The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-06-07
THE RED UMBRELLA.
BY JACK LAYTON.

Barrie, she said.
And Miss Barrie, who had been
changed by fortunes wand from
merry Betty Berrie of Willowdale
into serious minded companion"
closed the desk over various lavender
tinted notes, and gazed through the
window.
ut is raining" she murmured. ~
shall get wetting."
"Nonsensel" CALCULATED the old
lady, you will take my umbrella"
''But it is such a beautiful thing"
Betty demurred-"if anything should
happen to it"
what could happen to an umbrella
between here and the restaurantY
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 combination of nurse and
secretary as well. And doing her
livery best, met with slight reward.
She wondered wistfully, as she
| tfudged on toward the restaurant, why
it 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 luxuri-
GUS cars. These girls wore rich furs,
often 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-
came to her. that she would never
ride, a proud wife in her own auto
| mobile. If, indeed, she married at all
| it would be to some toiling man
whose humble home would necessitate
the constant labor of her hands.
"No," 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
imperious old lady's wealthy daughter
had given 1t to her as a gift.
Her respondent mood had sudTfsh
" vanishedit was good to be young
and alive, it 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 a girl throw
back an apologetie 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 white-faced
terror stricken man at the wheel, and
then desperately Betty clutched the
pearl handle of the red silk umbrella,
pushing with Sll her strength its frail
protection against the black object
which almost crushed her.
Almost-but at that very moment,
tie brakes did their work. Painting
like frustrated animal the automo-
bile stood still, while the white-faced
man opened the door, and sprang to
Betty's side.
"You are not hurt?' he gasped, ut
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
horn?'' he gently persisted.
Then out of her vast relief, Betty
laughed.
"Oh! / heard horns" she said,
everywhere. do not blame you.
You see-i'm from the country"
The man heaved sigh of relief,
then he also smiled.
"And don't you know" he added
whimsically, that it's useless to try
to stop automobiles with red signal;
train might stop perhaps, but not
machine"
1T was not useless in this case.'
Betty told him, then she looked down
in CONSERVATION.
ut is broken" she said aghast,
SMASHED to pieces. 1t was Dor
rowed umbrella, and / never could
buy one like it."
"As for that" said the man, he was
busily writing his name and address
across a page from note book--I
will be glad to replace the umbrella.
That's my plain duty. When you filrd
one Just like it, send the bill to me.
And now-shall drive you home"
Betty was reading with wide eyes
the mans scrubbed name. 1t was q
name of prominence which she had
often read quoted upon matters of
authority.
at her hesitation, he turned again |
toward her, and smiled