[Illustration: (Man with Umbrella)]
“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 just _hate_ to
carry an umbrella--_whoever_ invented 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.