Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-02-27
Love Under an
Umbrella
BY GENEVlEVE ULMAR
Copyright. 1918. Western Newspaper uulos.)


for tea at our home. old fellow, and
I'll call for you at six"
You'll find me dun guest Neal"
Insisted Barley Deane "You see, I'm
not used To company"
Well my sisters needn't scare YOU.
Marcia is quite an old maid; Nettie
| Just ont of hec teens. Why, you've de
| generated into a regular celibate. At
twenty-tiye-shame What's the trou-
ble--a heart romance?'
mo, distant warning, Neal. I've
been attracted by two young ladies' in
my career. l came near falling into the
trap until | discovered one of them
Shaping the younger children and in
solent to her mother The other made
a boast how she'd make the money
fly when she was Mrs. Deane. | never
went back to either of them"
We'll, you prim, sedate, old-fash-
| Toned anchorite, come up to our house
and see real home life and get some
of the pessimistic wrinkles out of your
mentality"
BARLEY Deane was in measure old
fashioned: good-looking, finely intelll-
gent young man as he was. Life had
not s0ured him, but after his expert
ence with the two young ladies' he had
noted he had allowed prejudice
against the gentler sex to develop and
grow.
He received q welcome at Meals
house that warmed his heart from the
start. The mother was something Of
an invalid and il pleased BARLEY to
follow the movements Of pretty, active
Nettie Arnold as she cared for the
two little children and attended to the
duties of the table
Neal had an unexpected business
call from down town and had to leave
Immediately after the meal Then
Nettie received a phone from girl
friend who lived half mile away and
was i'll. She excused herself prettily,
promising to be absent only short
time.
why, it is raining hard,' abruptly
observed Miss Marcia as she went to
the window and glanced out. THAT
is the cause of Nettie's detention. She
hurried away without gossamer or UNI
brella. l had planned to have her give
us some music"
"Why, / have an umbrella" said
BARLEY, land If you think
would you be so kindT' asked Mar
cha. you can take the gossamer and
can give you the number of the Ellis
home"
Thus it was that BARLEY Deane a
little later was joined by Nettie on the
porch of the home of Nettie's friend
and started cut to face the driving
storm. He thrilled at the light touch
of the pleasantly chatting maiden on
his arm. The umbrella truly furnished
q capacious shelter and n sense of
coziness and unusual pleasure pervad-
ed BARLEY.
violent gust OF wind had struck
the umbrella and ii was blown, not
out, but shut. Some catch had slipped,
enyeloping both of them, bringing them
close together in momentary mutual
ley felt the breath of his companion
sweep his face. She was almost in his
clasp. 1t was an ecstatic moment he
never forgot. He managed TO right the
umbrella.
He incoherently spoke of the strange
mishap, but his companion laughed
brightly. Her face was flushed and
her eyes dancing, but he could not note
that in the dark. IL declared he
stumbled Il was positively stupid TO
turn the umbrella the wrong way"
and the memory of close companion
ship with this model of girlish grace
and beauty would not depart.
Nettie sang and played for him and
Barley left the Arnold home with a
new ideal in his soul When he got
home he found slip OF hair ribbon
caught in one of the ribs of the UNI
brella. He carefully placed il in his
pocketbook and was growing sentimen-
tai.
He was in love- BARLEY cOmpre-
hended il more and more as the days
passed by His Auttering heart en-
phasized the conviction after each fur
Their call at the Arnold home. And
Nettie liked him. Her brother told
him so and BARLEY bought volume
on "Decorum as an Art" and Love
making as a Science" He rehearsed
a set speech he planned making when
an auSpicious moment arrived His
shy nature, however, impelled procras-
tinatlOn.
II was fate, coincidence perhaps, but
two months later he and Nettie were
at picnic. Again ne had his UNI
brella with him and again IL rained.
He held it over her as they stood in the
partial shelter Of a tree. BE looked
down into the sweet face 80 near 10
him. His set speech came to his lips,
but he could not utter ii.
''The night the umbrella came shut
il was on account of that little catch
shifting, and he placed a finger upon
the spot ia question.
"Oh. dear - exclaimed Nettie In
pretty confusion, for down came the
enyeloplng folds Of the parachute,
"Nettie, love you" spoke her des-
,arata Suitor. brave under cover and