The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-12-30


maker of pipes, rs gathered from the
conversation. 1t was fine evening
when he called, but not when he got
up to go; and not having an umbrella
he was distressed lest his hat should
suffer.
"Can you not lend me an umbrella?"
| he asked; but my new owner shook his
head
"You never brought back the last
one" he replied.
Never mind" said the visitor; give
me one and I'll bring them both back
together"
II don't have one," said my owner.
"Why, what is that in the corner?"
"Oh, had forgotten; but that is a
very valuable one. l paid twenty-five
shillings for it last week."
ut will do very WE'LL" said the gen.
tleman, seizing hold of me- He prom
ised to bring or send me back next day,
found him strutting along the pier
with me in his right hand. Late ono
afternoon, however, when he was in
his workshop making another pipe, the
student came to the door and said
that he wanted his umbrellas. Then
the gentleman received him hospita-
bly,, but declared that he had taken
back both umbrellas three days before.
So solemnly did lie insist on this that
the other knew not what to say and
went off in daze.
The next man knew was introduced
to me- So to speak, by his wife. My
owner had taken me to a dinner party,
and / was in the umbrella stand when
two of the company left They were
the first to go. and saw at once that
they were husband and wife, The
gentleman was taking his own um-
brella from the stand (for he was weak
minded) when the lady handed me to
him saying: 'This is a much better
one" Thus it was that again changed
owners. From this house / was taken
by the first gentleman that called, but
he lost me on the way He went by
rail, and another gentleman in the car
riage left, taking me with him. He
was the gentleman who had me in his
hand when we walked home from
soiree with young ladies. Three of
them he told (but at different tin1es)
that he loved them passionately, but
could not afford to marry; and they all
promised to be sisters to him, which
pleased him vastly more, l think, than
if they had promised to marry him.
He left me at the outside of his door
one day because was very wet, and
there was found by policeman, who
police station. The magistrate picked
me out as the best of six and took me
home, where lay for week, when
was distracted from the stand by a
town councillor.
He took me, the next day, to a meet.
ing of his friends, when there was talk
of presenting something to an Irish
statesman, and at first thought they
We're to present me to him. but it turned
out to be something else. This town
councillor ] heard boasting that he
never carried any but the best UNI
brellas, and he also boasted that he had
not bought an umbrella since he was
sixteen years of age. councillor took
me away from the council chamber
and had rim of silver put around me
with his name and address on it, "for, >
he said, "if you do not take some pre-.
!
brella, the public are SO careless or dis.
honest" In his possession remained
for nearly month, but one day he
took me to club, and had not been
in the stand for more than five minutes
when a lawyer came out, and selecting
me with care walked away with me
He took the silver rim off with hi.
poclletknife, and then carried me of
to a shop, where he instructed the shop
man to put a band around me saying
that l was presented to John Smith
Esq, by his affectionate son-in-law,
June "a, 1889. My new owner was tn,
man who abused me because once was
open was reluctant TO shut, for nov
l had become somewhat stiff. One
he was in such rage at me tina
he hit me savagely against the ha
stand, and that was how my first ri
was broken SO badly.
l was saved from this man by al
elderly lady. who took me away he
meath her waterproof, thinking should
do for an Office umbrella for her son
When they discovered, however, tina
the rib was in two and that was spot
ted with holes, they ragged together q
the old gentleman for owning such al
umbrella. was kept at the Office un
, til one of the clerks fell over me an,
broke two more ribs. My owner nov
declared that had been an admirabl
new umbrella when he bought me tn
week before. and the unhappy youn
, man had to give him another, where
upon he got me as gift. was sorr
for him, for he told his master that th
, new umbrella had cost him fifteen shil
lings, but soon l discovered that he ha
picked 1T out of the stand at doctor
house. He tried to mend me with
boot lace, but my appearance was no,
| hopelessly plebeian, and heard hir
, tell his sister, who lived with him, tina
he was really ashamed to be seen o
the street with me.
, One day our door stood wide open
and SO did the door that was only ser
) arated from ours by an iron railing; s
she took me into the next house an
left me in the umbrella stand there
taking away new umbrella in e1
change. 1t is in this house am lyin
, now. They offered Inc to the mill1ma
3 and the postman, but neither woul
. have me; SO was carried conteInptl
. ously into the closet, where l now Ii,
a j, NJ. Barrie. in Two of Them.