The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-01-06
MR.. BIRDS UMBRELLA.
By =. ". AoBINsoN.

uheu anu MS company objected to. We
passed each other twice or thrice day after
that, but he never vcntured to speak TO me
again He bowed with great gravity and
exhibited extraordinary formality In taking
Oft his hat, seizing 1t in the middle of the
crown and raising it like the lid Off a sauce
pan, and there was no further occasion to
object to his expansive smile. He was
stolid, even a woebegene young man, with
something on his mind. Had Il not been for
that everlasting telescope under his arm ons
could have imagined him prey % tho deep
est rooted sorrow.
think he was the most sad when passed
him in company with the captain who some
times condescended to promenade with me,
and the most angry when was out with Mr..
Goode, to whom was relief from the wear
and tear Of two boys wonderfully full of ami
nal spirits on unreasonable occasions When
was with Lily Brian, he seemed to brighten
up a little, and Lily was curious concerning
him. and asked me many questions.
who is that good looking young man,
Jane, who is always taking his hat OFF, she
asked one morning.
He is a carver and glider; don't know
hin-that is, / hardly know him." said
he called once about something he had
dropped down our area, aud he has claimed
an acquaintance ever since"
"Then why doesn't he speakfn asked the
practical Lily.
He's much too quick with his speech; and
It's a very good thing he's trife quieter
just now, said, sharply, and Lily looked at
Inc and said, eagerly,
"Tell mo all about i'll Is hen-
"No, he is not.n
t(lh I hoo
hewas"
An enigmatic dialogue but we perfectly
understood each other. And hoped that 1
had made Lily understand had no interest
In Mr.. Bird, for young girls jump so rapidly
at conclusions where young men are con-
cerned. Not that Lily was in the habit of
jumping after young men in any way-I do
not mean to convey that impression. Lily
was full of spirits, but good girl in every
respect, with not an atoms worth of the
ordinary Margate jetty girl in her constitu-
tom not she. Still, curiously enough, was
deceived in and by Lily Brian. / had no idea
she could have been so cunning or SO easily
deceived. One morning when I walked
down the jetty l found to my intense aston
ishment Mr.. and Mrs. Brian, Lily, George, the
eldest Master Brian and Mr.. Goode, all talk
ing and laughing with Mr.. Bird, and taking
it in turns to peer through his telescope at
some object on the far horizon. 1 walked up
slowly, and with blushes on my checks, am
sure, in my surprise.
Jane, my dear, here's gunboat," said
Mr.. Brian, as approached; "this gentleman
has been kind enough to allow us to inspect
1t through his very powerful telescope. Look
here, child"
Mr.. Bird did smile little, in sheep faced
and embarrassed kind of manner, as he
glanced toward me, but he did not say
word when Mr. Brian handed me the instru-
ment. He even let Mr.. Goode focus the in
strument for me without interfering in any
way, although fancied heard him grind
ing his teeth.
"It's q capital glass, SIR" said Mr.. Brian to
him. Mr. Brian, being Of a genial turn, was
always disposed to be friendly with the first
stranger whom he encountered out Of town.
eyes, it's good glass"
"Had it long, sirl Would you like to dts
pose OF it nowr was the i1lsinuating inquiry.
at belonged to my father" was the reply,
therefore 1t has not money value to me-
1t was his present when l was one-and-
twenty, and shouldn't like to part with it."
Another birthday present, l thought
Heavens, If he were to lose this tool
Certainly not, certainly not" said Mr..
Brian, II admire your good feeling, sir.
George, you hear that" he said to his son,
who was lacking in flal sentiment, and was
at that identical moment sucking the bare
knob of his stick as If it were an egg. y,
George nodded and then winked at me. A
most Objectionable lout was George, and Mr..
Bird scowled ferociously at him, and from
him to me.
inspected the gunboat, or tried to inspect
it, for the object glass was very misty with
little transparent worms that seemed to be
wriggling and dancing all over it: returned
the telescope to its owner, who said: "Thank
you, ma'am," very quietly, and with his look
of sadness highly developed again.
Still he remained remarkably non-obtru-
sive: he did not attempt to force his conver-
sation upon me in any way, and presently he
was walking down the jetty with Mr.. Brian,
and talking and laughing as if he ha2 known
him all his life.
thought all this was new and deep laid
scheme Of his, but it was really Lily Brian
who was at the bottom of it all, or who at
least induced her parents and brother to say
from that day "Good morning" to Mr.. Bird,
and even to shake hands with him. Hence I
was obliged to say Good morning" also
when he directly addressed me, and to be-
come by degrees on speaking terms with him
again, and almost to forget that umbrella
question which had been bone of conten.
tion-a whalebone of contention-between
us. Not that the umbrella was Off his mind
In any way, for he had been introduced to
Capt. Choppers on one occasionally Capt
Choppers express request, as that gentleman
wanted to borrow his telescope-and to my
astonishment / heard Mr.. Bird say, five
minutes after the introduction,
'You see, it was not for the value of the
umbrella, but because of the associations con-
neeted with it, I hope you understand, cap
tain.n
II understand perfectly" was the reply;
"but that was no reason why you should
have kicked up such an abominable uproar,
SIR
Capt Choppers had borrowed the telescope,
and was now dominant and rude.
The time was drawing toward the end of
the holiday when Mr.. Bird and were friends.
may remark, actually friends, although I
win say very firmly, and despite Lily Brian's
opinion, nothing more than friends. Mr..
Birds holiday would expire a few days before
our own, learned, and, though would not
have owned it for untold wealth, was sorry
he was going back to London. He had in-
formed me of disposition by that time, and
Of his prospects for the future, or of some Of
them. He had given up the business, and his
fathers business before him, of carver and
glider in the Goswell road; he was very clever
at his trade, felt sure, for he had been Of
fered the post of superintendent Of work by
an eminent firm in Oxford street, with whom
he had done business for years, and at very
respectable salary indeed.
He was exceedingly communicative the
last day OF his stay in Margate; we were sit
ting together under the shelter of the veranda
of the refreshment room, with the band play
ing out In the rain. We were alone for q
woRder; the Brians were on the rocks In
search OF anemones, with the exception of
Lily, who had left me half an hour ago, with
an injunction to come home If 1t poured y
and with an umbrella to shelter me, as had
ventured out without my own She had seen
having very sharp eyes of her own--Mr.
Geoffry Bird advancing down the jetty, and
had made some trivial little excuse to leave
me ''to give the poor fellow chance" as she
told me afterwards, And there he was sitting
by my side, cool and comfortable, and with
the rain coming down in big drops and start
ling and confounding the pleasure seekers.
~ shall be quite the gentleman soon, Miss
Neild," he said, with a laugh, land with q
soul above shop keeping, l only want few
friends about me to mako life worth living,
but have mover had any friends. Never
had the time, or never saw anybody who was
worth taking any trouble about, until-until
lately.n
could not reply TO this. l did not know
what he meant by lately"