American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-06-22
Miscellany.
THE SKELETON IN MR.. BULBO'S
CLOSET.

MIR. BULBo was decidedly nervous on
- Tins evening. He was more than fidgety /;
for besides constant change of position,
he cast quick looks behind him, as if he
heard some one, and made many vain at
tempts to whistle. His room was pleas
ant, his chair comfortable, his tobacco eX-
Hluellant, and his pipe coioring in a most
enviable manner but he frowned as he
shiftedabout, and finally sprang up with
q groaq. Behind him was small closet
where his bachelor odds and ends were
hastily thrust, and now he jerked the
door open, and eagerly examined the in
terror.
s----sss6aeh n fol =, he calculated, as he
zsh1Rsd theAoor, and, taking up book,
resolutely determined to read.
What 70 Ahe matter with Mr.. Bulbo !?
= He sppeerstixto be well, being rosy and
active He was a pleasant-loOking man,
- ma II 1puu1ed with age, as he had not
even reached the "youth of forty sum-
mers-" He was rather prosperous in bust
ness, had pleasant circle of friends, and
no incumbrances To look into his
frank, sunny face-for Wash Bulbo (his
name was not an unfamiliar one to patri-
otto Americans, and had been thus abbre-
viatedJ was good fellow-to interrogate
his bright blue eyes no one would sus-
pect that Mr.. Bulbo was anything but the
happiest of men. But he had a secret
trouble which SO preyed upon him that
he was losing his spirits, and felt if he
was haunted by an actual presence. 1t
-pOsEd him in the street, sought him in
his ONCE, but was most vital in its attacks
Z1H his own room during the hitherto
cheerful hours which he had spent with
his book and pipe. If its dreadful bony
fanWcold only be shut in his closet
fastened in But no sooner was he seated
than it would steal out, whisper its
wretcAe4 suggestions in his ear, and
would drive him on to the fell deed
8 Against his will, unless he could find some
why to stifie it..
destroyed his appetite, and drove him
from . state of blissful Inconsistencies
to condition of rueful wretchedness
For more than a week he had nailed up
the closet dOOr-gOne without his over
shoes for that length of time, as they
were there bestowed, and had caught a
bad cold IN consequence, as, perversely
enough, the weather seemed in league with
his tOfMentor, and storms were rife. He
had left town and spent several nights
with friend, but there had been no es-
cape for him and now he had returned
to renew the conflict die.
Here he was, as badly off as before, for
ttRere was no use trying to read or divert
himself in any way. Some actual plan
musr'6e devised and put into immediate
execution and as he walked his room,
having thrown open all the windows to
give himself as much relief as possible,
he reviewed the circumstances that had
placed him in this unpleasant position.
little more than year ago the first
stroke had fallen upon him as he was en-
jOying his pipe in the twilight. The
pOstman's ring had not hitherto ANNOYED
him, and he gave it no thought as he
- went to the closet for his tobacco pouch
and quietly said Come in " in response
to abe knock which a moment later Jared
his door. But his mood changed as he
read the letter which was put into his
hands.
On breaking the envelope dainty
note, with dark lines of grief on the
edges and delicate tracery in feminine
hand within, futtered into his lap, while
? . heavy, darkly-written sheet Topped
- boldly on the floor. He read first a bit
frUm one, then from the other, in some
confusion and dsmay The gist of both
was that Horace Francis, an old friend of
his fathers, had lately deceased, and left
Mr.. Bulbo in charge of his daughter
= Mary's property until she should attain
her majority.
:. Hearing such fine reports Of your
business capacity, and having been so
well beloved of your father, l select you
Of all other men in the world, dear
Bufbo," the dying man had written. The
fortune was large and had many cumber-
"A SSme. "details but Mr.. Bulbo. for the sake
OF the trust, and with a certain pride in
the appreciation of his abilities, gladly
undertook to discharge the. obligation.
The lady had forwarded her fathers letter,
and begged that all communication be
held with her lawyer as she hardly felt
like meeting strangers at present. Mr..
Bulbo had acquicsccd, and for a year now
had, with much trouble to himself, taken