The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1900-04-21

So we went on towards Sixth avenue
and then turned uptown. In less time
than can write ii. and by what magic
hardly know, had wholly forgotten
that Miss Robertson was probably q
criminal Of mild type and the
sleuth-hound on her track, the avenger.
She had very pretty ways--for a Grim
inal. And she talked more to my ll-
ing than any other girl had met in
years, or before that
"There's the sort of rain costume you
ought to have" / said, pointing 70 q
draped wax figure in the brilliantly
lighted show-window of great shop
q woman in long macintosh, holding
anopen umbrella in the face Of kuppos-
ititious rainstorm. IL was the regular
rainy-day exhibition of that particular
shop.
Miss Robertson paused and looked at
the display with interest. There were
also costly gowns and fine furs in the
same window showcase, which was az
big as some drawing-rooms.
''Ycs, that is very NICE" she said,
with something of a sigh. Evidently
the sight of SO much silk and satin
made her cnyious.
Why" asked, docs every woman
sigh deeply as she turns away from such
display or from jewelers. window?
Five women turned away from that
window In the last three minutes, and
every one of them gave a. deep sigh as
she did So"
did sigh too?"
"You were the fifth"
ut was not covetousness that made
me SIGH" she said. 1T was the sight OF
that umbrella held against what was
supposed to be driving storm. Have
you ever noticed how easy it is to run
into lamppoet or into another person
when you carry an umbrella in that
way? OF course you have. My poor
father made that observation several
years ago, and was unfortunate enough
TO devise a remedy"
unfortunate?
"Yes. Do you remember my men,
tioning, the day we first met, That my
fathers eyesight had been almost de.
stroyed by an accident? One night
during a storm, when people staggered
blindly along, their umbrellas held
straight in front of them, a woman put
the point of her umbrella into my IA
TIERS eye. At the time he thought but
little of the matter, but some nerve
was injured, and he has been almost
blind ever since. That is nearly three
years ago. While laid up, he invented
way TO prevent such accidents. lie
proposed to sew an eyeglass into the
umbrella, so that person could look
ahead and avoid any obstruction"
"Not bad idea, should think. l
suppose he patented IL and lost pile
of money; inventors always do"
"Yes, he lost more money than we
could afford, making experiments, and
! did my best TO spoil dozen fine UNI
brellas--we had quite lot of them
by cutting holes in them and sewing
in bits OF glass that wouldn't stay in
place after ALL"
'But the patent? Why couldn't he
sell that for lots OF money?"
The patent? Oh, he never got a pat
cnt. II seems that some one took q
patent OH the same idea more than 40
years ago 1t cost papa about $500 to
find that out. Patent lawyers are ex-
pensive. Pour papa Between the
Spanish Inquisition and his patent UNI
brella-" And sigh finished the sem
tence.
"Did he show his idea to any UNI
brella makers?"
"Oh, yes. But when he found that
he couldn't get a patent he lost heart
and put the dozen umbrellas away In
n corner, each umbrella with big
hole but with no glass as yet. That's
why have no umbrella to-day"
blessed inventionl" / yentured, and
I really meant il.
Miss Robertson flushed slightly.
"You wouldn't say so il you knew
what il has cost u.s.
81 know an umbrella maker" went |
on. Hes an intimate friend Of mine. |
Do you think your father would object |
to my taking one of his sample UNI
brellas TO my friend? Patent or no
pc tent, it might be worth something. |
You might at least get your $500 back
again"
'You are very kind. / VIII speak TO
him about il. Here is my street; good
nj yht, and thank you"
was loath to let her 90.
Suppose / ask your father at once;
wbuld that do any harm?"
Miss Robertson's pretty brow con-
trscted for q few seconds. 81 think
net she said, finally, and we went
or. "My fnther is n little peculiar. |
Illness has made him so; II he is n
tribe brusque, you must put IL down
10 the whim of an invalid"
We stopped at an old-fashioncd. com
Portable house Of the palmer sort. and
Miss Robertson opened the door with
n iatch-kcy. After climbing two flights
Of stairs / was ushered into plainly
furnished hut cXquisitcly neat and
elan room. There was a lamp on the
table, undes the light Of which an old
woman sat sewing. Before CRATE fire
sat man Who must have been an ex-