""Yah, ze Umbrella," echoed the meerschaum, speaking very broken English.
"So they all welcomed me cordially, to my great relief; for I was beginning to feel dreadfully shy and awkward, not being accustomed to society. I endeavored to make myself agreeable, by describing to them the incident of the shower, at which they all laughed heartily.
"My thoughts frequently revert to the life I led in that delightful home, where I was surrounded by so many refinements. Alas! it was too soon brought to a close. My master made a journey; and, although I had not the least idea of it, I accompanied him. I was scarcely allowed time to look farewell at the various inmates of the room; the clock and canary chirping good-by in duet, and I was gone.
"I next found myself upon a large steamboat. Any thing more wretched than the night we pa.s.sed there, I cannot imagine. I rolled about in the most uncomfortable fashion, the lights bobbing up and down, the cabin floor rocking giddily, and my careless master took no heed to my safety.
"A tattered, rusty-looking man came prowling along, then, stooping over me, adroitly managed to drop a clumsy, cotton umbrella, and carry me off instead. What must have been my master"s disgust, when he discovered that horrid, faded thing, instead of my slim, genteel self!
"There was no help for it, because an umbrella cannot raise any outcry; so the thief took possession of me without struggle.
"We arrived in a large city; and I was carried ash.o.r.e by the rusty man, who made his way along many narrow, dirty streets, to a small dingy shop, which he entered. It was a musty, dark place, crowded with many strange articles of sale, from mended furniture, silver watches, odd crockery, and picture frames, to china vases, and silk pocket-handkerchiefs.
"Here, I was sold to the owner of the shop, a wrinkled, old man, with a white beard, who placed me in company with others of my cla.s.s in a rack.
At first I was too unhappy in my altered circ.u.mstances to attempt any conversation with those about me. The sun came peeping in the dust-stained window; and each stray, gilded beam seemed a blessing in that sad, gloomy place. How every thing brightened under the heavenly, glorifying touch! The wreaths of artificial flowers took the bright hues of life; and a gray parrot, in a battered cage, shook himself to peer about more cheerfully.
""How pleasant the sun is!" remarked the parrot. "If it only would shine here all day, as it does in my native India, instead of creeping away over the roofs so soon, leaving us chill and dark again!"
"Then I inquired, "You have not lived here always?"
""I should rather think not," retorted the parrot, sharply. "Do you take me for a common bird, sir? I belonged to one of the best families at home; only it was my misfortune to be caught by a sailor, who brought me over the seas to this great city, when he was taken ill, poor fellow, and died. I heard him say I was to be a present for his sweetheart up in the country; but I never saw her, because the lodging-house woman sold me, with the rest of the sailor"s effects, to the old Jew here."
""As to that," said a rosewood arm-chair, with a faded cover, "I once adorned a magnificent drawing-room myself."
"" And we," sighed a wreath of artificial roses, "once nestled among the curls of beauty."
""I was stolen," said an alabaster vase, standing in graceful purity among the surrounding common objects.
""I was, also," echoed a velvet portmonnaie, an ivory fan, and a crystal perfume-bottle, with silver top.
"Then with the parrot for conductor, holding a bit of straw in his left claw, as the leader of an orchestra wields his baton, they all commenced a song, the words of which were composed by the ivory fan, and set to music by the parrot.
"Our varnish is cracked, Our colors are worn, In this den we are packed, All our glory is gone.
_Chorus_. We have seen better days, Tra, la, la, tra, la, la."
"The parrot was so much affected by this sad yet beautiful composition, that he shed tears.
"Just then the old Jew shopkeeper came to show the bird to a purchaser, but the parrot was most obstinate. He would not move or speak, although coaxed and even threatened to do so. The customer turned away, saying,--
""What a stupid bird! he does not speak a word."
"This touched our friend"s pride, who c.o.c.ked his head over his shoulder, and replied,--
""I think the more."
"The customer was so much delighted, that he at once bought the parrot, who departed in triumph.
""I spoke because I thought I could not do worse than stay here," he remarked, with a sage nod of the head.
"Soon after, a little beggar-boy peeped into the door, and, as I stood near by, seized me. He did not know what to do with me; so, after riding on me as a hobby horse a while, he exchanged me with a larger boy for a green apple. It is said the wheel of fortune constantly revolves; and, if such is the case, my luck must have been very low just then. I was knocked about from one person to another. Now it was a boot-black owned me, now it was a news-vender, or perhaps for a s.p.a.ce I belonged to a street sweep. At last I was taken from this miserable existence in the most curious way.
"I tumbled out of the window in an attic where I had been carelessly left, and crashed down upon the pavement. I was severely injured in my whalebone parts, yet my ivory handle remained unbroken. For a long while I lay unnoticed; then an old lady, carrying a shawl and carpet-bag upon her arm, came along to rescue me. She took me a journey in the cars, and at last I saw the fresh, smiling country once more.
"The old lady lived in a pretty cottage, surrounded by a pleasant garden, where the tulips and lilies nodded in the breeze all day long.
The old lady was thrifty, so she had my ribs mended by some village tinker; but it was not well done, which accounts for the loss of my fine figure.
"It was a delightful home,--every thing was so neat about it; and I should have been contented to remain there all my life, had I been consulted.
"The old lady"s nephew came home from school for a holiday; and, after shocking our nerves in that quiet spot a week, he departed again, in a rain-storm. The good aunt insisted upon my being made use of, although the young master did not wish it at all. When the rain ceased, he carelessly threw me out by the road-side,--then drove on to his destination.
"I remained in the ditch several days, all soaked and muddy as you now see me. Finally the peddler, who is stopping here to-night, discovered me, while he was driving his wagon slowly along, and raised me from my lowly position.
"I do not know where I may go next," said the Umbrella, mournfully. "We are all born, but we are not all dead, you know."
"A new thought, certainly," remarked the Kettle, drowsily. "Follow an umbrella from the cradle to the grave."
It was now time for the Wasp to distinguish himself.
"I can repeat something, in the fairy-tale style, which was told me by Mother Carey"s chicken, when we were waiting for the nestling to grow strong enough for us to make our journey. It is:--
THE G.o.dMOTHER"S GIFTS.
"On the edge of the wood there once lived a poor woman, and her three children. On the opposite bank of the broad clear river rose the king"s palace of marble, with a flag floating proudly from the battlements; but the poor woman"s children never had crossed the river, or dared to venture into the magnificent gardens which surrounded the royal residence. Ah, no! they were too poor for that.
"This made the widow"s heart very heavy at times, when she watched the setting sun gild the arched dome, and silken pennant, or make the lofty windows flash in a thousand glittering sparkles of light, in answer to his golden beams.
""My children are as handsome and good as any that visit there," she said to herself. Yes, even as brave as the king"s son and daughters themselves, no doubt; yet I can never earn enough to give them fine clothes, so they just have to stay alone in the woods. To-morrow is the great festival, when all are at liberty to bring some curiosity, for which they will receive a prize, if it prove the most worthy, from his majesty. What have my little ones to display?"
"She called them to her and said,--
""A distant relation of your father"s, who is a fairy, was present at your birth, my dears. Perhaps she may visit you again, sometime; so if any person should call in my absence, treat them very politely. Remember that fairies are easily vexed."
"Soon after the mother departed to the mill, and the children seated themselves under a large tree to enjoy their breakfast of brown bread and milk.
"Across the water the king"s children, all glistening in jewels and embroidery, were plucking fruit from the laden boughs, or tossing flowers to one another in fragrant showers.
""What fun that must be!" exclaimed the poor woman"s son Small, his little round face dimpled with laughter. "I should like to marry the princess in a blue scarf."
""She is not so handsome as her sister with the red net over her black curls," said the older brother, Perke.
""For my part, the young prince seems perfection," added Elfie.
"At this they all laughed together, and finished the brown bread. A black hawk paused on outspread wings in the air, and dropped a large gold ring from his beak, which fell to the ground near the children.
Before they could stoop to touch it, from within the circle sprang three tulips, rising on slender, enamelled stalks, their gorgeous variegated buds closed.