The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-05-27
AN UMBRELLA EPISODE.
pY JUNIOR.

pair OF DlaCk eyes anu a pair OF Dlu0
eyes met defantly. while q small white
hand and large white hand each graspsd
the handle Of an umbrella.
"This umbrella is mine, I think; did
you wish to use it?" murmured black
eyes with polite fierceness.
II am sure it is mine. I bought IL
last year, and have never seen another
like it., answered blue eyes, with firm,
hand on the article in question.
Vexation and polite unbelief were ex.
pressed on each face. Then the gentle.
man, with an indulgent, provoking Lit.
tie smile said:
"1f it is mine, l can show you my
name on the inside, il you will allow
me TO open it "
"Very well, pray do So" said she, step
ping back.
He opened it, and behold! inside was
small tag with Richard Ransome" in.
scrbed thereon. She fell back in con.
fusion, rosy red and humiliated.
Il am very sorry! / beg your pardon!
Where can mine be? am sure left it
here!" she exclaimed in distress, glanc.
ing at the falling rain without.
He magnanimously Joined in tho
search, but no duplicate umbrella could
be found. He was as lamed of his ILL
temper, and also made the discovery
that she was lovely girl; so, much to
Lucy Deane's dismsy, he insisted upon
escorting her home.
She felt very much like a convicted
thief, and wondered il he believed that
she had ever really had an umbrella like
his.
Il am afraid our evening has not been
as successful as we hoped, " he remarked
hesitatingly ly, touching upon topic about
which both were sensitive.
-Oh, no! am so disappointed! 1t
didn't seem to take well-that is, they
did not appreciate it as we thought they
would-as they ought to have done, l
mean"
Lucy paused. conscious that she was
making bad much worse They had now
reached cross street which led to her
home. Here she paused, and, acting on
an impulse born OF a desire to fy from
what she felt must be his reproachful
and indignant glances, she said:
Il see an old friend who is going past
our door. and will not trouble you far.
ther. am much obliged for your kind.
ness. Good night" And then she has
tily left him.
He stared after her, and saw her ioin
q gentleman whose face, as seen in tho
struggling gaslight, showed both sur.
prise and delight at being so honored.
Richard Ransome, on discovering that
his umbrella rested on his shoulder and
that the rain was beating on his shiny
tile, pulled himself together and went on
his way, soliloquizing as follows:
well, this is queer place! Odd
folks, especially the girls. Seemed in q
great hurry to get rid OF me. Didn't
seem to take-evidently blames me, too.
However, don't usually talk to empty
seats. y Then he laughed. Fancy me
getting cross and rowing with that poor
little girl about the umbrella! But she
was game, and had to prove my claim.
She evidently thought was determined
to make sure Of some! remuneration for
my services Hope shall see ! or again.
This hope was destined to be speedily
realized. The next day when Mr.. Ran.
some went to the society rooms to meet
the committee for whom he had lectured
Lucy Dean was there, and shyly apollo.
gized to him, for her blunder of the even.
ing before. She explained that her
mother had borrowed her umbrella with.
out her knowledge. He found her pretty
embarrassment very attractive, and asked
for permission to call at her home; this
was given him, and he soon availed him.
self OF it She was o merry, intelligent
little thing, and her fits Of shyness, when
a sense OF his awfulness as dominic
came over her, added a touch OF nj.
quancy which fascinated him.
He found Mrs. Dean, who was only a
plumper and maturer Lucy, a pleasant
companion when her daughters conver-
sation resolved itself into prim monosyl.
lables, and he paid the elder lady so
many fattering attentions that she
was half inclined to believe Lucy's ad-
mirer her own. Indeed, Lucy might
have been Of that opinion too if it had
not been for an occasional expression in
his eyes, when they rested on her, which
always brought the blood to cheek and
brow.
As the days passed on, Mr. Ransome
discovered that Lucy exactly realized his
ideal of womanhood. The idea Of final
separation from her was intolerable.
When the time for him to resume his
city duties drew near, he knew that he
wanted to take her with him, that he de-
sired her for his wife. But, puzzled BY
her shyness, he was not able to discover
how she regarded him.
They were walking together one even.
ing, when he suddenly resolved to end
his suspense and ask her to become his
wife. Lucy listened. dazed. She could
not realize that her secret dreams had
become SsA. The trswsudous faet tbst