The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-04-21
CHRISTOPHER wIcKFIN.
One OF Caliipsr'sl Old Time Friends
In Storkvills Centre.

One OF Caliiper'sI Old Time Briends
In Storkvills Centre.
AFTER he had lost one umbrella In that
way said Col Callipsr, my old friend
Christopher wickfln, who formerly re-
sided in storkviIle Centre, VT, made up
his mind that he'd mover lose another
that Is, ny having 1t turned inside out
and he rigged up an arrangement to pre-
vent 10. This. was pretty elaborate
sort Of thing In lts details. but In oper-
alton 1t was extremely simple.
"In those days almost every nan In
storKville Center. and, for that matter
many men In larger places too, wore
boots. Mr. wickfn's um brella vas OF
stout cotton, with whaiebone RIBS that
was when whalebone was cheap, and
before the advent o1 the modern umbrella
rib OF channel steei. 10 tire tip OF every
rib OF his umbrelia Mr.. Wickfln attached
a ring. Ee wore around his body belt,
to which were attached as many cords as
there were ribs to his umbrella. At the
end OF each cord was snap hook which
he snapped into Its ring st the end OF an
umbrella rib. From tho belt OH each side
Of the body q stout cord was carried
down and run through the bootstrap or
that side and then brought up and fas-
tened to the belt, at a little distance
from the other end, 50 as to distribute
the strain. Thus equipped, Mr.. Wickfln
was prepared to keep his umbrella from
being blown inside cut fy any storm
that might como along; the idea tnat the
wind might pick MIN up and carry him
and tine umbrella and everything OF to-
gether never occurred to him, but that
was just what happened on the very day
he tried IL.
1t was tremendous rainy day, with
the wind blowing gale, and with gusts
now and then that il seemed would blow
the roofs of the houses But that was
the sort of day Mr.. WickHn wanted, and
he set out for the posto;iics with all his
rigging in place. feeling secure and easy,
and proud Of the victory that he had
gained over the elements AS he walked
along Main street, carrying his umbrella
with the ropes coming down all around
and convsrging at his waist, he presented
. queer signt, but a noment later he pre-
sented a sight far more remarkable. A
great gust that came roaring down the
street doubled under Mr.. Wiokhn's um-
brella and lifted him off tho earth, and
carried him skyward. Storkville Centre
at one time and another had seen many
strange sights, but never any quite so
strange as that.
'Mr. Wick1n let 20 Of his umbralla
but the um brella wouldn't let go Of him.
1t carried him up on ths wings OF the
wind, while all Storkville Centre looked
On at him swaying helpless beneath IL.
But the wind was msrciful to him. After
carryi ing him up and down and round
about for minute ar two 1t dropped
him through the top OF green house; hs
smashed inors glass and sane than four
nm brellas would have cost, but he escaped
without injury TO himself, and for that
he was very thankful
"WelI, after that experience AIR. wickhn
made up his mind that willis thu thing
was all right In principle. IL ne ded some
improvement, and he fixed an attach
ment to the belt by means OF which he
could, when he felt the wind lifting him.
cast OF the rores and let the mbrella 60.
THEORETICALLY this was all rixht; In .prac-
tice, when the test cane, the tie ropes
jammed ON both sides before he could
get them loose, and mp he went again.
Then he hit upon plan that would no
doubt have worked perfectly. His own
weight was 100 pounds; he adjusted all
the ropes to breaking strain OF 15o. so
that under that pressure the umbrella
world fres itself from him automatically;
hut he never put his plan In operation.
BY the time he had worked this out he
had discovered that there are many
things that oould be done that are not
worth the coing. Tho, Sun.