Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-07-23
The Captains Umbrella,

The Captains Umbrella,
Cartmn Fortescue danced for the
best part of one happy evening with
he prettiest girl Of the season. And
the gallant captain fell desperately in
love with her. lie went home in the
bright mistiness of an early summer
morning in q hi,h fever of excitement,
for he believed that Hiss Bracegirdle
viewed him with considerable favor.
The next afternoon he went TO call
IN her. She seemed to him even more
beautiful in the daylight and Il simple
lress; he became momcntarily more
and more in love. And now he fanCied
that not only Miss Braccgirdle, but her
mother, regarded him with kindly eyes
In that case he hal but to go in and
win. lie resolved 50 to do, and left the
house so full of his passion and his
thoughts that he forgot-his umbrella!
This was no unusual circumstance.
Captain Fortescue was given to forget
ting his umbrella, and leaving it in a
hanson cab or any other conveni2n
place. Thus it happened that this
which he had now left was the only
one he possessed. The next day he
knew Miss Bracegirdle was going to an
afternoon fete at the Botanical Gardens.
He intended to meet her there. But it
was showery, thunderous weather, and
he felt that to visit the Botanical Gar
dens without an umbrella would be
dangerous and difficult. Besides, an
umbrella is often admirably useful dur
ing the progress of love affair.
He had learned by accident that the
Bracegirdles were going out shopping
in the morning He determined, there
fore, to call and ask the housemaid to
give him his umbrella. This seemed
exceedingly simple, but luck was
against Captain Fortescue. Tho maid
who admitted him on the day before
had this very morning departed in q
four wheeled cab with two boxes on
the top of it, her "month" being "up."
A new maid had taken her place one
of a less smiling disposition than the
last.
Il called here yesterday afternoon"
said the captain, land left my umbrella;
will you let me have it,"
Something in the sternness of the
eyes which we're upon him made him
falter before he had said the last word
of his request; it suddenly occurred to
him that he might find it little diff
cult to prove that the umbrella in ques-
tlOll WIS lllICCu Ills wv ii.
"No, thank you,' said the maid.
T've had enough OF that at my last
place. I'm not going to get into
trouble here Better take to an honest
trade, young man." With which piece
of advice she shut the door in Captain
Fortescue's face, leaving the officer as
tonished, quenched and crest-fallen.
He went straightway and bought new
umbrella Armed with this, and ad
mirably attired in other respects, he
went to the Botanical Gardens, where
he met Miss Bracegirdle, who seemed
more beautiful, more charming and
more graceful than ever.
AS soon as seemed at all decent he
called again, feeling very contented
with himself and his fate. But when
he asked whether Mrs. Braceg,rdle was
at home and the stern maid eyed him
for a silent awful instant, his spirits
fell strangely.
"She is not" said the maid, and shut
the door with an abruptness that gave
him a singularly disconsolate feeling.
When, about an hour later, the ladies
came in and the maid brought them
some tea, she said to Mrs Bracegirdlc:
"If you please, ma'am, that young man
has been here again who came one day
with the umbrella dodge. He asked if
you were at home-of course he knew
you were not-and l suppose he had
some plan for getting into the house,
but / shut the door in his face and
would not listen"
That's right, Eliza, said Mrs. Brace
girdle, "never give them achance to 60
inside the hall. There's been too much
of that stealing of coats and umbrellas
In this neighborhood; it never would
happen with a sensible housemad.
Master Harry leaves his things hang
ing in the hall, so that it would be quite
easy to carry off coat or umbrella, if
you left the man there alone only for
minute. If he is so impudent as to
come again, the moment you see who
it is shut the door"
The next afternoon was Mrs. Brace
girdle's "day at home" Capt. Fortescue
had not intended to go then; he want
ed the lovely Miss Bracegirdle to him
self, not surrounded by crowd of ad-
mirers. But as he had not been able to
see her the day before, he determined
to brave the crowd, and be content if
he got but one smile all his own. And
so he presented himself once more at
Mrs. Bracegrdle's door, this time
knowing her to be within. But when
it was opened and he confidently framed
the phrase, not as a query, but an asser-
tion, "Mrs. BracegirGle at home?" and
propocod iumelinto to aptar tho