Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-03
THE WRONG UMBRELLA

Il suffered a shocking experience in the
way Of being made to feel cheap the
other day" remarked a handsome Column
bia Heights matron, who doesn't hesitate
to confess that she is verging upon forty
The only consolation / had when 1t was
all over was that I hadn't yielded to
natural temptation to give vent to a few
sharp remarks, which the occasion seemed
to warrant.
THE weather was somewhat threatening
on this morning when I started down town
to do some shopping and so took an UNI
brella along with me-a handsome silk az
fair. by the way, particularly cherished by
my husband because it had been given to
him as a gift by his employer.
When 1 got on the 14th street car,
which was fairly well filed, placed the
umbrella at my side. in order to devote
both hands to the newspaper which l had
brought along with me-a little home
newspaper that had arrived in the morn
ing mail
II had scarcely taken the car before it
began to rain hard, but was so much i'm
merSed in the little local happenings as
printed in the home newspaper that
didn't notice the downpour until I was
ready to leave the car at 14th street and
New York avenue. / was rather startled
when the conductor called off the corner
to find that the car had reached my de-
barking point so quickly, and 1 left the
car hurr1edly with-well. with an UNI
brella. raised the umbrella as l stepped
from the car for the rain was more than
coming down by that time.
Il hadn't taken five steps from the car
before L heard voice right alongside of
me.
Madam said the voice, which was
we'll modulated and very respectful, would
you be SO kind as to permit me to walk
n hat l1o
with the word 'masher uppermost in
my mind, l turned to look at the possessor
of the voice. 1 instantly saw that he was
millions of leagues from the 'masher' type.
He was a tall. MISUNDERSTANDING man
of about fifty, with a graysh beard and
gray hair. The gray hair was surmounted
by silk hat. upon which the rain was
pitiiessly pouring. The mans rich but Sc
date apparel was also suffering from the
rain. 1t was perfectly obvious that the
man was gentleman. My husband is not
a jealous individual, thank heaven and he
is reasonable into the bargain, l knew
that in case he heard-so many things are
heard in Washington, you know-that I
had been seen sheltering a man to whom
hadn't been introduced under an umbrella.
he would quickly see the merits of the case
from my point Of view.
" 'Assuredly,' said / to the distinguished
looking man, and he stepped beneath the
shelter of the umbrella with a fine, grave
inclination of the head.
L,
not exchanging any more than few words
relating to the state of the weather. and
when l turned down F street on my way to
a store in the square between 18th and
14th he turned with me-
when I reached the store for which I
was bound. 1 halted and looked inquiringly
into the face Of the gentleman I was con-
voying, with an expression that meant. 1
doubt not, that as 1 had reached my stop
ping point he was due to make other ar
engagements for a shelter from the rain.
He didn't appear to take the hint, how
ever, and. to my amazement, when l walk
ed toward the entrance to the store, he
followed right along after me under the
umbrella. An acidulous remark, grieve to
confess, was right on the tip of my tongue,
when the gentleman absolutely routed me,
horse, foot and marines, by saying to me
with a grave smile:
'' Madam. I am reluctant to mention the
matter to you, but in the circumstances 1
fear that l must You have my umbrella
Pleasant, wasn't it? OF course, he was
of the umbrella to perceive that he was
right. In my haste in leaving the car 1
had taken the gentleman's umbrella, who
had sat alongside of me with his umbrella
also placed at his side, instead of my own.
Il yearned to have the F street pavement
open and swallow me, but. of course. had
to make the best of the wretched situation
and return the MISUNDERSTANDING man
his umbrella with as much grace
could muster. Strangely enough, consider
ing the usual fate of forgotten and deserted
UNI brellas, l got back the one that / had
left in the car, but when / think of the
cool serenity with which l was about to
consign that gentleman to the wet while
beautifully transformations method whereby
he regained possession of 1t, l feel like
shutting myself up in dark room to hide
my modification.