Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-08-14
Seltfted &sisttllgau.
UNCLE BUNCE.


He shall never have penny" stormed
Uncle Bunce 81 will cut him off with
shilling"
My dear Bunce,' said !, "yOu have
already contradicted yourself in first de-
nying him a penny, aud then promising
him twelve. Inever heard you contradict
yourself although often other people, eX-
cept when in passion, and that is not the
frame OF mind in which to SIT down to
alter your will"
"Mind your own business, sir, and leave
me to manage mine" was the prompt and
severe rejoinder.
"Your business is mine, Nicholas con-
tinued | quietly, since we are part
ners. We have been friends, boy and
man, for these forty years, and l am
not going to permit you to quarrel with
me-"
"Who wants to quarrel" said Uncle
Bunce, peevishly.
"Well, don't; but would rather even
that should happen, than that my old
as to condemn young fellow, who has
no other relation in the world, unheard
your own sisters son, George l am
ashamed Of you'll"
"Unneard? Pack of nonsense" sput-
tered the old fellow. "The things as
plain as the nose on your face"
THANK you," said l. However, you
may say as offensive things. as you please
about my nose only don't be unjust to
Charley" tt@
al am not unjust. The facts are these {:
l had adopted that boy, and meant to treat
him as my own son. He has disgraced
himself by betting on public racecourse
a sum he had no honest means of paying
if he lOst-a gambler, sir, and cheat,
that's what he's proved himself; and I'll
have nothing more to do with him"
"You had better inquire into the matter
n little further, Mr.. Bruce" said I, with
some distinctness of manner; for l liked
Charley upon his own account, as well as
because he was the only relative of my
friend and partner, one of the most sound
hearted and grossly preiudiced men with
in a mile of the Royal Exchange.
"There is nothing to be inquired about
Mr.. Coe. Even if my late nephew" Gt
was Just like what his flatterers called his
"stern determination to use that phrase /;
Just like his internal obstinacy," say)
-"yes, sir, even if my late nephew had
had the fifty pounds to pay, which l am
sure he had not, would disinherit him for
betting it; and even if he didn't bet, he
was on the rdcecourse, and that is place
no nephew of mine should show his face
and remain my heir. There is a letter
from our Vienna correspondent which re-
quires your immediate attention, Mr.. Coe."
And with that, Uncle Bunce withdrew
himself into the glass case that is his
peculiar sanctum at our office, and slammed
the door behind him.
Our firm was Bunce and Coe, and there
had been no other member of it, save us
two, for tiyeand-twenty years. We were
no relatives (though perhaps not less fast
friends upon that accOunD but l called
him Uncle Bunce because Charley did,
who, until that unlucky Derby day, had
been as great favorite of his as of mine
aud here were the young fellows prospects
blighted, and the old mans affections left
without any human trellis-work to cling
to, all because some il-natuTed busybody
who knew Nicholas Bunce's hatred of the
turf, had told him that Charley Thornton
had bet fifty pounds to ten against Pdt'
nyrd for the Derby, on EPSON Downs,
/ had no greater love for racing, mol
perhaps for Charley, than Nicholas had
but could make a little more allowance
for the follies of youth and when founC
myself crossed, or even disobeyed, all the
milk of human kindness within me die
not instantly turn sour, as it had done il
Uncle Runce's dairy, with the sad effect
have described He had gone straight Il
Charley upon the information received
and said "Did you go down to Epson
Downs, sir, and bet fifty pounds to tel
pounds against race-horse Answer me
Yes or No." And Charley-for tn,
boy could not have told lie if he haC
tried-had answered: eyes, Uncle y; ant
there the matter ended.
So, now, being convinced that Uncl
Bunce was as inflexible as the iron il
which he dealt, in his resolve to make NJ
further inquiry into the matter, deter
mined TO make it myself for both thei
sakes. l was not very hopeful as to tn
result of the Investigation, but still
thought their might be some mitigatinl
circumstances, the fact ss it stoo'
looked blacker, it seemed TO me, than
ought to do, from what ] knew of th
Young fellow. He was not the sort of
lad to leave his duties (he was a clerk in
government oiiice) for scene which h
knew was especially dlstasteful to hi
uncle and guardian and there risk upon
single event sum that was equal to
third of his whole income. Uncle Bunc
and /, it was true, perued a great dea
more than that proportion oi 0u propert
in Operations" IN iron, but lhat was a
in the way of business, and il was upO
business habits that Che old gentloma
prided himself and for which he lookeC
first of all, in others, That Charlie
should have shir1ed his work at the Swor
and Gun Ohlce for days pleasure was
sin OF itself almost INCAPABLE IN h
unole's eyes but that he shomd hay
spent that day ON Il racecourse, and thel
betted fifty pounds.-the more l looked
the whole matter, in fact, the worse Il al
peared for my young friend and ellen
and the less did | wonder at the lines upo
Uncle Bunees forehead as he sat in h
cucumber-tfane'-oqt by no meansas co
up 50 sharp that they tremble1 70 appFOat
MS deu.