The Princeton union., 1892-01-07
a BACK GARDEN STORY.

my narrative unexciting and fiat; I
don't. Suppose, to start with, you
loved q dear girl--wait, though! per-
haps lady is reading this, and my
exordlum is wasted. I'd better begin
again and tell my tale in proper form.
IL, julius Brown, loved Euphemia
Slurker, and my passion was reclpro-
Gated. Personally regard 'tBrown"
as a superior name to 'sSlurker,' .
and wished Euphemia to adopt the
monosyllabic title. Between ourselves
this had been agreed upon, but old
Slurker didn't see tat least, he
| didn't see it then; he does now.
Old Slurker-I speak of him now
with the sentiments which, at the
| time OF my adventure, I entertained
towards him-certainly did his best,
or worst, to check all correspondence
between Euphemia and myself and
actually dismissed the one friend 1
had, the housemaid, who had heart
that could feel for another, being ten
derly inclined to the baker, and con-
| Veyed notes for me artfully concealed
amongst the household loayes or
sandwlched in a muffin.
The dismissal of the amiable house
maid, however, really led to my union
with Euphemia, after an adventure,
now to be related, of thrilling results
to me. A note from Euphemia,
brought to me faithfully by the exiled
domestic, informed me that, as all
communication was cut off between us
owing to James exit, some strategem
1or 1or us to meet must be attempted
Would L venture, if she left the side
gate open that night, to conceal my
self in the back: garden, where, on the
pretext of taking the air for few
minutes, she would join me, and
while old Slurker was engrossed with
the evening paper, convey to me her
plans for the future?
She relied upon my making the
attemrt; it was our only hope. 1 did
make it; and here my exciting adven-
ture begins. Let me describe Slurker's S
house. It was detached mansion,
very tall and very thin-as if it had
outgroWn its strength,-and had a
depressed roof over the attics, which
gave the effect of it's having it's hat
Knocked over it's eyes, represented by
the aforementioned attics. On the
lett OF the house was alane, leading to
a news; on the right, a short passage to
the slde-gate, where the tradesmen
called, and, beyond this, another
stone passage giving upon the garden.
on, that garden and if it comes to
that, oh, that side-gate! The latter
was at least eleven feet high, and was
surmounted by a chevaux- -de-frise of
uncompromising spikes. The former
was grassed all over, and surrounded
by lofty walls, utterly unscalable.
My impression is that it had been the
exercising of the former in
mates OF a private lunatic asylum.
Nothing else could have justified such
walls. There wasn't tree or a shrub
IN this grass barrack-yard; it was the
abomination Of suburban desolation.
Slurker had no soul for flowers or TO-
liage; he gloried in his contempt for
| Natures beauties.
Oh, that terrible Friday night-the
month was January-I repaired to
Siurker's house! All was dark. So
much the better. Euphemia, faithful
to her promise, had unbolted the side
gate: and was within awaiting the
chance OF stepping out while Old
Slurker was engaged with his papers.
L pushed open the side-gate and,
on tlp-tOe, sneaked into the garden,
there to anxiously abide till Eu-
phemla could join me. never spent a
night in catacomb, but could real
lie such an experience and I shivered
III Slurker's backyard; 1 decline to re-
gard i. as a garden" Nine o'clock
! struck. 1t was the hour Euphemia
had named for the rendezvous. Would
she, could she come? I was speedily
to be enlightened. A step descending
the stair assured me; but only for an
Instant: 1t was not Euphemia! It
was Sluker, coming out to lock up the
side-gate.
"What the dickens" I heard him
roar to Euphemia, ''is this side-gate
left open for? Do you want all the
thieves in London to get in and mur-
der the lot of us?"
heard the cook-now the sole re-
manning servant-declare that she had
bolted the gate as usual; I also heard
dear Euphemia's trembling tones ex-
pressing astonishment and well-coun-
terfeited alarm.
'Bring me my hat?" bawled old
Slurker, "and my stick"
Euphemia uttered a little shrek. 1t
was all up with me. Slurker never
moved from the door till his hat and
stick were brought to him.
s'Now," said he, "I'll just lock this
slde-gate and pocket the key, and If
any william is in the garden-why he's
just trapped like rat"
And he did lock the side-gate, and
entered the garden. 1t was-thank
goodness-nearly pitch dark, and
few heavy snowfakes were beg gining to
descend. I jammed mysely up into
the remotest angle of the back wall,
and waited my detection. Old Slurker,
being neither too brave nor attached
to discomfort, contented himself with
a briefinspection of the yard-though
he actually passed within three feet of
me-and hastily returning roared to
Euphemia and the cook to retire.
"If the post comes, it'll come to the