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

"NOW YOU DASHED DONKEY,
TAKE OUT THOSE DAHLIAS."
confusion, and leave them so until 1t was
with difficulty that the captain could
restrain himself from jumping over the
low iron rail. However, the captains
opportunity came when 1t occurred to
Miss Priscilla that If he was not afraid
OF Gen. Crook he certainly could not
fear Gubbins. There was something in
the orderly array of the captains gar
den which appealed to her very strongly.
She was not methodical herself, but ex-
planned to the captain that although she
had not had the advantages of military
training she could properly appreciate
them In others. In fact, the poor lady
dwelt upon her own deficiencies until
she aroused a feeling Of ardent chivalry
In the captains sympathetic bosom.
II think. Captain Doubleday" she re-
marked. 1T would do Gubbins good if
you We're kind enough to gently reason
with him as to his obstinacy. For in
stance. I preferred to have a rose bush
in that center bed: Gubbins replaced 1t
with dahlias. When requested him to
renew the parsley, he grunted and
planted onions''
Now, Captain Doubleday" continued
poor Miss Priscilla, II don't think that
onions are either becoming or ladylike
vegetable, and I should be so much
obliged to you if you could convince
Gubbins that they are far more appro-
pirate in his parish allotment than in
my garden
The captain kissed Miss Priscilla's s
hand.
Say the word, my dear madam" he
replied. land I'll run Gubbins through
the body and fling him to the dogs, al
though don't believe a self-respecting
dog would have anything to do with
him."
Womanlike, Miss Priscilla was fright
ened by the tempest she had awakened.
II think had rather go out" she said,
"while you argue with Gubbins
TT would be better" said the captain,
with a smile which meant mischief, al
though Miss Priscilla did not guess it.
AS soon as Miss Priscilla was we'll
the railing with the agility Of a gray
hound. His method of argument with
Gubbins consisted in grasping him by
the neckcloth until the gardener be-
came purple.
Nov you dashed donkey, take out
those dahlias."
Frantic with fear, Gubbins took out
the dahlias.
Now" said the captain, plant the
rose bush in the same bed"
With celerity not to be expected
from his years, Gubbins dug up the rose
bush and placed 1t in the middle bed, al
though it was not the right season to
move 1t.
Now" said the captain. ito the onion
bed, you muddle-headed, dahlia- dig
ging, public house haunting, shilling
seeking scoundrel."
Gubbins' mode of progression to the
profaned parsley bed could hardly be
called triumphal one inasmuch as 1t
consisted of a startled shuttle thither.
He did not even wait for an order to
destroy the onions, but dug them up
with a willingness he had not displayed
for years. The captain stood over him
until the parsley blossomed in the will
derness, as 1t were.
BE l to take my orders from you?"
grumpily asked Gubbins, as he con.
cluded his task.
"You be-" ungrammatically growled
the captain; land when I give an order
and 1t isn't obeyed, somebody suffers.
If you presume to annoy Miss Priscilla
again. I'll make q rack myself and
stretch you on It,"
He vaulted back again into his own
grounds, leaving Gubbins palsied with
terror. Thus it came to pass that in a
short time Miss Priscilla's part of the
garden exactly resembled the captains.
The dragons mouths" and dahlias,
chrysanthemums and cornflowers, were
all ranged in precisely the same order,
tied with similar little painted
sticks, and any wanton originality on
their part IN the way of blossom sternly
repressed. In fact, 1t was remark of
the wears about this similarity be-
tween the gardens which set the captain
thinking very seriously indeed.
II don't see why" the vicar declared,
"you hould not knock down that alb
surd partition, and turn 1t into one
homogeneous whole"
The word homogeneous" frightened
the captain. He also understood that
the vicar thought people were begin
ming to talk about his attentions to Miss
Priscilla. With customary impetuosity,
the captain went blue with anger, and
abruptly turned away with a muttered
anathema on people who would not
mind their own business.
Miss Priscilla (she looked very placid
and peacefully was taking tea on the
lawn under a weeping willow, which de-
fed even the captains training to con-
vert 1t into the exact semblance of an
open umbrella.
During the last month 1t had uncon-
sciously been agreed between them that
the taking tea In the open air together
did not involve any impropriety on
their part, and that a chaperone was
unnecessary. The captain, indeed, with
the courtesy Of an old campaigner, had
pressed Miss Priscilla to take tea with
him In his garden, but for several rea-
sons Miss Priscilla felt this to be in
expedient. In the first place, she did
not approve Of the captains method of
making tea; there was military