Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-05-24
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: AN UMBRELLA REAINlsOENOh' !
BY ]. M. BARRIE.

BY ]. NJ BARRIE.
Lying here on the floor OF a closet
my head loose, one OF my rlps III twa.n'
and other mended with bootiace' l an
no longer the umbrella nave peen'
But though my experiences may seen,
dark, amnot cynlc. nave hau
many gay moments as well as my mis-
fortunes. If men have grumbled at me
because | would not open, sweet worus
of love have been whispered beneatn
nv covering; and If many have owned
me. one has paid for me. Omittlng an
reference to my early years, why should
7 not now. as other veterans have done'
set down some "reminiscences OF the
men and women have known!
The first man with whom | had any
close acquaintance was a minister. ne
came into the shop where | originally
saw the light, and said that he wanted
an umbrella. The kind he wanted was
a good one. of pure silk, and his only
STIMULATION was tnat it should be as
cheap as alpaca. -. ,,,,
"John." said my maker to his assist
and. "show the gentleman a Marquis
and keep the price down.
am a MARQUIS, and after trying
thirtyIthree of us, the minister selected
me While he was taking slxpence on
the price. he had conversation with
INV maker. which l did not understand
of the time. though we'll | know It's
, meaning now.
"You are the first minister" said my
maekr. "who has bought an umbrella
to my knowledge, for the last nine
months" l.,
"Why," said my new owner. as ne
rolled me up very tight (for ne was
young mani, sit seems to me that al
ministers carry umbrellas.
THAT'S another thing says my
maker. .o..
"You mean," says the minister, tina
4 we have them presented to us!
4 "That's delicate way of putting It,
y saws my maker. 81 don't think you
have been long Minister
J mo-" says the minister.
: after you have BEEN" says m!
maker, winikng to John, "Tll lose you
CUSTOM"
Then nv owner and went off alonl
the street. I have nothing to sa'
against him, except that he took me gu
n in fine weather, always keeping M
tightly rolled up, and he spent hours Il
Or his lodgings trying to roll me tighter
:, I don't know that any of my owner
n ever loved me as this first one dld, an
Is 7 think the reason was because n
alone bought and paid for me. n
o called himself a minister, but as
70 turned out he was only divinity Sun
~ dent and it was at college that
,v parted. That was seventeen days aite
Il he bought me, and can still remempe
ID the affectionate glance he gave me
% he nut me into the rack, where tnei
40 were about a dozen other umbrella
and two sticks with brass knobs. ina
* day It rained. The first to leave tn
X room was the professor, handsom
man Of noble countenance, anu wne
he saw the rain he turned BACK 10 u
rack and looked at the umDreilas'
was the best. so, after looking at u
others. he picked me out, put me u
= and walked home beneath me, pea'
tiful look still lurking on his benevolel
face.
This eminent professor is NO.
the men have known, and during u
three weeks in which belonged to nj
he called me his new umbrella. once
heard his daughter (whose umbrella
should have liked to bel asked him WI
he took me everywhere except to u
college and the good old man repll
that the students were given to TAXI
away other peoples umbrellas. on
during this time l set eyes on my III
owner. and for moment | thougnt
was to be restored to him. he a.
some other students came to the nou
to tea. and when he saw me standl
in the professors rack he exclaimed:
"That umbrella" he said. pointing
me, "is the very image of one LOST
-, the college the other day."
III The professor was standing by, se
n ing his guests as they came in one
m one that it had been frosty day, q
m when he heard this remark about me
said. in his kindly voice, that one u
!" brella was very like another.
m "You students" he added, fought
Il be more careful about your umbrell
m I am constantly hearing compla
m about their going astray.'
Then he took them all into his stu
but after a little he came out and
me behind the hall clock.
That, l thought was the last wo
see of my first owner but 1t was
III So The daughter of the house,
"a whom I have already referred.
80 overheard the talk about me. and
her at the time look queerly Mt
father. When the student was go
she came to the door with him. an
heard them say something about
usual place at o'clock" Then
called him back, and running to
clock, felt for me with her hand,
as if she knew that her father OF
put umbrellas there. She thrust me
ing to the students hand. muttering sol
nee thing about papa's being very abst
ing minded.
yale Thus | was restored to the stud
but only for brief snace. On the
IVA lowing Friday he took me to the G.
,oh' aeain. and once more the professor
AZ the first to leave. His eyes lighted
all when he saw me. and he half drew
:, from the rack. Then he caught 81
dle' of another umbrella with an eb
WIZ handle. the owner of which was ais
'lha student. He COMPARED us for