The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1886-01-15
miscellaneous.
The Captains Umbrella.

OF one nappy evening WIN tne prettlest girl
of the season. And the gallant captain fell
desperately in love with her He went home
in the bright mistiness of an early summer
morning in high fever of excitement, for he
believed that Miss Bracegirdle viewed him
with considerable favor
The next afternoon he went to call on her
She seemed to him even more beautiful in the
daylight and simple dress he became mo-
mentarily more and more in love. And now
he fanced that not only Miss Bracegirdle but
her mother, regarded him with kindly eyes.
In that case he had but to go in and win. He
resolved to do so, and left the house so full of
his passion and his thoughts that he forgot
his umbrella This was no unusual circum-
stance. Captain Fortescue was given to for
getting his umbrella, and leaving it in han
som cab or any other convenient 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 show
cry, thunderous weather, and he felt that to
visit the Botanical Gardens without an UNI
brela would be dangerous and difficult. Be-
sides, an umbrella is often admirably useful
during the progress of love affair.
He had learned by accident that the Brace
girdles were going out shopping in the morn
ing He determined therefore, to call and
ask the housemaid to give him his umbrella
This seemed exceedingly simple, but luck was
against Captain Fortescue. The maid who
admitted him on the day before had this morn
ing departed in a four wheeled cab with two
boxes on top of it, her month" being Cup"
A new maid had taken her place-one of a
less smiling disposition than the last
II 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 were 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 difficult to prove that the umbrella
in question was indeed his own.
mo, thank you," said the maid, "I've had
enough of that at the 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 Fortes-
cues face, leaving the officer astouished,
quenched and crestfallen. He went straight
way and bought new umbrella. Armed
with this, and admirably attired in other re-
spects he went to the Botanical Gardens,
where he met Miss Bracegirde, 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
Miss Bracegirdle was at home and the stern
maid eyed him for silent awful instant, his
spirits fell strangely.
"She is not" said the maid, and shut the
door with an abruptness that gave him sim
gularly disconsolate feeling.
When, about an hour later, the ladies came
III and the maid brought them tea, she said
to Miss Bracegirdle
off you please, maam, 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 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 Bracegirdle,
"never give them chance to get inside the
hall There's been too much of the stealing
of coats and umbrellas in this neighborhood ;
it never would happen with sensible house.
maid Master Harry leaves his things in the
hail. so that it would be quite easy to carry of
coat or umbrella, if you left the man there
alone for minute; the moment you see who
it is shut the door,"
The next afternoon was Mrs. Bracegirdle' s
"day at home" Captain Fortescue had not
Miss Bracegirdle to himself, not surrounded
by crowd of admirers. But as he had not
been able to see her the day before, he deter
mined to brave the crowd, and be content il
he got but one smile, all his own. And so he
presented himself once more at Mrs. Brace.
girdle's door, this time knowing her to be
| within But when it was opened and he con-
fidently framed the phrase, not as q query,
but an assertion, Mrs. Bracegirdle is at
home :" and proposed Immediately to enter,
the maid said shortly, mo, she is not" and
quickly shut the door upon him.
No words can describe his feelings. He
stared blankly at the handsome door, we'll
shut and firm, that suddenly had closed upon
him and separated him from his love. What
could this awful thing mean? Had Mrs.
Bracegirde heard something-false, of course
and said by some other base admirer of her
daughter, which had made her take this cruel
stepP 1t was impossible to guess. 1t was
| nadvisable to knock again and ask it was
| ridiculous TO stand staring at the door He
turned to descend the steps and walked down
| the street
Before he had gone half way he met a ha.
ted rival, very fine fellow, whom he had
also begun to hate in the last three or foul
days. since he had noticed that Miss Brace.
girdle sometimes gave him very charming and
encouraging glances. Captain Fortescue
walked ON slowly and listened for the conf
dent rata tat-tat of his rival He heard it
listened and looked back The door opened
and the visitor was instantly admitted.
The unhappy man who had been turned
away from that same entrance, sighed heavily
and went away down the sunny street, hang
ing his head. He told himself that it would
be only fool or a mailman who could pre-
tend to misunderstood so plain refusal al
this Perhaps it was meant kindly, hi
thought, and groaned at the thought, Miss
Bracegirdle was no coquette, and did not car,
to have men offer their love when she had nj
intention of accepting it, He was so desper
ately enamored of her that he busted himsel
in trying to see this cruel cut as kind deed
His hopes were gone; but he could not bea
so suddenly to lose his idol, He determined