The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1893-11-09
A BACK-GARDEN STORY.

DlSlnGereSCed E.aQ6rS may cOnSiQer
my narrative unexciting and fiat; I
don't. Suppose, to start with, you
loved dear girl-wait, though! per-
haps a lady is reading this, and my
exordium is wasted. I'd better begin
again and tell my tale IN proper FORM
l, Julius Brown, loved Euphemia
Slurker, and my passion was reclpro-
Gated. Personally regard Brown"
as q superior name to 'fSlurker,"
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. entertained
towards him-certalnly did his best,
or worst, to check all correspondence
between Euphemia and myself, and
actually dismissed the one friend /
had, the housemaid, who had heart
that could feel for another, being ten
derby inclined to the baker, and con-
veyed notes for me artfully concealed
amongst the household loaVes or
sandwiched in q 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
for us to meet must be attempted.
Would [ 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 a 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
atteml t; it was our only hope. l did
make it; and here my exciting adven-
ture begins. Let me describe Slurker's
house. 1t was q detached mansion,
very tall and very thin-as if it had
outgrown its strength land had q
depressed roof over the attics, which
gave the effect OF its having it's hat
knocked over it's eyes, represented by
the aforementioned attics. On the
left of the house was lane, leading to
ii news; on the right, short passageto
the slde-gate, where the trade3men
called, and, beyond this, another
stone passage giving upon the garden.
Oh, 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-groHnd of the former in
mates OF II private lunatic asylum.
Nothing else could have justified such
walls. There WASH t IL tree or a shrub
in his grass barrack-yard; it was the
abomination OF suburban desolation.
SIurker had no soul for flowers or TO-
liage; he gIoried in his contempt for
Natures beauties.
Oh, that terrible Friday nieht-the
month was January repaired to
Slurker's house! All was dark. SO
much the better. Erlphemia, faithful
to her promise, had unbolted the side
gate. and WIS within awaiting the
chance OF stepping out while Old
Slurker was engaged with his papers.
| pushed open the side-Gate, and,
on tip-toe, sneaked into the garden.
there to anxiously abide till Eu-
phemia could JOIN me. / never spent q
night i'll a catacomb, but | could real
ize such an experience and | Shivered
in Slurker' S Backyard; decline 10 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? | WAS speedily
to be enlightened. A step descending
the st air assured me; but only for an
instant. 1t was not Euphemia! 1t
was S!uker, coming ont to lock up the
side-gate.
"What the dickens" 1 heard him
roar to Edphemia, ''is this side-gate
left open Tor? Do you want all the
thieves in London to get in and muir
der the lot of us?"
| heard the cook-now the sole re-
manning servant-declare that she had
bolted the gate as usual; also heard
dear Euphemia's trembling tones ex-
pressing astonishment and well-coun-
terfeited alarm.
Bring me my hat?" bawled old
Slurker, land my stick"
Euphemia uttered little shrek. 1t
was all up with me. Slurker never
moved from the door till his hat and
stick were brought to him.
"Now," said he, "I'll just lock this
sIde-gate and pocket the key, and if
any william IS i'll 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 a |
few heavy snowfakes were beginning to
descend. l 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 !
briefinspection of the yard-though |
he actually passed within three feet of |
me-and hastily returning, roared to |