The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-03-02
CHRISTOPHER WlCkFlN.
One OF Colonel calli;c-'s o.s Tine Friend.
IN Storiiv:llc Ceil1cr.


One OF Colonel caliis:c-'s o!d Tine friends
IN storisv:llc Center.
':After he had lost one umbrella
in that way, said Colonel Calliper,
"my old friend Christopher Wick
fin, who formerly resided IN storll
vile Center, Vt, made up his mind
that he'd never lose another-that
is, by having it turned inside out
and he rugged ap an arrangement
to prevent it. This was a pretty
elaborate sort of thing in its de-
tails, but in operation it was ex-
tremely simple.
"In those days almost every man
in Storkville Center-and for that
matter many men in larger places,
too-wore boots. Mr.. Wickfin s UNI
brella was of stout cotton, with
whalebone ribs; that was when
whalebone was cheap and before
the advent of the modern umbrella
u rib of channel steel. To the tip of
every rib of his umbrella Mr.. Wick
fin attached a ring. lie wore around
his body belt, to which were at
tached as many cords as there were
ribs to his umbrella. AT the end Of
each cord was a snap hook which
he snapped into its ring at the end
Of an umbrella rib. From the belt
on each side Of the body a scout cord
was carried down and run through
the boot strap on that side and then
brought up and fastened to the belt,
at little distance from the other
end, so as to distribute tie strain.
Thus equipped, MI. Wiclifin was
prepared to keep his umbrella from
being blown inside out by any storm
that might come along. The idea
that the wind might pick him up
and carry bin and the umbrella and
everything off together never oc-
Cured to him, but that vas just
what happened on the very first day
he tried ii.
sit was tremendous rainy day,
with the wind blowing q gale and
with gusts now and then that it
seemed would blow the roofs off the
houses. But that was the sort OF
day MI. Wickfn wanted, and he set
out for the postoifice with all his
rigging in place, feeling secure and
easy and proud Of the victory that
he had gained over the clements.
AS he walked along Main street,
carrying his umbrella with the
ropes coming down all around and
converging at his waist, be present
ed queer sight, but a moment later
he presented sight far more re-
markable. A great gust that came
roaring down the street doubled un-
der MIR. Wickfin's umbrella and lift
ed him off the earth and carried him
skyward. Storkville Center at one
time and another had seen many
strange sights, but never any quite
so strange as that.
Mr.. Nickfn let go of his umbrcl-
la. but the umbrella wouldn't lei go
of him. 1t carried him up on the
wings of the wind, while all Stork-
vile Center looked on at him sway
ing helpless beneath it. But the
wind was merciful to him. After
carrying him up and down and
round about for /; minute or two 1t
dropped him through the top OF a
greenhouse. Hesmashed more glass
and frame than four umbrellas
would have cost, but he escaped
without injury to himself, and for
that he was thankful.
"Well, after that experience Mr.
Wick6n made up his mind that,
while the thing was all right in
principle, it needed some improve
ment, and he fixed an attachment
to the belt by means of which he
could, when he felt the wind lifting
him, cast off all the ropes and let
the umbrella go. Theoretically this
was all right; i'll practice, when the
test came, the tie ropes jammed on
both sides before he could get them
loose, and up he went again. Then
he hit upon plan that would no
doubt have worked perfectly: His
own weight was 100 pounds; he ad-
justed all the ropes to a breaking
strain Of $50, SD that under that
pressure the umbrella would free
itself from him automatically, but
he never put this plan in operation.
By the timo he had worked this out
he had discovered that there are
many things that could be done that
are not worth the doing. New
York Sun.