The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1919-07-14
THE RED UMBRELLA
BY JACK LAwroN.

! F. -HNff ~ AAN QAGocAAk kOWu
raised an imperious finger. isf.
You may now go to luncheon, Miss
Barrie" she said.
And Miss Barrie, who had been
changed by fortunes wand from
merry Betty Berrie of Willowdale
into a serious minded companion"
closed the desk over various lavender
tinted notes. and gazed through the
window.
1T is raining" she murmured. Il
shall get wetting."
Nonsense" calculated the old
lady, you will take my umbrella"
But II Is such a beautiful thing"
Betty demurred-"if anything should
happen to It,"
What could happen to an umbrella
between here and the restaurants"
her employer caustically remarked.
So graciously thanking her, the
companion" picked up the umbrella
and went. AT least companion" was
the word under which Betty's posi-.
ton had been designated in the want
columns of the city paper, which
found its way to her village home.
When she had closed the lately
desolated home and started out upon
the path of independence, Betty found
that being companion" in her case,
meant, a combination of nurse and
secretary as well. And doing her
very best, met with slight reward.
She wondered wlstfully, ms she
trudged on toward the restaurant, why
1t should happen that the formerly
cherished daughter of the old village
doctor should he walking wet pave.
ments, with no rubbers to protect her
thin shoes, while other girls raised
no more carefully flew past in uxurt-
GUS cars These girls wore rich furs,
orten their own hands controlled the
shining machines, while they laughed |
back in confident happiness at others
as fortunate as they. Some were mar
ried, Betty was sure of this, from the |
proud proprietary air of their mascu- |
line escorts. And the new thought I
came to her that she would never
ride, a proud wife in her own auto
mobile. If, indeed she married at all
1t would be to some toillng man
whose humble home would necessitate
the constant labor of her hands.
mo" reflected Betty, "every way
you look at it, life's luxuries are not
for me. And after all" her smile
flashed out at the thought--"the rain
is not raining on me- and I'm carry
ing an expensive umbrella"
1t was a beautiful umbrella. The
old lady's wealthy daughter
had given it to her as a gift.
Her despondent mood had sudden
ly vanished-it was good to be young
and alive, 1t was good to be-of use.
Through the gloom the restaurant
lights beckoned across the way.
Betty started to cross the road, then
drew back at the warning horn of an
auto. She realized, as girl threw
back an apologetic smile, that one of
the favored ones had almost run her
down. She must be more careful, the
alarming scream of the auto horn
seemed still to ring confusedly in her
ears.
She had a glimpse of a white.faced
man at the wheel, and
then desperately Betty clutched the
pearl handle of the red silk umbrella,
pushing with all her strength its frail
protection against the black object |
which almost crushed her.
Almost-but at that very moment,
the brakes did their work. Painting
like q frustrated animal the automo-
bile stood still, while the whitefaeed
man opened the door, and sprang to
Betty's side
you are not hurtY" he gasped, "it
did not-hit your"
Without awaiting an answer, he
picked her up quickly in his arms and
seated her in the car.
Didn't you hear me sound the
lOrn?" he gently persisted.
Then out of her vast relief, Betty
aughed.
"Oh! 1 heard horns," she said, !
everywhere. l do not blame you.
You see-Tm from the country"
The man heaved a sigh of relief,
hen he also smiled.
"And don't you know" he added
"that it's useless to try
o stop automobiles with a red signal;
/ train might stop perhaps, but not a
Machine"
ut was not useless In this case"
Betty told him, then she looked down
n CONSERVATION.
at is broken" she said aghast
smashed to pieces. It was a bor