The Umbrella-Mender

Beatrice Harraden (1864-1936) was a British writer and suffragette. 'The Umbrella-Mender' is a disturbing tale about an eccentric man who runs a repair shop for umbrellas. One evening he is surprised by a knock at the door. Outside is a man who tells the umbrella-mender that his son is on his deathbed and wishes to see his father. The umbrella-mender sets off at once with the stranger. In the course of their conversation on the journey, the stranger explains that he himself has murdered the umbrella-mender's son. The tension between the two men and the need for revenge, atonement and closure form the rest of the story, which has multiple twists and surprises. Public Domain (P)2016 Red Door Audiobooks