Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-03-30
A BLUE UMBRELLA
BY N c. BRoeAN

lovely White DFdCelel Hdliulcr anu a
Blue B engraved on the white knob.
I have to be very careful in describ-
ing it, for this is part Of the story.
Our new professor at college is al
ways harping on preparedness" and
what a great advantage it is to sue
cess. Well. my thinking of carrying
the blue umbrella that day when it
looked like rain, wasn't any advantage
to my success; but that begins the
story.
Mother sent me down to Babies
for some taffeta to match the dress
she was going to wear to the reception
that the faculty were giving for u
noted professor; I hurried along, pre-
ferring to walk the short distance,
and when I met Nan Paige on the way
we stopped first, and had a soda. And
Nan told me of the books this Pro
fessor Laidlaw had written on the
deepest subjects, and how his picture
had been in magazines, and everything,
and l was just wild to see him. She
said that he looked like anyOne's
favorite movie actor, and was an idol
with the women wherever he went.
But Nan said he was stern, too, and
would not stand for nonsense or
familiarity from his pupils, and we
had better impress him with our dig
nified behavior.
Nan isn't very dignifed herself, but
l can be, on occasion. So as-I walked
thn rock rf tho rxrox olnnn fn RofIiofc
l decided that | would ask mother to
let me wear the plain navy blue dress,
which makes me look so old.
Aunt Betty Is critical where men
are concerned. and is always asking
who they are. and what they have ac-
complished. until Janet is often pro-
voked, regarding her own young men.
Janet has plenty of beaus. And
mother says that Aunt Betty might
have married times over, if she had
not been so particular. Aunt Betty is
awfully pretty and jolly. But there
1 stood waiting for that taffeta to be
wrapped up and down anne a shower,
outside the street grew suddenly dark,
and | was glad that l had brought my
umbrella. l drew it with some diff
Guilty from before a man who stood
beside me at the counter, and stared
~reprovingly at him, when he failed to
beg my pardon. And as I was hurry
ing down the aisle that man came
after me. This time he did say "Beg
pardon" but it was with the affrontery
of claiming the umbrella, or trying to
claim it, for I certainly did o give
it up to him. BEG pardon" he began,
"you have taken my umbrella, under a
mistaken impression, no doubt, that it
is yours"
Mistaken" 1 asked disdainfully,
81 certainly know my W blue silk
umbrella. You will notice the letter
B; my name begins with B." The
man stood still and stared at me dis
concertingly.
Notwithstanding the fact of your
name beginning with B." he said, 'the
umbrella is nine"
A crowding female with two jostling
boys at her side came between us
just then, and 1 fairly laughed back
at III lAilpSlCl ONCl lllNli nCNNAo lliCh
to save trouble and publicity, l ran
out of the store, and down the
street and on to a street car; and
It was not until l had handed in my
fare that l took time to realize how
brazen that man had been. And he
was a nice looking man too, with fine
features that any physiognomist would
say placed him above petty crime.
When l took the taffeta into mother,
Aunt Betty was there, and Janet, and
they were all talking excitedly about
the evenings guest of honor, whom
Aunt Betty called ga young man of
sterling character"
Nan had spoken more concerning
his eyes. Which reminded me of
what very nice eyes the thief had.
For even if it's only an umbrella you
are trying to steal, you're a thief. And
by and by when I'd got OF my
second best dress, l started down the
stair. Aunt Betty was going to have
one of her friends in to dinner. And
then l stood stock-still on the stair.
For she was talking to her friend in
the hall that minute, and he was my
umbrella man. Yes, really. And I
couldn't help hearing him apologize
to her for not bringing back an UNI
brella she'd loaned him, and which,
he insisted, had been pulled right out
from under his arm in a store. And
all at nee 1 felt chilly for the reason
that Janet had given me a blue silk
umbrella for Christmas was because
I had so admired Aunt Betty's, and
Aunt Betty Baisley's name, naturally,
begins with a B.
SO there l stood, mystified, yet be-
ginning uncomfortably to see daylight.
For it occurred to me that perhaps
l had forgotten to take my umbrella
with me to Bailie's store, which upon
later investigation proved to be true.
The two silk umbrellas with their
white bracelets stood side by side in
my clothespress. And when l came