MR RANSOMES’ UMBRELLA

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 154, 15 July 1892, Page 6

MR RANSOMES’ UMBRELLA

* I beg pardon !’ ‘ Excuse me !’ A pair of black eyes and a pair of blue eyes met defiantly, while a small white hand and a large white hand each grasped the handle of an umbrella. ‘This umbrella is mine, I think ; do you wish to use it ?’ murmured black eyes vvitn polite fierceness. ‘I am sure it is mine. I bought it last year, and have never seen another like it,’ answered blue eyes, with a firm hand on the article in question. Vexation and polite unbelief were expressed on each face. Then the gentleman, with an indulgent, provoking little smile, said : •If it is mine, I can show you my name on the inside, if you will allow me to open it.’ Ha opened it, and, behold ! inside was a small tag with ‘ Richard Ransome’ inscribed thereon. She fell hack in confusion rosy red and humiliated. ‘I am very sorry ! I beg your pardon ! Where can mine be ? I aru sure I left it here !’ she exclaimed in distress, glancing at the falling rain without. He magnanimously joined in the search, but no duplicate umbrella could be found. He was ashamed of his ill temper, and also made the discovery that she was a lovely girl ; so, much to Inicy Dean’s dismay, he insisted upon escorting her home. She felt very much like a convicted thief, and wondered if he believed that she had ever really had an umbrella like his, ‘I am afraid our evening has not been as successful as we hoped/ lm remarked hesitatingly, touching upon atopic about which both were sensitive. ‘ Oli, no ! I am so disappointed ! It didn’t seem to take well—that is they don’t appreciate it as we thought they would—as they ought to have done, I mean ’ Lucy paused, conscious that she was making bad much worse. They had now reached a cross street which led to her home. Here she paused, ann acting on an impulse born of a desire to fly from what she felt must be his reproachful and indignant glances, she said—- ‘ I see an old friend who is going past our door, and I will not trouble you farther. 1 am much obliged for your kindness. Good night.’ And then she hastily left him. He stared after her, and saw her join a gentleman whose face, as seen in the struggling gaslight, showed both surprise and delight at being so honoured. Richard Ransome, on discovering that his umbrella rested on his shoulder and that the rain was beating on his shiny tile, pulled himself together and went on his way, soli - loquising as follows : * Well, this is a queer place ! Odd folks, especially the girls. Seemed in a great hurry to get. rid of ine. Didn’t seem to take—evidently blames me, too. However, I don’t usually talk to empty seats.’ Then he laughed. ‘ Fancy me getting cross and rowing with that poor little girl about the umbrella ! But she was game, and I had to prove my claim. She evidently thought I was determined to make sure of some remuneration for my services. Hope i shall see her again ’ This hope was destined to be speedily realised. The next day when Mr Ransome went to the society rooms to meet the committee for whom he had lectured, Lucy Dean was there, and shyly apologised to him for her blunder of the evening before, She explained that her mother had borrowed her umbrella without her knowledge. He found her pretty embarrasment very attractive, and asked for permission to call at her home ; this was given him, and he soon availed himself of it. She was a merry, intelligent little thing, and her fits of shyness, when a sense of his awfulness as a dominie oarne over her, added a touch of piquancy which fascinated him. He found Mrs Dean, who was only a plumper, and maturer Lucy, a pleasant companion when her daughter’s conversation resolved itself into prim monosyllables, and he paid the elderly lady so many flattering attentions that she was half inclined to believe Lucy’s admirer her own. Indeed, Lucy might have been of that opinion too if it had not been for an occasional expression in his ey ' , .then they rested on her, which always brought the blood to her cheek and brow. As the days passed on, Mr Ransome discovered that Lucy exactly realised his ideal of womanhood. The idea of a final separation from her was intolerable. When the

i time for him to IVS’i kv h ; kv V I But, puzzled by her shyness, be was nut They were walking together one evening, when he suddenly resolved to end his suspense and ask her to become his wife. Lucy listened dazed. She could not realise that her secret dreams had become real. The tremendous fact that he whom she had sen upon a peddstal of d ignis- and learning was only a man, pleading for her love, seemed impossible to face. Sh. could not lift her eyes to his, and when he tried to draw her nearer she felt a sudden, loving fear of him. Habit and girlish modesty were barriers too great to be overcome at once. (She gave him one swift glance, and then broke away and fled towards home. He stood there, gazing after the flying figure. Dissapoimed love, wounded pride and amazement struggling within him. He tried to think how he had offended her. He searched his memory to see if he had ever heard of any girl having ever received a declaration of love in like manner. Alas ! he had not. He sadly concluded that some other man had been before him and, and that she dreaded to tell him so. ‘ Even though she does not love me, she would have given me a chance if there were no one else/ he said. The next few days were wretched ones to both. Lucy knew that she had wounded Mr Ransome, and was in despair because she had apparently rejected the love she really desired. She longed to tell him she was sorry, but felt that to do so woul I be to surrender entirely, and that she found as hard to do as ever. She hoped he would seek her again, and so force upon her the opportunity she was not brave enough to seek. And then, alas !he came on the very afternoon on which she went for a walk down the secluded path where lie had made his proposal, to live over again the scene which was ever in her thoughts. Mr Ransome approached the house with wavering courage, and on being informed that she was not at home, immediately concluded that she refused to see him ; and departed from the town forthwith. He returned to his work and found some coinfort in the old routine of his profession ; yet he was a more restless mini than he had ever been in the whole of his busy life. One afternoon, feeling the need of cheerful companionship, he started out, umbrella in hand, to call upon a lively friend who had been a former resident of the town where lived the Deans. Perhaps he secretly hopod to hear mention of his ungrateful lady love. He reached the place, and learning that Lis friend was at home, turned to place his umbrella in the rack, when, be - hold ! there rested another exactly like his own. He felt sure that Lucy was within and stood a moment, debating on what was best to do. Finally a desire to see her again overcame all other feelings, and he entered the parlour. His hostess rose to gieet. him, and presented him to her friend Miss Dean. Lucy received Mr. Ransome with composure. She may have recognised the possibility of meeting him as a contingency of the trip. ' He made his call a short one, and as Lucy returned home that evening he did not see her again. It was not until two weeks afterwards that he discovejed he was in possession of Miss Dean’s umbrella instead of liis own. He was vexed beyond measure. The fact that be committed such a blunder betrayed the state of his mind at their last meeting. ‘ She will think I made the exchange because of some siily, sentimental notion. I will return it to lier, and then throw mine away. I’ll make it a purely business errand and let her see that I’m not in for any nonsense/ he fumed. Accordingly he went down one bright evening. He walked from the station and wandered to the spot where he had made his unlucky proposal. ‘ I’ll just go and look at the place where she flouted ms. It may serve to help me to forget this worry over her that I can’t get rid of,’ he muttered, lie reached the spot, and there he saw a little figure leaning against a young tree and weeping forlornly. His heart jumped, and then stood still. He dropped the umbrella and spuing forward. bi.e turned toward nun and held out her hands ; and then

ui i.u- inner..id JL.sie was nearly at nis hist gasp. His sorrowing wife and tun pri. st were at his bedside, ready to receive ins last wishes and commands. Now, Biddy,’ said he, * there’s Tim Doolan ;he owes me half a crown. See you make him stump up.’ ‘ Oh, father/ said his wife, ‘ isn’t it a comfort to see him have his siuses till the last moment ? ’ ‘ -' nd then there is Mike O’Brien ;he owes me five-an’-twopence.’ 'gain nis wife exclaimed, ‘ Oh, what a comfort me husband has his faculties till the last ! ' Now, then/ said lie in continuation, ‘ I owe Paddy Doyle six shillings.’ ‘ Stop, stop ! ’ said his wife ; and turning to the priest, she exclaimed, 1 Take no notice now, sir, of what Pat says. Sure his moind is wanderin’! ”