The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1898-04-22

Wnen the morse came along dI JOB
trot. A wicked gust of wind bore the
umbrella from Dicks grasp and whip
ped 1t into the "maddened animals"
face. Dick was knocked down by the
grocer's boy, who came painting after
his charger, and then received the in
juries which caused him to limp. Yet he
always got credit for stopping the run
away, and used to tell the story with
great gusto on every available occa-
sion. He did not repeat it the last time
we met; so l fear something else has
occurred.
From the time of that occurrence the
Family Umbrella was kept in kind OF
sanctuary; but the most curious part
of it's history lies in its bequeathal to
the family.
1t was given to us by a DR.. Rose,
who had lodged so long in our hall
room that he was become quite
member of the family. He was lit
tie, trim old gentleman, with long
white hair and fine, firm countenance.
Years before he came to live with us
he had discontinued practice; for a
Ndy GultIGu Ills lll6 WhOh dliblbAOA
shriveled up and hope died. He was
wont to sit with Dick, Will and my
self in the rear room to wear away the
evenings, relating to us the queer
things that had happened during his
medical experience. Once when he was
more communicative than usual, he
asked me to fetch his umbrella from
hn hol ch tfD,o aftar the
runaway had been stopped by Dick
or the umbrella, as you please. Disk
shivered and looked askance at 1t as
/ returned and gave it to the doctor.
Holding ii tenderly as If it were anil
mate, he said with suppressed emo
ton, but quite Unexpectedly, his eyes
blinking unsteadily at the fire: 1.-THE
wretch robbed her from me, young
gentlemen, and killed her; yea, killed
her with a living death. And when
met him smashed this rod across his
head. Then the coward ran away
think of tran away from a decrepit
like me-" His fingers beat nervously on
the knob and his lips mumbed vio-
lently. We sat there gaping almost
afraid to breathe.
II patched the rod together" he
began again, trying the brass brace,
land stuffed the knob With lead. If
we ever meet again, I'll burst his
Skull" He had grasped the umbrella
firmly by the middle and was glaring
fielcely into the fire. Suddenly it
dropped to the floor, the hard look van
ished from his eyes and tears succeed
ed. IF she would only come back to
me-" he murmured between sobs, only
come back" and covering his face with
his hands, he wept aloud.
We stole away noiselessly and gave
the rest of the folks an inkling of what
had occurred, so that he should not be
disturbed. At six the next morning
when mother went into the room to
raise the shades, he was still seated
where we had left him. The fire was
dead and all the oil had burned out
of the lamp, leaving the wick smoula.
ering. He arose, his face dry and
thoughtful, wished her good morning
in his usual calm tone, and took the
umbrella out to its place in the hall
Nor did he ever make any mention Of
that night, though now we knew what
made him always sad
He never met his enemy nor his
daughter more; and when he died he
was buried as one of us. The Family
Umbrella was left in the dingy nook
where he last laid it and where it has
since emained.-Amsley's Magazine.