The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-09-10
MR.. BULSTEAD'S SURPRISE.

Mr.. Bulstead's third and last lette
bore the Oxford postmark; as he opepe
1t he frowned. His niece, who had lon
ago noted that particular letter will
apprehension, helped him in haste (,
the hottest and choicest kidney on tho
dish. Maggie knew well that Of late
the contents Of letters from Oxford were
far from welcome.
"Now, / will not stand this any
longer |" cried the irritable old gentle.
man, dashing his fist upon the table.
and narrowly missing the just arrived
and iuicy kidney. "Now, Master Tom
has tried my patience once too often
Bill after bill have settled during the
last three months, expecting each to be
the last; and, forsooih, listen to this
miss To five hundred wn-tennis
balls, fl2 los. to rackets, as per former
account, GS l0s.; to marking machines,
"a; to-good gracious Ito half ton Of
whiting, "a; total, G29 Good gracious
1 say; does the young scapegrace live
upon whiting?"
"Oh, it must he mistake, uucleP'
mistake, indeed! Why, did not !
have n bill Of 60 los. for dog.collars ?
Was that mistake too? And the wine
bill, and Symonds bill for horse-hire ?
All mistakes, Of course You NAV
thank Your stars, Young lady" cried
the old gentleman, abandoning the in.
dignantly satirical for the savagely per.
sonal tone, THAT would not let yon tie
yourself 10 this extravaPant nephew Of
mine. Now I've done with him, and so
have you"
Maggie rose from the table with n
flushed face, and looked from the win
dow with eyes that saw little Of the
square outside through their tears. But,
like wise girl, she kept silence, and
the kind-heGfted old gentleman, alter
storming once or twice up and down the
room, began to cast uneasy glances at
the window. II there was one person
whom Mr.. Bulstead loved before and
above the cause Of his present anger, it
was his niece Maggie Lloyd.
"Well, well, d" said he, sitting down to
his now cold kidney. "Thore, my dear,
give me another cup of ten. Half ton
whiting the lad must have gone mad I"
at might have gone in worse things
than whiting" she suggested humbly
but with II humorous culver ut The
corner Of n pretty mouth.
$50 II might; that's true" Tho old
gentleman was n little more strait-aced
than most Londoners. "Ill tell You
what, Maggie; I'll give Tom one more
chance. I'll go down to Oxford by the
II o'clock train, giving him no notice,
and see for myself what sort of life ne is
living. II he is doing nothing worse
than to waste money, Iii forgive him;
but II find theyouDg fellow is as vicious
rs some OF these Oxford sparks, why,
then"-and Mr.. Bulstead's voice as.
sumed quite unaccustomed tone of
cool determination-"I've done with
nephew Tom"
Maggie triAed with the teaspoon,
her eyes bent upon her plate. Her
uncle's irritability was little to be feared;
II was moro than neutralized by his
kindness Of heart. But she knew him to
be on rare occasions, and in some mat
tiers man Of great obstinncy, and, low
ing her cousin with oil her heart,
she dreaded the result Of ner uncle's
projected trip. Tom would be doing
nothing dreadful, but &c might be do.
ing something Mr.. Bulstead might OBJ
ject to. To move her uncle from his re-
solve, once expressed in this way, she
knew to be beyond even her influence;
The more as the old gentleman, who had
few months before forbidden any ex
Dress engagement between the cousins
VAS little inclined to resent any inilu.
pnce she might try to exert In Toms be-
half.
II shall not want any more tea, thank
you, so You may goto your music les
son, II you like. shall just go to the
Athenpum for an hour, and then to Pad
ttngton. I'll leave orders about the
carriage, and II you like you can meet
the 9 o'clock train with it."
When Mr.. Bnlstead reached his club
he found, to his disgust, that his favorito
char was occupied by n bishop. Had it
been anyone else, he would not have
scrHpled at attempting to Dust him by
one of those forms of strategy 80 well
known In club rooms; but rs it was, he
ran his eye over tho Times "all stpnd-
lng," and took his seat in cab not in
The best of tempers. "Half ton of
whitingp he muttered to himself, in
tones Of fretful speculation, rs he passed
through Park Lane.
He felt little like spy MS he hurried
across Canterbury Quad, and made with
all speed for the bottom of Toms stair
case. The scout, old "Dot and 60 one,",
~ he was called, from his wooden leg,
In vain essayed to detain him. Up went
Mr.. Bulstead two steps at time to the
second floor, where, above the left.
band door, appeared, in white letters
upon black ground, his own name. Ho
knocked sharply, and, hardly waiting
TOR some one within to utter what might
or might not be Come In. threw II open
and entered. Lounging upon one Of the
window-seats. IN hannels and cigarette
In his mouth, was a young fellow,
whose good.looking face was rather
manly aud Straightforward than hand.
ome He was alone, aud got up with
tut much appearance OF furry,
How do you do, uncle? L thought
was You crossing the quad. Take
sat Why did you not let me know
nat you were coming?'
Mr.. Bulstead took the proffered seat,
1d painted as no looked around. The
airs were steep, and his wind was not
good as it had been.