The Western news., 1907-12-25
MANUAL OF THE UMBRELLA.
Men OstrichIike in This-Few Carry
Them to Full Adynntage

Khem to Full Advantage.
Curious about how some people car
ry umbrellas" said Mr.. Stormelton to
New York Sun man. 1--WE think the
ostrich is stupid bird because with
its head buried in the sand it thinks
It's whole body is hidden from every
body; but plenty of men are quite as
stupid as that in their matter of car
rying an umbrella
''rhey carry it in such way as to
protect the front of their body and ap-
pear to think they have themselves
wholly protected, while all the time
the water is gayly dripping from their
buck. The fact Is that not many men
know how to carry an umbrella when
1t rains.
IF it rains and blows then instinct
lively they hold the umbrella toward the
wind, to keep the umbrella from being
blown inside out as well as to protect
themselves from the rain. This is
proper. But when the rain Is coming
down straight they carry their UNI
brellas in all sorts Of ways, in which
they reveal more or less of their per
sonal characteristics.
Here, for instance, Is man who
carries his umbrella held in his right
hand with the hand straight In front
of, and in line with his elbow and upper
arm, this being the easiest way to
carry 1t. Held in this manner the UNI
hrnf1o rno11y cho1tnrc MI ntn1y 1x
his head and the right side of his
body; the rain drips from 1t on his left
shoulder and down his left side. He
Is either lazy or thoughtless; he is
probably both.
again, we may meet a man carry
ing an umbrella at the cost Of consid-
cradle effort, around In front of the
center line Of his body, which Is correct
as to that position, but carrying 1t
there too far forward, with the result
that while he keeps perfectly dry on
his face side. yet more or less water
drps down his back a man finicky and
particular about the front he presents,
about appearances, but not so mindful
of the substance. =
"And then we meet the man who
carries his umbrella with forearm
straight In line with his elbow, for the
greater ease Of that position of the arm
but with the hand slightly turned SO as
to make the umbrella more completely
cover him, or with that end in view,
which end, however, 1t does not accom-
plish, for, with the umbrella top tilted,
1t does not cover so large an area as
It does when carried in a horizontal
plane. This is a man who Is lazy, but
| trying, by the twist of the hand to
get something for nothing, or without
much effort.
"And then we may occasionally meet
man who Is carrying his umbrella in
the best possible position for the pur-
poses of the best possible protection to
be gained from 1t, this being square in
front Of him, with the umbrella handle
all hut touching the center of the front
edge of the rim Of his hat, carried SO
to protect him, as far as may be. both
back and front, while he carries the
umbrella as low down as can be with
out touching his hat on top, thus giving
himself, also, protection as far as pos
sible down around toward his feet And
here we find a man who knows, intelli-
gently, what can be done with the
means at his command, and who is
willing to put forth the effort required
TO bring those means to their utmost
efficiency"