella. l decided upon follow ing him thl,her. As there were yet two hours of daylight. however, l thought l could .not do better than fortity my selt tor the enterprise by taking soa,e substantial reireshment before commenc- ms operations. Alter which 1 woald ,rus, 10 the chapter of accidents.
 With thls object in view. was repair- ins toward my tivori,e place oireiecilon. al Hitchcoks. when, who should sec looking m a, the furnishing store bu, Sprucington. He ought. by rights. 10 to hSve been neatiy two niles away : yet here was he. calmly studying some neck tie. lie WAS so wedgcd in among the gazers, that could no, get al him to speak or even to have clear view of his face. But knew him by his height. by the neatly braided coat, the delica,ely tinted trousers, the well-poised hat. and last but not least, the umbrella. He was holding his hands behind his back, and m one of them the precious article was firmly claSped. Yes, there il was. onyx handle, gold mounting, and all.
 On the pavement espied piece ef clean straw, well adapted for the purpose had in view. Picking II up proceeded 10 tickle with ], SWuclngton's right ear. The experiment., answered admirably. Thinking il, suppose, to be a trouble some fly, he raised his hand to brush of the assailant; but to do this he was com pelled to shif, the umbrella from his right hand 10 his left. The momen. of the transiersn vas enough for me Before the hngers of his left hand could close, had seized the umbrella, and the next moment was dashing madly across the City Hall park
 There was a sudden commotion behind me, commotion which soon swelled into an uproar. needed il no further than to turn half roand in order to let Spruc- ington see who was. and to flourish in the air my umbrella, mean his umbrella. But the uproar did not relax on the con- trary, II began to shape itself into words. Hoarse shouts of Stop thief" followed me: The cries still ringing in my ears, dashed helter-skelter past Stewart ill 1 came 10 the corner of Pearl street. Here l was brought up all standing by an iron gnpe upon the collar from behind. Turning round found myself in the GUS tody of policeman.
 In the usual brief space of time the in- evitable crowd assembled about us. I was regarded with curiosity, loaded with reproaches, and favored with wit of an extremely personal nature, all at the same moment. This bore with patience, if not with good humor, convinced that on the arrival of Sprucington l should get clear of my tormentors. Presently line was made for the approach of the owner of the stolen property. Judge of my hor- TOT on perceiving that the panting individ- ual who made his appearance was A total