About UmbrellasAbout Umbrellas
Man with Umbrella
I
“IT’S raining, Billy,” called Mother from upstairs, “take your umbrella when you go to school.”
“O Mother,please” said the boy named Billy, “I justhateto carry an umbrella—whoeverinvented the old things anyway?”
“I guess old Mr. Toad invented the idea when he hunched under the first toadstool; and next after him was an honorable Chinese gentleman who got his idea from the branches of the umbrella tree.
“In olden times no one but those of royal family were allowed to use the umbrella, and then only as a protection from the sun, as they were made only of the daintiest silks and brocades, and even of rice paper,” said Somebody.
“It did not seem to occur to anyone that it could be used as a protection against the rain until early in the eighteenth century, when it was introduced in England. Even then people hesitated to use it on account of the ridicule it called forth.”
“So you see,” said the boy named Billy, “I’ve got a good right not to like to carry one.”
“M-m—yes,” said Somebody. “Only you will observe, that as soon as people began to really realize what a very sensible article it was and how much it saved them in the way of spoiled clothes, not to mention damp shoulders, of course they didn’t mind at all what a few foolish ones thought who did not know a good thing when they saw it.”
“Time for school, Billy,” called Mother, “and never mind taking your umbrella—the rain is over.”
“Oh, goody!” exclaimed the boy named Billy.