The Monitor-register., 1896-07-10
AN UMBRELLA SACRIFICE.
BY Y JOHNSON.

terminus with what seemed to him like
lightning speed, and before it was reached
ne must arrive at a momentous oonclu-
sion.
He was an object we'll worth looking
at as he sat there, despite the cloud on
his handsome face. Clad in an immasu-
late new suit of pearl grey, with a pink
oarnation in his bnttonh0le, he had been
the envy of every male friend be had met
that afternoon.
On his right in the car sat the girl he
loved, sweet Susie Colby, radiant in a
new and vastly becoming spring suit of
a color very nearly matching his own.
On her head vas a bew ildering bit Of
spring millinery, all delicate pink roses
and crisp, anttering ribbons, and he
thought he had never seen her look so
hewitohiDgly lovely Before.
On the other side of the troubled young
man sat a poorly dressed woman. holding
with tender care a sick bsby-it was SO
poor. and pinohed, and pale, and breath
ing with suoh painful gasps that to Bryan
it seemed actually dying, and his heart
aohed in sympathy with the unhappy
mother.
1t bad been such a happy day, he
Thought. They had been to a matinee,
and he was nov going home with Susie
to tea on an invitation from her mother,
who was a widow, and this her only
daughter. He had never told the girl of
his love, for he had been waiting for q
raise in salary, which would make it
prudent to marry; but he was sure she
knew of it, and hoped it WAS returned.
Any way, he thought the mother not
ayerse to his suit, and he had meant to
settle the question that evening. He
almost groaned as he looked outside, for
it was raining heavily, and his was the
only umbrella in the car.
Should he give it to his sweetheart,
who looked so dainty and weet in her
crisp, new finery, and SO win q step
further in her favor? Or should he give
1t to the poor oma beside him aud thus
save the life of the suffering babe to
whom exposure to the storm must mean
certain death? And the car slid swiftly
toward the terminus. He was even
human enough to give a thought to his
W tidy apparel, which could not be re-
placed for two months, for he was a clerk
on a moderate salary, With a dear old
mother to care for.
Susie Colby had at frat wondered why
her gay young escort had SO suddenly
become silent and distract, but being an
observant young woman she fathomed
lite cause. She saw the anxious glsnoes
he cast through the windows st the pour.
ing rain; saw his eyes turned wistfully
upon herself, and tben to the married
woman Oh the other side, while be fin
gered the umbrella irresolnteiy.
A sudden resolve game nto her heart.
She knew Bryan Ware loved her and was
only waiting for an opportunity to ask
her to be bis wife. And she-well, she
liked him, respected him, and here should
be the test-her reply should depend on
the nature of his decision. To maze 1t
as hard for him as possible she turned to
a girl friend who sat on the other side
and began chatting about their new
spring suits.
She knew Bryan could hear every word,
she meant he should; but presently he
heard her telling now recklessly she had
~sgusndered her whole quarters allow.
aDce on hers. and If anything happened
to it she should have t. go shabby until
July.
Bryan shuddered IS a sudden gust
dashed rain against the windows, for his
eyes were upon the pale little sufferer
and he knew he must come to a decision
soon.
There is not much danger of your
snit coming to grief,' be heard the girl
On the other side say. 81 wish | had q
young man with an umbrella, but / guess
I'd prefer the umbrella just now," with
a rueful glance at her own fresh skirts
and another at the pouring rain.
Susie stole a glance at her escort, but
he was looking gloomily down at the
hoor and punching away savagely with
bis umbrella at a nickel which some one
had dropped and which was fast in a
crack OF the floor. just then the termi-
nus was reached, and, amid EXPLANATIONS
of dismay and disgust, the crowd rose to
leave the car.
A look of noble resolve came into
Brysn's face. Susie was Watching, and,
when she saw it, she smiled in q satisfied
way. 1t was still raining heavily. The
woman and babe passed out first, Bryan
closely following. AS she stepped from
the car he spread the umbrella over her
head and put the handle into her hand.
Take it. and save your baby" he
whispered, and, smiling into her aston
ished face, he turned to assist Susie and
her friend, the latter of whom was star.
ing in undisguised disgust at his action.
"We must just run for it, dear" he
said to the girl he loved, but whom he
now feared he had lost forever. He could
tell little from her face for it was cold
ana Impressionless, and she kept her eyes
sverted.
Il can't blame her for being alpry,"
he thought, "for she could not see the
wee babe WIS sick. Anyway, I did
right-mother will say so-and if | had
done otherw Use l should have felt like a
murderer all my life"
They had only . block to go down a
side street, and she let him keen her
hand while they made rather an undippi.
fed race of it. yet both were soaked and
breathiess as they ran up the steps of her
home. Her mother had seen them coming
and quickly opened the door.
"Oh. Susie!" she cried, as with unified
hands she surveyed the dripping, bedrap-
gled girl. "Your lovely new suit is
ruinedl l thought Mr.. Ware had an
umbrella"
Byran felt more and more like q Grim.
inai, snd looked so forlorn that Mrs.
Colby could not help smiling.
"Hun up to jacks room and rummage
out something dry" abe said kindly.
He left all his old clothes there"
Jack was her son who was away on
business, and be and Bryan had been
close friends for years. Glad to get away
from her sight the unhappy young man