Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-09-15
BLISTON'S TROUBLE.

ton started toward the elevator, home
ward bound, his stenographer came trip
ping after him.
MIR. Bliston, don't you want an UNI
brella?" she asked. Didn't you know
it was raining?"
Piston never borrows an umbrella If
ne can avoid it-not because he has
special fondness for plodding through
the rain without protection, but for rea-
sons especially well known to his wife
and frequently AID scathingly remarked
upon by her. He is in fact, so forgetful
that if he borrows anything he usually
loses it.
No pretext for declining availed in
this instance, however. The stenog-
rapher happened to have two umbrellas
at the Office, and ii would be absurd, she
said, for Bliston to get wet when it could
SO easily be avoided. So he grasped the
proffered handle and fled
Monogram, eh?" he said to himself
as he spread the umbrella against the
spray borne by the east wind "a pres
ent from him., of course. Foolish girl.
It's dollars to doughnuts that l lose it
before get to the train"
1t happened for once to be a Door
wager. But as Biston cut across the
station lawn at Hummockdale, past the
keep the-g grass" sign, that sixth
sense of the suburbanite that tells him
of an incompleteness somewhere, began
to trouble him. Only one who has seen
the lost look of commuter who is land
ed at his home station without parcel
in his possession can know the outward
manifestation of this sense.
When Bliston hitched his chair back
from the dinner table that evening and
announced that it was necessary for
him to pay visit to the railway station
his wife smiled a knowing smile due to
long experience.
What was it you left on the train. my
dear?" she inquired.
There was no use lodging either con-
fession or its consequences.
Theodore Bliston. you ought to be
ashamed to take a gift umbrella. in the
first place, when you knew you would
lose it. And even the $40 you'll go and
pay for a new umbrella won't replace a
present, you know"
Bliston knew, but ne had not lost hope.
Inquiry revealed that the crew of the
train on which he had left the UNI
brella would come through again later
in the evening. He hung about the sta
ton till they came, rode four stations
down and then waited 40 minutes to get
back, with the net product of informa-
ton that two umbrellas had been
found, but that they had been left at the
other terminus and would be brought
downtown in the morning.
Mrs. Bliston was pessimistic "I'u
believe it when | see it," she said
Bliston hurried into the found" Of
flee in the morning The umbrella was
easily distinguished. he said. for it bore
a monogram. What were the letters?
Why-the letters-er-what the deuce
were they, anyway? Did she spell her
name Katherine or Catherine? Well.
he would have to own up that the UNI
brella belonged to his stenographer
The avowal was received with calmness,
not to say dignity. And what was the
handle? Gold. of course.
"Gold?" The attendants suspicious
changed to scornful assurance. Not
gold-handled umbrella turned in this
week." he said.
But Bliston did not give up his quest
That evening he boarded the down train
again, this time armed with a minute
description from the owner of the UNI
brella.
The umbrella surely had been taken
to the office the conductor insisted. II
the gentleman didn't believe it-well.
yes, if he would go down the conductor
would accompany him and help secure
his property.
Bliston went. What if it did mean
a second evening spent on or waiting for
slow trains? And that Saturday night
whist game at Unison s-pooh! When
Bliston set out for thing he was in
domitable.
So they found the umbrella. Bliston
was consequently elated when he ap-
preached his home. in which a solitary
bedroom light told the lateness of the
hour.
Il found it," he broke out triumph
antly 81 was bound | should find the
thing this time if it took all night"
But. Theodore, where is it?"
Where is-?" Bliston tumbled into
a chair. Margaret" he confessed.
1--WE gone and left that blamed UNI
brella on the train again. Chicago