The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-09-04
A Chinese
Umbrella
b. REGINALD D. HAVEN

was dining the other. day with my
friend Alan Bonbright Mrs Bon
bright Is the daughter Of a missionary
whose field was in China. and she had
spent most Of her girihood there. Bier
husband had been to China on bust
ness, met her there and brought her
home with him as his wife.
Mrs. Bonbright, girl at this time.
was with her father at h.s mis-
sionary station In the province o.
shantung After dinner ! was takea
to a room where a collection Of souve-
Mrs Of the Flowery Kingdom was
kept Among them was an umbrella
made OF bamboo wood and paper. GOV.
cred with the customary pictures Of
men and women. birds and flowers.
Across 1t when expanded were Chinese
characters which. of course. could
not read. Bonbright directed my at.
tention to the umbrella, and Mrs. Bon
bright said, IF you're going to tell
that story I'll 60 elsewhere She went
out with look indicating that was
about to hear something unpleasant.
'iYou know" said Bonbright. that
China Is full Of persons who live by
highway robbery. They cut. of their
heads whenever they capture them
but this doesn't seem to deter others.
] for life is cheap there and only the bet
ter, classes care much about their own
or Others terrestrial existence Well.
one day I was travelling on horsebacE
through the province of Shantung. j
had no mind to be set upon by the
highwaymen and had armed myself.
There is not much fight Uneven the
robbers in China unless they have ev-
cry advantage. and didn't feel in
much danger so long as could defend
myself
I II was not alta cked myself; but, hear
ing shouting ahead OF me. / pressed
forward and found Chinaman in
the dress of mandarin being set upon
by gang of robbers. fred shots at
them, and they left their prey in a
sorry plight and took to their heels.
picked him up and set him to rights.
I had come up just in time to save
his pocketbook, and he offered me a
portion OF its contents as a reward.
This, of course, declined, whereupon
he talked his thanl1s-so supposed,
for did mot understand a word he
said. lush before left him he took
a writing stick and wrote those char
ncters you see there on the umbrella
and gave 1t to me. There was nothing
to do but accept it, and as the day was
.hot used It..
Every chinaman 1 met. looked at
the umbrella. then ut me, and their
Indifference %as at once turned to
reverence, Some of them stopped and
salaamed as fipnssed / wondered If
they mlstook me for the governor of
n province or an executioner. Singular
ly enough. | didn't catch on to the fact
that 1t was the umbrella TINT was
drawing forth such respect.
b. Il stopped that night at the mis-
sionary station presided over by my
wlfe's fntler and found them In great
trouble They had got wind through
some OF the Christian natives, servants
and others attached to the mission of
the Boxer movement that was about
to break forth. My wife was then a
girl of nineteen and the Oldest of a
family of seven. The converts were in
terrible state Of fear. which natural
~ Communicated itself to the white
family.
Drowning persons will cling to a
straw. and this family chung to me.
True. was only one man. but was
well armed. and even one man might
be of some protection. suppose /
wonld have remained anyway. but /
,ould not leave the girl who struck my
fancy When she looked appeallngly
1T me with those blme eyesNof hers /
suuld not resist and said would re.
main with them till the trouble was
over
Remembering how easily l had put
10 flight the robbers. really thought
that with my two revolvers and some
ifty cartridges would be a protec.
don. but when heard the shrieks Of
The Christian converts as the crowd an
preached the mission house didn't
like the prospect. The yells of the
prutes who We're numbering them were
equally appalling. What could do
against an tnfurinred mob?
However. stationed myself at an
upper window. laying my ammunition
and extra pistols beside me. | called
Ipon Ethel to stay beside me and load
them for me as fast as fred, and she
nerved herself TO do so. Iput my head
out and. seeing the mob coming reek.
ing with blood, my heart sank. Wish.
ing something to conceal me from
them, took up the umbrella the man.
DARN had given me. opened it, fixed ii
before me ut the window and poked
holes through it SO thar could see