The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1919-10-09
BLUE UMBRELLA
BY LIZZIE M. PEABODY.

a tear Slowly COuEoco ilS "oy uo"A
Elleen's smooth. round cheek anc
splashed upon The sewing machine a.
her Aunt Polly's voice shrtlled mo
notonously on and on.
With q sudden 'hanse OF mood The
girl stopped the u'tion Of the machin.
and faced about
"'Tis blue umbrella all day long
aud l dream Of 1t At night" she cried
out impatiendy. Il hated to carry the
faded old thing anyway. and no"
there has been so much trouble about
it Til never carry it again. even il you
find it."
Then she returned to her stitching
with 4 sob In her throat. while Aunt
Polly resumed her monologue.
IF Annette returned the umbrella
where is itT she asked with al air OF
triumph. The thin. trembling lips
tightened As she continued: Those
Plumbs, They're such careless.
hapay go-lucky. shiftiess lot. l have
Gerrriltned that neither Annette nor
her brother. stacy. shall come here
again w,th my consent until that um-
b:e!a Is found"
"Dont worry" Eileen returned qui-
e,ty. Il don't think they want to
come.
When lending the umbrella to An
nette MIeen had whispered: Return
il sS soon as possible. dearie; Aunt
Polly values 1t for the sake Of bygone
: associations" And careless little An
nette. their nGghbor, had promised
with = sweet little gigsle to return it
within "a hours.
Ever since that time she had stoutly
maintained that she brought back the
umbrella the night of Eileen's candy
party, and that she had set 1t In the
corner of, the little entry at the foot
Of the stairway.
That was three months ago, and
Stacy and Annette had ceased to visit
the Waverlys; for Aunt Polly, a.
though constantly forgetting things of
greater Importance; always remem
bered 10 ask each time she saw them
II the umbrella had been found yet.
and fair-minded Eileen could not blame
them for remaining away. although
she missed them terribly.
When spring came the mystery was
as far from being solved as ever.
Eileen had grown pale and thin.
Stacy had gone 10 distant city to
work. Annette now greeted Eileen
very coldly. and Aunt Polly. tiresome-
ly insistent still asked daily: If An
nette- brought back that umbrella,
where is it,"
Then, one particularly bright and
warm morning, Aunt Polly told Eileen
that IL would be 4 fine time to. put
things to rights in the attic. and Eileen
gathered pals, brooms. brushes and
soap. and sang at her work. She
1erksd Up the cover Of .ths large box
In which they. kept the extra bedding.
Hsr brown eyes widened In surprise
asZ something went crashilg to the,
floor, and with q little scream OF JOY
she seized the old blue umbrella and
hugsed 1t closely. No one could Com
plain Of lack Of color ia y Hleen's
cheeks now a., clutching dy63y the
umbrella. she ran swiftly down the
stairs to, the sitting room, where her
aunt rocked slowly back and fsrth, by
the window.
See what J. 19gnd IN the bedding
box,H she shouted joyously., and Aunt
Polly's face turned slswly to aa ashy
gray. while 1t in turn expressed ssr- !
prise. pleasure snd-yss-chan.S.
why, EIleeai y, hav. found the
uMps she cried family.
But, Eileen, where did you find itT'
she asked, breathlessly. And thsn.
again, with a slight wrinkling Of her
forehead, "Who could have placed 1t
in the box?" II wonder" was all that
Eileen said.
1t happened that Stacy came home
the next day for short visit. and
after Eileen had told her story he re
mained silent for u moment
Eileen he cried at last. don't
you remember that we cleared \out the
lower bedroom the night Of the candy
party to make room for playing gsmesi
And don't you remember that rs
reached the entry struck the pile
Of quilts was carrying against the
rail at the foot Of the stairway I
dropped some Of them and had to !
stoop to pick them up again.
You called out to me to hurry and |
get the bedding in the box up TO the }
attic, as the guests were beginnipIs TO
come.
II hurried s.nd must have first
knocked Gown the umbrella, and then
l must have picked it up among the
quilts"
Then with, a cheerful grin he re-
remarked; ;'"Your Aunt Polly'll say, 4
told YOU sol Just Plumb careless
ness.'H
Brt Aunt Polly received the eSpla-
A 49, .