The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-03-02
K
One OF Colonel Caliircr's Old Time Friend
In Storkvilic Center.

One OF Colonel Caliipcr's I'D Time Friend,
In Storkvilic Center.
After he had lost enc umbrella
in that way said Colonel Cullipcr,
"my old friend Christopher Wick
lin, who formerly resided III Stork
vile Center, VT, made up his mind
that he'd " lose anutllcr-that
is, by having it turned inside out
and he rugged up an arrangement,
to prevent it. This WAS a pretty
elaborate sort of thing in its dc.
tails, but in operation it was ex-
tremely simple.
I'm those days almost every man
III Storkvillo ~Ccnter-and for that
matter many men i'll larger places.
tOo-woreb boots. MI. Wicktin'sum.
brella was of stout cotton, will,
w~halebone ribs; that was when
w~halcbone was cheap and before
the advent of the modern umbrella
rib of channel steel. To tho tip of
every rib of his umbrella Mr.. Wick
fin attached Il ring. He wore around
his body q belt, to which were at.
tachcd as many cords as there wcru
ribs to his umbrella. At the end Of
cach cord WAS Il snap hook Which
he snapped into lis ring at the end
OF an umbrella rib. From tho hcl.
OH each Side OF the body ruri
w:tS carried down ANA run through
the boot strap on that side AMI lhrn.
brought Up and fastened 10 the iull.
NJ L little distance from the other
end, 81 as to distribute tho strain.
Thus equipped, Mr.. Wichfin wn:
prepared 10 keep his umbrella from
being blown inside out hynny storm
that might come along. The idea
that tho wind might pick him III,
and carry him and the umbrella and
everything off together oc-
Cured to him, but that was inst
what happened ON the very first day
he tried it.
1t was tremendous rainy day.
with tho wind blowing gale and
with gusts now and then that it
seemed would blow the roofs off the
houses. But that was the sort vi
day Mr.. Wicktin wanted, and he SET
out for the posto11ice with all his
rigging in place, feeling secure and
easy and proud of tho victory that
no naI gained over the clements.
AS ne walked along Main street,
carrying his umbrella with the
ropes coming down all around and
convcrging at his waist, he present
ed n queer sight, but moment later
he presented Il sight far more re
markable. A great gust that came
roaring down the street doubled un-
der Mr.. Wicktin's umbrella and lift
ed him off the earth and carried him
skyward. Storkvillo Center ut one
time and another had seen many
strange sights, but never any quite
SO strange as that.
"Mr. Wickfin let go Of his ulnbrul-
III, but the umbrella wouldn't let 20
OF him. 1t carried him up ON the
wings Of tho wind, while all Stork-
vile Center looked OH ut him sway
ing helpless; beneath ii. But the
wind was morciful to him. After
carrying him up and down and
round about for u minute or two it
dropped him through the top Of !;
greenhouse. He smashed more glass
and frame than four umbrellas
would have cost, but he escaped
without injury to himself, and fol
that ne was thankful.
"Woll. after that experience MIR.
Wickhn made up his mind that,
while the thing vas ali right il
principle, it needed some improve
ment, and he fixed an attachment
to the belt by means Of which lie
could, when he felt the wind lifting
him, cast OF all the ropes and lei
the umbrella go. Theoretically this
was all right; i'll practice, when the
test came, the tie ropes damned on
both sides before he could get them
loose, and up he went again. Then
he hit upon Il plan that would nc
doubt have worked perfectly: His
own weight var 100 pounds; he nd.
| justed I'll the ropes to Il breaking
strain Of $50, SD that under that
pressure the umbrella would free
itself from him automatically, but
he never put this plan III operation.
By the time be had worked this oui
he had discovered that there are
many things that could he done that
+ not worth the doing.'-Ncw
York Sun.