Show chamberlains umbrella the truth at last we in this country who do not make a practice of carrying an umbrella on all occasions have been somewhat puzzled about mr chamberlain s famous rain stick there must be some sinister secret behind it we feel to enlighten us a british correspondent reveals the following facts I 1 mr chamberlain chamberlains s umbrella is actually a sword stick that is to say the handle can be pulled out and a thin rapier withdrawn from the stem mr chamberlain is an expert fencer the ribs of the umbrella can be removed and expanded at a moment s notice into a wire entanglement behind which mr chamberlain could take cover if charged by cavalry the cover can quickly be converted into a sandbag and used either for a firing rest for the elbow a pillow when sleeping on the veldt or as a rifle rest dangling from the umbrellas middle is a black tassel in which messages may be hidden and dropped from an airplane when I 1 all other communications fail we americans have a reputation for believing many things but we doubt if we can swallow this one I 1 |