The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1881-05-07
A NARROW ESCAPE.

1t was dreadfully dull at Elderbush
Farm. Mr.. Poyntz had hired the farm
for six months.
eff my girls are SO bewitched after the
seaside, said he, land the country, I'll
try and give 'em enough of it p
Elderbush Farm was in the real estate
market at low rate, and Mr.. Poyntz
engaged it, ready-furnished, with gard
ener, COW, and the pony phaeton, with
a blind pony thrown in.
Mrs. Poyntz and the girls, however
such is the perversity of human nature
did not seem pleased when they heard
Of the bargain which had been driven.
s'But, pa" said Miss Imogen, "we
didn't mean a one-storied house in a
swamp of salt marshesl We meant Cape
May, or Atlantic City, or else that dear,
picturesque Delaware Water Gap"
''There's no society here" sobbed
Alexia, the second daughter, blooming
girl just out of boarding school.
Nothing going on, said Mrs. Poyntz,
a stout matron, who did a great deal Of
parish work, and belonged to at least a
dozen leagues, societies" and "com-
munities," in the city.
"You can make butter and cheese"
said Mr.. Poyntz, who had discovered the
remains of an ancient barrel-chrrn in the
cellar. "And there is the ocean view,
and the pony, and the new row of board
ing houses just around the Point"
cts all very well for papa, said Imo-
gen. "He can go up to town every day.
But we shall be bored to death down in
this wilderness p
Unfortunately, however, there was no
appeal from the paternal dictum, and
the Misses Poyntz took to drawing in
water-colors, walking, and boating in a
venerable skiff which they found at the
back of the barn, while their mother en-
deayored to modernize the house with
Eastlake chintzes, muslin draperies and
home made lambrequins.
One day, Israel, the hired man, came
in.
sHeard the news 2" said Israel, who
was one of those free-and-equal sons of
the republic who never dream of the
wide social gulf that exists between en-
ployer and employe.
mo" said Miss Alexia, who was re-
duced by circumstances to be glad even
of gossip with "hired man." "What
news? I didn't know they ever had
any news in this benighted region"
"Once in awhile" said Israel, with a
chuckle. 'Mis' Parker's got new board
era poetess, from Philadelfy. P'raps
you've heard of her-Miss Emily Eglan-
tine ?"
Alexia and Imogen clasped their hands
enthusiastically. They were both in
clined to be literary.
''Heard of her ?" cried they. "Why
we know all her delicious poems by
heart. We've read them in the Trans
ceaade,stal Weekly ever since we can re-
member. Miss Byzantine! 1t has been
the dream of our ifetimes to see her,"
Israel chewed straw, rehectively.
81 read some pretty verses once that
she writ" said he. II do suppose, now,
it's quite an art to sling rhymes together.
/ never could do it, I know"
"But what is she like ?" impatiently
cried Alexia. 'sTall, slender and will
owy, with"
II only seen her trunks, said Israel
two on marked 'E. E.'-wltl
canvas covers on; big enough for smoke.
houses. I guess Mis- Parker had iol-
ly old time, gettin' 'em up the crooked
staircase. Pete Haw]ey, the express
man. he told me about it.
And he went out to harness the ole
pony, to bring Mr.. Poyntz from The sta
ton: