The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-20

service as gardener, surely had right
to presume you would obey my COM
mands without argument"
Gubbins reclined on his spade.
whats the good of being man If l
bain't to argey?" he inquired. "When
you says, 'Rear-rank man dress up /
bain't going to dress up. My. working
clothes is good enough for me any week.
day"
Overcome by such Grass ignorance,
Captain Doubleday became purple with
apoplectic rage, but the sight of Miss
Priscilla's curls at the door of the semi
detached cottage Gained him at once.
He bowed gallantly in her direction
and turned towards Gubbins and the
boy.
Attention.! Stand at ease! Break
up, and NOW the lawn" he shouted.
Gubbins interpreted the command
literally. and began to break mp the
lawn until somewhat roughly restrained
by the captain, when he grumblingly
went away to his tool shed breathing
threats Of sanguinary vengeance on
"Old Nasty Particular"
Thus left triumphant on the battle
field, the captain, lightly carrying his
cane, proceeded to demolish a dande-
lion which had had the impertinence
to poke itself up through the lawn.
Then he watched his prim rows Of
plants with an air Of delight which van
ished as soon as he perceived a weed in
the path. He removed the weed. ground
down the gravel with his boot brought
q small roller, and carefully rolled the
path.
Anyone gazing into "Old Nasty Par
ticular's" garden would have imagined
that he was playing game OF chess
with the plants, or else conducting
series Of military maneuvers with sun
flowers for sentries and hollyhocks for
forces. All the snapdragons were sci
entifically reduced to an exact height,
and every stately lily and sunfiower
supported by long stick painted green.
which was driven in at the same level,
and at exactly the same distance from
precisely similar one. The borders
of this little garden were regulated
with prim precision. 1t had no pleasant
luxuriance Of blossom, but each plant
was permitted to put forth flowers of
certain number and any criminal pro-
digality on its part sternly cut short by
the ever-vigilant captain. His foes IN
the village aid that "Old Nasty Par
ticular" would have fixed the visiting
hours for the bees and butterflies, and
put up q notice-board forbidding them
to enter the garden at unauthorized
timesoad such u proceeding been feas-
ible.
He detested cats and dogs in the gar
den. His only familiar was a fat,
bloated old toad which hoped out from
hole in the bank and waited with
widely-opened mouth until needless flies
and bluebottles hurriedly blundered in.
Gubbins gravely declared that the
captain was accustomed to time the
toad's morning meal, and drive him
back into his hole when he had pro-
visioned himself for the day. "Old
Nasty Particulars" movements We're
safeguarded in the same style. He
seemed to be under the impression that
surprise parties of sanguinary foes
were accommodating in force, and that
unless he exercised perpetual vigil
lance he would be pursued, taken pris-
oner and rushed off to some UNDER
ground dungeon, there to pine in vain
for ransom. He had been but a month
in the village before he managed to
move 1t to internecine quarrels, owing
to his desire to reorganize everything
and everybody on a really military
basis. The village boys became up
roarious with delight when in a rash
moment the vicar permitted the cap
tain to drill them. The captains ad-
dress to the boys was brief. "Now boys"
he beloved, England is great coun-
try. and has to fight to maintain her.
self by force; If you don't learn to fight,
you'll find your country go to the dogs.
Ill teach you the rudiments. and then
you must look after yourselves. Who
ever fights his country's foes Is q credit
to that country"
Delighted with this address, the
school divided itself into two camps
one Chinese, the other Japanese; in
their first pitched battle, however, the
former were defeated with great
slaughter and driven to seek the shell
ter Of Poulter's plantation until forced
to capitulate.
When the vicar learnt the news, he
feared that he had let loose firebrand
among his peaceful villagers; but there
was nothing more to be done except
entreat the captain to tone down his
martial zeal.
"1'he Citadel" as the captain had
named his cottage. was semi detached
dwelling divided by a long iron rail from
Miss Priscilla 0resne's. Miss Priscilla,