Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-11-10
THREE UMBRELLAS.
The Part They Played in a Pretty
 Romance.


 to gain some benefit from your umbrel- i la," he remarked, as he chanced to meet her on the church steps after service, "I would ask to walk home with you. didn't expect rain when I left homo, so l am unprepared."
 "lowevcr." came her clear reply, just arch enough to be fascinating and just tender enough to be frank, eff you'll carry my umbrella and let me turn my energies to keeping my dress caught up out of the mud I'll be very thankful to you"
 They had walked. strangely enough, half way home in almost complete silence, when d man and a woman passed them, like them under ono um brella, but unlike them the woman was held snugly close to the mans ' side as she clung to his arm It was a pretty picture of that open freedom which so undeniably marks 0 congenial man and wife, whose companionship has ripened into frank trust As they passed, Robert Courtright said, half thoughtfully, perhaps:
 "Thoy are sensible If two are trying to use one umbrella they arc surely to be commended if they strive to take up as little room as possible. Even if it be noon, won't you take my arm3''
 But they are plainly not such-such strangers as wc," she returned, con sciouS that both were treading on dan ! gcrous ground
 Are we strnngers?" he asked quick l ly, turning his eyes searchingly to her.
 The pretty face grew trifle pale | against its light brown hair. A lump seemed to climb to her throat, but she returned, bravely: ''Yes-that is, we'll always be strangers compared with l them"
 He stopped for an instant and gazed l hXedly at her till a hot flush flew up from out her fur collar and swept under the velvet strings of her dainty brown l bonnet
 | "Always?" he asked, simply.
 ''Yes. Why, can't you see that they | are married?"
 She tried to laugh it away, but it would have been difficult to tell which i pair of lips quivered tho moro or which pair of eyes swan in the deepest mist as the two started on, both silent, both sad both realizing that little tragedy had occurred in that brief instant un- ter that dripping umbrella on the noon l boulevard
 l l Gabriel Vaughne alone in the world, with necessity for keeping up a life in ! which all interest and all energy were dead. She had at last arisen from a tedious illness, and the nurse herself scarcely recognized the tall, pale, sad l faced woman, with the short, dark curls, as the bright-eyed, light-haired l girl of six months before. Gabriel had | fn and that was a memory. And some of our dearest memories are the cruelest parts of our lives When finally she stood before a mirror and realized that that changed creature was herself a mighty resolve filled her-she would go to the source of that memory.
 She knew where he was; she lzpew that hc had married three years after that bitter morning in the rain, and had married wealthy wife. That was the reason that she had thrust him back from her long ago, just because of his poverty. Not that it would pain her, thousand times mol Hadn't she cried out, night after night since, that starvation with him would be only bliss2 But she had known his am Oitions and his capabilities; knew his dreams of success, and she realized his ability to turn the dreams to realities. She was poor. Would she permit her self to hang millstone about his neck? 1 Would she hold him always in the depths of poverty by being his wife and the mother of his needy children? No, she would hurt his heart before she would ruin his life.
 Time had proved that she had been right His wife was beautiful woman: and her wealth had opened boundless | opportunities to him. He had risen she had known that he would But, now that she scarcely was able to know herself she would venture into his world and sec for herself how hap | py and proud and prosperous he was
 So, having spent all but her last bill for her ticket she stepped into Philadelphia one spring evening, steel ing her heart to what might follow. . The next evening she had walked past his great, rich house and was starting back when a sudden shower burst un eXpectedly upon her. She gathered uI her skirts in that particulI way SC characteristic of a dainty we an anc was hurrying along when all VI once e she was conscious of sharp childish cry at her side. Turning, she beheld { . tall, sad-faced man trying to quiet { frctful baby of about two years which held out it's dimpled hands to her anc cried:
 Mammal Mammal"
 The gentleman strove to stop it anc Gabriel started on. But sharp anC
 pcrcing came the Mammal" and he1
 heart bade her finger
 For the first time the man spoke t | .Cr
 II must beg your pardon, madam , Is mother has just died and something
 bout you seems to have recalled he
 e hlm."
 :. Gabriers heart softened at once Go
 nH straight up she took the tiny, out
 etched hands in her own and mur u.red Poor. motherless little ore The father held out his umbrella ovc |, and for the first time she looked a l. m--the face was RObert'sl She wa