Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 February 1908 — AN UMBRELLA EPISODE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AN UMBRELLA EPISODE.

By Temple Bailey.

Copyrighted, 1907, by Homer Sprague.

Luttrell, coming down the steps of tbe elevated station, saw ahead of him a girl with cherries in her hat

The cherries and the dark blue ribbon were really about all that he could see of her, for he looked down on the top of her head, but as she turned the corner going down he caught a glimpse of wavy brown hair and of a trim white collar that came up to meet it

When he reached the door of exit he found the girl with the cherries there. Seen thus at close range she proved to be about as high as LUttrell's heart Her gown was of dark blue like tbe ribbons of her hat, and she carried a book in her hand.

She was gazing anxiously into the Btreet. It was raining hard, and tbe street lamps, lighted early, cast glistening reflections across the wet pavement

The girl with the cherries had no umbrella. As Luttrell passed her she unfolded an infinitesimal square of

handkerchief and laid it carefully over the big front bow of her hat. It left the cherries out In the rain, but with a quick glance around she sped up the sidewalk. Luttrell, taking long steps, reached her without effort “If you will let me,” he said, “I will hold miy umbrella over the cherries.” She looked up, startled. In the gloom she could not see his face, but there was no bint of disrespect In his voice, and her hat was new.

“Oh, If you will”— she said in a prim little way, and for a few minutes they walked on in silence. “We might talk,” Luttrell suggested, “about the weather. It’s a good conventional subject and won’t commit you to anything in the way of acquaintance.” The girl laughed at that. “I am not quite sure how to treat the situation You see. It’s a little unusual to let a man you don’t know walk home with you.” “Suppose we act as If we had known each other all our lives and say the things we would say under those circumstances.”

“Under those circumstances,” said the little clear voice In the dark. "I should say, ‘Goodness, what an awful night!’ ”

“And I should say,” was Luttrell’s grave response, “ ‘Little friend, why are you out so late alone?* ”

“Oh,” came flutteringiy, “I went to the library, and \frhen I came out it was almost dark and, to cap the climax, it rained.” “And your hat would have been ruined if fate had not kept me downtown late too. And it’s such a pretty hat." he added reflectively.

“Oh!” said the clear Uttle voice again, and then there was another silence. Far up the street under a corner lamp they could just discern a big man plodding along, weighted down by two umbrellas. “It’s my big brother,” said the little clear voice, and then timidly: “Would you mind—going on alone? Yon see, he might not understand my letting you—but my hat Is new—and”—

"I understand perfectly, 1 ’• Luttrell told her. “But big brothers are sometimes dense. I have a little sister myself, and I like to look after her pretty closely, and that’s why I looked after you.” He had gone Into the darkness before she could thank him. .But from the shadows he watched her fly along the Intervening-space and come up to her big brother. And he heard her say la that clear little voice: “It was so good of you to come after me. Bob.” And then they went along together through the driving storm, and Luttrell was left alone.

After that on bis way home frpm office he found himself looking fe/ tbe girl with the cherry hat But girls came and girls went, but never the right one, and so the months passed and tße winter came, and there were no cherries on any of the hats, and Luttrell gave up his quest in despair. But always he held in his heart the memory of the clear little voice that

ted talked to him so confidingly ta the darkness of the rainy autumn night One night he dropped into a fashion* able downtown restaurant for dinner, and at tbe next table were a big man and a girl in a drooping hat of pale blue. Her gown was of the same color, and around her neck she wore a collar of pearls. She was a vision of exquisiteness and there was about her a haunting quality that made Luttrell look at her more than once. Where had he seen her?

And even as he questioned the vision said In a clear little voice: “Bob, I do believe it is raining. If we go out, we will have to have a cab.”

It was the girl with the cherry hat No other had such a voice, and there was the wavy brown hair. And to the brilliant light he beheld clearly for the first time tbe gray eyes and the delicate pink and white of the oval face. Why, the little girl was a beauty! “You shall have two cabs if 'you wish,” be beard the big man say genially. “We wouldn’t want to christen that stunning gown with rain.”

At the sound of that big, booming voice Luttrell stared, and then he bridged tbe distance between the two tables and dropped his hand on the other man’s shoulder.

“Bob Raymond,” he said, “I thought I couldn’t be mistaken to the voice. But you’ve grown some, Bobble, since I used to pitch you off of the campus fence.” Raymond wrung his hand, beaming. “Sis,” he said to the vision in blue, “it’s Mark Luttrell. You’ve beard me tell about our college pranks. Mark, this is my kid sister.” She smiled up at Luttrell from under the brim of the broad hat. “Bob forgets that I am grown up,” she said, and Luttrell saw that as yet she had not recognized him as the man of the umbrella episode. “I remember your picture stood on Bob’s chiffonier,” he told her. “You wore your hair in pigtails, but you were awfully pretty, and I fell In love with you.”

“Oh!*’ she said, blushing “Sit down and have dinner with us,” Raymond insisted. “Felicia and I have the evening before us. It’s raining, so we might ns well stay here for awhile.” He turned to give an order to the waiter, and Luttrell leaned toward Felicia.

“If you will let me,” he said, “1 will hold my umbrella over the cherries.”

There was dead silence for a moment, and then she whispered nervously: “Oh, you are the man! Oh, what did yon think of me?” “I wished that I might hold an umbrella over you for the rest of my life,” he said fervently. Her dimples came out in full force. “I am afraid yon would get awfully tired,” she said, but her eyes drooped before bis glance. “Come up and see us,” Bob said that night as they parted. “On one condition,” said Luttrell as he held the fur lined wrap for the vision In blue, “that you let me fall In love with your sister.” “Felicia?” Raymond scoffed. “She’s nothing but a kid.”

“I am old enough to know my own mind. Bob,” said Felicia with spirit “And what Is your mind?” Luttrell asked as they went down the hall together. Her eyelashes swept her cheeks and hid her eyes. “I don’t know,” she Bald demurely. “Perhaps—perhaps you had better come—and find out.”

“IT’S MY BIG BROTHER." SAID THE LITTLE CLEAR VOICE.