The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-10-15
A

A FATAL UMBRELLA.
"Tlla.5s old Alb. Morris. Looks misera-
bic, you say? Well, I don't suppose there
is a more wretched man in the world"
The speaker, a w~ell-known citizen, had.
in answer to an inquiry, spoken of a white,
haired man, who, apparently under a heavy
load of bitter recollection, toitered along
the street.
'He's not as old as he looks. the we'll
known citizen continued. Il can remem-
Der when he was the finest-looking and
most promising man in town. Whiskey ?
Well, yes, but it is not the same old story.
As | said, he was the most promising man
in town. He had an excellent business, a
wholesale hardware store. No one had gen
tier manners, no one was more aceommoda-
ting; that is, when he was sober. He did
not drink often, got drunk probably about
once a year, but no 9ne thought the less OF
him, for III this country, especially at that
time, an occasional spree was not looked
upon with disravor. While drinking,
Morris was another man. lie was rude,
and was sometimes actually violent. lie
didn't seem to care what he did. / once
saw him while drunk snatch a piece of
bread from a hungry mans hand, throw it
away, and then, after getting sober, look
for him and not only abjectly apologize
bnt insist upon his accepting money.
"One dark, rainy night, while drunk,
Alb met a woman on the street. She car
ried an umbrella, and he, without speak
ing, snatched it away from her. Without
u~ttering n word the woman hurried on.
The next morning, after spending the night
in the streets, Alb came to me and said:
John, | wish that somebody would
kill me. When | think OF how | treated
that woman | am tempted to shoot myself.
If ! knew who she is | would 60 to her,
get down Oh my knees and pray for her
forgiveness. / have taken my last drink
and | am going home, put my hands on the
Bible, and in the presence OF my wife, take
an oath to that effect
when he reached home he found his
wife seriously i'll. lie took the oath and
she put her arms about his neck and wept
like "a child.
'She continued to grow worse. A ply
stefan no Was summoned said she had
pneumonia. Alb did not leave her bed
side. | was present when she died. Alb
and | stood by her bedside. Abs baby. a
Growing little fellow, lay on the bed catch
ing at the sunbeams that came through
the window.
"'Abner,' she said.
Yes, precious.
lyon will never break your promise
mo, angel Then Alb, whispering 10
me, said: Shall | tell her about that UNI
brellaa.'
NO l replied, it would only distress
her.
'Abner,' she said, 1 want to tell you
something-tell you why l am sick. You
won't scold me, will your
"sNo, darling he replied.
'She was going fast and it was some
time before she could speak again. Sew
Ciai HiShtS ost, eiC Sd4u. TUG Ddby WAS
sick and I went down tow 10 get some
medicine for him. 1t was raining, but l
had to go. just as l was turning the
corne of a street somebody snatehed my
umbrella and | hai-liad-
SAB fell heavily to the floor. ! sprang
to him and attempted to raise him. A
gargling sound came from the bed. l
cascd Alb down. The woman was dead.
The wife was buried before the wretch
ed husband regaincd consciousness. The
little child soon followed its mother. Alb
has never been drunk since, but there is
no drunkard in the world SO miserable as
he. | was in his room the other night
when the clock struck. He looked up and
said: Another honr has gone. thank
God. a gust Of wind blew down an am
brella that | had brought with me. He
covered his face with his hands and shud-
dered. "-0pie p Read.