The Bossier banner., 1894-01-18

talk about me, and I saw her at the
time look queerly at her father. When
the student was going she came to the |
door with him, and l heard them say |
something about "the usual place at |
five o'clock" Then she called him
back, and running to the clock felt for
me with her hand, just as if she knew
that her father often put umbrellas
there. She thrust me into the students
hand, muttering something about pa
pas being very absent-minded. Thus
was restored to the student, but only
for brief space.
On the following Friday afternoon he
took me to the class again, and once
more the professor was first to leave.
His eyes lighted up when he saw me,
and he half drew me from the rack
Then he caught sight of another UNI
brella with an ebony handle, the owner
of which was also student He COM
pared us for moment, felt the ma
terials and finally went off with the
other one. When its owner could not
find it he said that l was the next best,
and half an hour afterwards l was
standing in corner of his room.
Hardly can this gentleman be included
among the men l have known, for he
vanished from my sight, or l vanished
from his, on the following evening. On
that evening friend called on him, a
gentleman in a light suit and white
hat, with a mean mustache and fool
lish expression of countenance-a
mo oiyoy. Nf rNIYO 7
conversation. 1t was a 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"
Il 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
SnllllnPS IOr 1t laSI week.
st will do very WE'LL" said the gen
tleman, seizing hold of me. He prom
ised to bring or send me back next day.
but week passed, and every evening
found him strutting along the pier
with me in his right hand. Late one
afternoon, however, when he was in
his workshop making another pipe, the
ct 70 hn nd
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 he insist on this that
the other knew not what to say and
went off in daze.
The next man I knew was introduced
to me, So to speak, by his wife. My
owner had taken me to dinner party,
and l was in the umbrella stand when
two of the company left They were
the first to go. and ] saw at once that
they We're husband and wife. The
gentleman was taking his own UNI
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
ne 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 times)
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, think, than
if they had promised to marry him.
He left me at the outside of his door
one day because 1 was very wet, and
there was found by policeman, who
| took me in charge end ran me into the
police station. The magistrate picked
me out as the best of six and took me
home, where | lay for a week, when l
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
! were 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. A councillor took
me away from the council chamber,
and had a rim of silver put around me
with his name and address on it, for"
he said, eff you do not take some pre-
caution you are sure to lose your UNI
brella, the public are SO careless or dis
honest" In his possession l remained
for nearly month, but one day he
took me to a club, and l 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 his
pocketknife, and then carried me off
to shop, where he instructed the shop
man to put band around me saying
that l was presented to John Smith,
| Tee h-, 1