Frostburg mining journal., 1903-01-31
!. OVER AN
UMBRELLA
BY c. D. EE 6OTS
COpyriglt, Ep?, M the
:. ). Mcclure Company

BY c. .. LE 6OIS

vile. had remarkable umbrella. 1t
lean independence and had taken many
Journeys by land and water. The ribs
had been bent or stove in on numerous
occasions and the handle broken and
glued together half II dozen times. 1t
had attended funerals. camp meetings.
quilting bees. huSking frolicS and town
meetings without number and at the
age of 12o years was still doing bust
ness at the Old stand and holding its
own against all competition.
Mrs Levi Cantwell. wife of Deacon
Ca" we'll of the same village and liv-
in. right across the way from Mrs.
Peabody, was Il remarkable woman,
and what more natural than that Il re-
markable woman and Il remarkable
umbrella should adventure together?
Mrs. Cantwcll was remarkable in so
much that she would never stir out of
her house without an umbrella. She
dreaded rain like Il cat and. no matter
how clear the day, WAS always looking
for Il sudden dOwnpoNr. She had an UNI
brclla of her own, and it was large
enough to shelter her, but now and
then she was forced to lend it or send
it to the shop to be repaired.
The day she started to drive over to
Jacksonville in the dcaCon'S one horse
wagon was one of the occasions when
her umbrella was mot at home" 1t
was beautiful June morning, with
no rain in sight for Il week, but Mrs.
Cantwcll didn't propose to run any
chances. After trying in vain at three
or four houses she called upon Mrs.
Peabody to lend her TINT remarkable
old colonial.
Her request fairly stunned the own
cr of the sacred relic and WAS at first
rercmptOrily refused, but after con-
siderable discussion. remembering that
Mrs Cantwcll had the reputation of
being careful handed and tender heart
ed. Mrs. Peabody yielded.
"lou know what store | set ON il and
what store the dc;con sets OH it, she
said as she brought ont the blue COW
cred umbrella and busted it off.
Il do" WAS the reply. and YOU
needn't worry one single bit. You must
know what IL careful woman l am
when you remember that I've made
one set of cups and sasScrs last me
fourteen years"
Mrs. CantWell might have driven
away with the umbrella raised over
her head. but as she needed both hands
10 manage the lines the deacon care
fully slowed it away under the seat.
Arriving ut Rawsonvillc, the old
horse was hitched to Il post in front of
q store, and Mrs. Cantwell entered to
do some Grading" she was an hour
or so about it, and during this interval
n stray COW came down the street
hunting for something better than bur
docks to eat. She found it when she
looked over the tailboard Of the wagon
and cspicd the sacred umbrella. She
had never seen the like of it before,
and the taste was novel and palatable.
The more she ate the more she want
ed, and she never stopped until the
last inch of cover had been swallowed
and vigorous but unsuccessful effort
made to devOur handle and ribs.
Mrs Cantwcll drove home without
having looked under the seat and
realized what n wreck accompanied
her. 1t was only MS she reached her
own door and Mrs. Peabody came
across the road that the tragedy was
discovered. Excuses and apologies and
offers to make repairs didn't go. With
the wreck hugged to her bosom Mrs.
Peabody retired to her own house. and
good will to men flew out Of the back
door as she entered the front.
4 quarrel over Il broken hatiron may
he confined to two ncighbors, but
difference of opinion over Il remarkable
umbrella is different thing. No one
charged Mrs. Cantwell with Deliberate
ly bringing about the wreck, but she
was blamed for not keeping one eye on
hungry cows outside the store while
she had the other on seven cent calico
inside. She knew the associations and
sentiments surrounding that relic, and
sooner than submit il to peril she
should have hired boy to watch it.
The pros and cons were discussed at
every fircside in the village, and of
course a feeling of bitterness was en-
gendercd. In less than week neigh
borS who had always borrowed sugar
and tea Of each other were refusing to
lend and back gates were being nailed
up.
Deacon Peabody was Il good man.
SO was Deacon Cantwell. Together they
had passed the contribution boxes in
church and counted up the receipts aft
er the sermon They had worked out
their road tax side by side and had
stood elbow to elbow in temperance
crusades and town improvements. That
long friendship was now broken. After
looking at the dilapidated umbrella for
the fiftieth time Deacon Peabody had
said to his neighbor:
Deacon Cantwcll, | never dunned n
man In my life, but you owe me so
cents"
II do, and here it is replied Deacon
Cantwell, "and I'm free to say | think
you are a mean man."
Il don't want any words with you"
"Nor with you
you'll take your hoss out Of my pas
turer'
"And you'll keep your hogs outer my
garden"
The minister naturally heard of the
rise and fall of the remarkable umbrel-
In. and, although he refused to become