The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-08-04

u0S 0AAN AsH A0S0 . 4AOy 81
is there no room?" inquired one Of the
sweetest ysices ever heard in my life.
Plenty of room, Miss. Legs down.
cried the conductor.
Then a bonnet appeared, with one Of the
most lovely faces in it you can imagine, and
q look of tender appeal upon it, and finding
the bell full of legs-which it was impos-
sAble to resist. sided nearer towards the
page, in whom had some sort Of conf
dcnce, and made room for this Charming
creature on my left hand. It was before
the days of crinoline, but she wore some
gauzy garment which, as she took her seat,
flowed over all the others, and seemed to
leave her alone with me and the page who,
except as scientific assistant, I considered
as nobody.
Is there any danger" asked she in soft
low tones, and putting her hand upon mine
in order to steady herself, for she had very
little to sit upon. Il almost regret that I
ventured to come.
Oh, say not 50, returned I. "Hold on
to nae. You may squeeze my hand as tight
as you please; that is the only way to keep
yousef from falling"
Even in that dim bottle green light, 1 saw
a lovely blush steal over her damask check,
but she did take hold of my hand, and held
it pretty tight, too.
What an oppression feel about my
foreheadP observed she, my brain seems
on fire."
$50 does mine, my dear young lady" re-
piled ]. "and my heart goes pit-a-pat, pit
a-pat."
$50 does mine, said she. II am told
the phenomenon happens in all these sub
marine excursions"
why, we amt off yet," observed the
page, contemporary who had been (most
unjustifably) listening to our conversation.
should perhaps have rebuked him, but at
that moment the awful bell swung out
from terra frnoa and we beheld beneath us
the cool and treacherous wave.
"What terrible situation!" calculated
my fair companion.
"Not altogether" returned I, with pres
sure of the fingers.
''We are leaving all behind us-or at
least above US, added she, for even in that
awful moment her native correctness did
not desert her? Heaven preserve us, what
vas that?'
A cannon appeared to have gone off i'm
mediately outside my eye, and then it went
on firing salute-and didn't stop then.
I trembled like an aspen-leaf. but not SO
much as the beautiful being who relied up
on me for succor. We leaned up against
one another for mutual support. With my
left arm I mechanically encircled her waist,
with my right hand I grasped half dozen
of the pages buttons. On one side of me
was Poetry; on the other. Science.
What are those dreadful guns?" inquir-
ed the young lady.
"Guns!" cried the page, laughing.
That's only the tinpaniem of your ear a
hy1ok III =
and the top of your'ed will like to fly off, as
tom. Acomin' up, you'll like it better"
"Dear GIRL" whispered I, in tones OF
comfort, you will find it some relief to Law
your head upon my shoulder"
She did SO, and caught her broken
tones inquiring what was that dreadful
thing that kept beating against the bell, as
though it wanted to get in among US.
II hope and trust, my good boy" said
she, addressing the page with sudden ami
nation, "that it is not that electrical
cell"
do believe, if had not had fast hold
of that boy by his buttons, that he would
have fallen off his seat into the water, in q
paroxysm of mirth, and left US without any
protector.
"Lor' bless ye, MISS" replied he, when
he got breath enough to do SO, CHATS the
beating of the hair pump, that is if that
was to stop for arr minute, it would be
all Hockey with us in this ERE bell"
"Hookey!" CALCULATED the terrified young
creature. ''What dreadful language he
does use. You haven't got waterproof
coat on, have you, sir?.'
I trembled as the dear girl made this ex-
traordinary inquiry, for thought that ter
ror was depriving her of reason. Gould
she imagine that an overcoat would save
us ever so many fathoms under water as We
now were?
ALAS, MOI" said I, thinking it best to hu.
NOR her. Il left my waterproof coat above
and also my umbrella
Il asked, returned she, because I seem
to breath nothing else but India.rubber."
Perhaps it was this peculiar atmosphere
which erased her words, as it were as soon
as she had uttered them, that compelled me
to keep my cheek right close to hers, to
catch the precious tones.
''They pump the air through India-rub-
Der tubes" answered.
"How wise you are, ;, said she admiringly
allow nice it must be to knew everything
Every nice, please, to tell me, therefore
what name you bear in the upper world.
have read of sirens and mermaids. s'How
dare you touch that lady's dress?" cried I,
with excessive indignation, as the scientific
page made sudden snatch at her petit
coats.
They was a-gettin' into the water. that's
why" returned the youth, with sulkiness.
Don't you 60 a-hollerin' at me. It's my
duty to take care Of all as come down here,
and / have my orders about their petit
coats"
''My poor boy" said I, ''here is half a
crown for you, am sorry talked 80 loud
because water conducts sound with great
facility, and they may have heard me ur
above. All that passes among ourselves
here shonld be respected, as being of 8
private nature"
Mum is the word" observed the page
| and he winked with an air of supernatura
and submarine cunning at the unconscious
Charlotte Elizabeth for it is needless t
say that the enchanting young mermaide1
| was she.
Almost Immediately afterwards We beRa1
to ascend; every instant the guns fred will
less distinctness, and we became more Xix.
our usual selves. Butduring the few min
utes that we had been immersed, had ex
perienced a complete metamorphosis-l
had suffered a sea change into something
/