The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-08-16
UNCLs BUNC e.


your will" :
Mind your own business, sir, and leave me 10
manage nine" was the prompt and severe re.
joiDder.
Your business is mine Nicholas CONTINUED
|, quietly, " since we are partners. We have
been friends, boy and man. for these forty years
and | am not going 10 permit you to quarrel with
who wants to quarrel?" said Uncle Bunce,
peevishly.
"well, Idon't; but would rather even that
should happen than that my old friend should do
himself such an injustice as to condemn young
fellow, who has no other relation in the world,
nnheaId; your own sisters son, George; 1 am
ashamed Of you'll" ...........,-.-
{" ULheard! Pack of nonsense" sputtered the
old fellow, 1.-The things as plain as the nose on
your face"
Thank you" said 1. However, you'may say
as offensive things as you please about my nose,
only don't be unjust to Charley"
" i am not unjust. The facts are these !
had adopted that boy and meant to treat him as
ny own son. He has disgraced himself by bet
ting on public race.cOurse sum he bad no
honest means Of paying if he lost-a gambler,
sir, and cheat; that's what he's proved himsel IL,
and III have nothing more to do with him."
You had better inquire into the matter a little
further, Mr.. Bunce," said ], with some distinct
LESS Of manner for liked Charley upon his own
account, as well as because he was the only rela
| tive of my friend and partner, one Of the most
| sound hearted and grossly prejudiced men within
q mile of the Royal Exchange.
|
| Coe. Even if my late nephew" lit was just like
| what his aatteTers called his " stern determine
ton TO use that phrase just like his :" internal
obstnacy,n l say)-"yes, sir, even if my late
| nephew had had the fifty pounds to pay, which
an sure be had not, | would disinherit him for
| betting it ; and even If be didn't bet he was on
the race course, and that is place no nephew OF
| mine should show his face and remain my heir
| There 10 a letter from our Vienna correspondent
| which requires your immediate attention, Mr.
| COe.n And with that, Uncle Bunce withdrew him
self into the glass case that is his peculiar sane
tum at our Office, and slammed the door behind
| him.
Our firm was Bunce & Coe, and there had been
| no other member Of it, save Us two, for five and
! twenty years. We were no relatives (thOugh
| perhaps not less fast friends upon that accOunt),
| but ! called him Uncle Bunce because Charley
did who, until that unlucky Derby day, had been
as great favOrite of his as OF mine and here
we're the young fellows prospects blighted, and
the old mans affections left without any human
trelliswork TO cling to, all because some lima
tured busy body, who knew Nicholas Bunce's
hatred of the turf, had told him that Charley
Thornton had bet fifty pounds TO ten against Pal
nyTs, for the Derby, on EPSON Downs.
1 had no greater love for racing, nor perhaps
for Charley, than Nicholas had, but | could make
a little more allowance for the follies OF youth;
and when found myself crossed, or even DISC
beyed, all the milk of human kindness within me
did not instantly turn sour, as 1t had done IN Uncle
Bunces dairy, with the sad effect l have de-
scrbed. He had gone straight to Charley upon
|
down TO EPSON Downs sir and bet fifty pounds
| 10 ten pounds against race horse? Answer me,
| Yes or No." And Charley-for the boy
could not have told lie If he had tried-had an.
swere6, "Yes, uncle and there the matter had
ended.
SO, now, being well convinced that Uncle
Bunce was as infexible as the iron in which we
dealt, in his resolve to make no further inquiry
into the matter l determined TO make it myself
for both their sakes. was not very hopeful as
to the result of the investigation, but still thought
| there might be some mitigating circumstances,
for the fact as it stood looked blacker, it seemed
to me, than it ought to do, from what knew Of
the young fellow. He was not the sort OF lad TO
leave HE duties (he was a clerk in a government
ofiice) for a scene which he knew was especially
| distasteful 10 bis uncle and guardian, aud there
risk upon single event q sum that was equal 20
a third of his whole income. Uncle Bunce and |,
il was true, perilled great deal more than that
proportion Of oar property in Operations IN
| rOD but that was all in the way OF business, and
| 1t was upon business habits that the old gentle
| man prded himself, and for which he looked, first
| of all, in Others That Charley should have
sbirked his work at the Sword and Gun Office for
days pleasure was sin OF itself almost mex
piable in his unee'seye but that he should have
spent that day on a racecourse, and there betted
fifty pounds-the more looked at the whole mat
ter, in fact, the worse it appeared for my young
friend and client, and the less did wonder at
the lines upon Uncle Bunce's forehead as he sat
in his cucumber frane-but by no means as cool
as a cucumber-and snapped the clerks up 50
When he left the Office for the day, as he was ac-
customed to do an hour or so before me, his junior,
| did venture TO remark: "Come, Bunce, you will
at least not be in hurry about this matter of poor
Charley; perhaps Imay have to tell you something
about II to morrow which may cause you to think
differently of him."
''Y ou mean WELL Coe, and thank you" said
he gIavely. " But | shall see my lawyer tonight,
and give him such instructions WILL at all events,
prevent my property falling, after my deceass,
into the hands of the betting ring"
Stern had often seen Nicholas Bunce, but bit.
ter never. was glad to see him bitter, for il was
proof that he had been wounded sore, aud unless
he had dearly loved the lad, Charley's conduct
would not have had the power so TO wound him.
Now, where there has once been love, there ia
always room for reconciliation; and as soon as
| Uncle Bunce was round the corner, took a ham
som TO the Sword and Gun Office.
IL had been arranged long ago that, on the next
evening, my partner and shoRld dine together at
the formers house; and we did so. At one time
Charley had been sked, but that all over =,
OF course. Uncle Bunce had not come to the city
that day, and it was evident, by his Weared and
, melancholy manner, that be had been occupied in
something distressing and disagreeabe; indeed, [
have no doubt that be had been remakng his will.
| was not one whit afraid of the old gentleman,
but was resolved to put good face upon the
matter. Your good health, Nicholas" said |, as
he pushed the claret to me, after dinner, and
| Charey's good health"
Uncle Bunce started as IL he had been stung.
| 81 do not wish 10 have that young mans name
= | mentioned In my hearing" observed he.
after tonight you shall not hear 1t, unless you
please - said ! but must have my say for this
| once. told you l should do so yesterday, and
| promised him the same last night. Then shall
| have discharged my conscience; and if you choose
| 10 let your nephew go to the dogs, It will be
| through no omission of mine. | have neither ex.
| tenuation nor apology 20 make for him =
a. should think not, interposed Uncle Bunce.
| Your thought is founded however, upon
, | wrong premises, Nicholas. l have neither to
| make for him simply because he needs none"
Needs none! !" echoed the Old man, and al
, | though his tone was meant TO be cOntemptuOus,
| thought detected in 1t an accent of hope.
81 mean what assert, old friend" replied |
| ouietly The lad has behaved, will not say
; 'as any other young man would have behaved IN
the like circumssances,i for that phrase is often
used to excuse an indiscreuon, but l VIII say
ms and then have done with it: He has behaved
I as true gentleman. and Especially as a good
I man of business in the whole matter" held up
J the winegass between my eye and the light, and
a L. -. L.. =