St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-13
Mr.. Bulstead's Surprise.


the Oxford postmark; as he opened it he
frowned. His niece, who had long ago
noted that particular letter with apprehen-
sion, helped him in haste to the hottest and
choicest kidney in the dish. Maggie knew
well that Of late the contents of letters from
Oxford were far from welcome.
Nov, will not stand this any longer
cried the irritable old gentleman. dashing
his fist upon the table and narrowly missing
the just arrived and juicy kidney. ''Now,
Master Tom has tried my patience once too
often. Bill after bill have 1 settled during
the last three months, expecting each to be
the last: and, forsooth listen to this mess!
To 500 lawn tennis balls, g12 los; to rackets
as per former account, eS los; to marking
machines 81; to-good gracious Ito half
ton of whiting, "a, total e29 Good gra-
cious say, does the young scapegrace
live upon whitng!''
Oh, it must be mistake, unclen
Mistake indeed! Why did not I have a
bill of &2 los for dog colars?" Was that
mistake, too' And the wine bill, and Sy-
mond's bill for horse hrel All mistakes, of
course! You may thank your stars, my
young lady," cried the old gentleman, aban-
doning the Indignantly satirical for the saw
agely personal tone ''that I would not let
you tie yourself to this extravagont nephew
Aof mine. Now I've done with him and so
have you"
Maggie rose from the table with flushed
face, and looked from the window with eyes
that saw little of the square outside through
their tears. But, like a wise girl, she kept
silence, and the kind hearted old gentleman,
after storming once or twice up and down
the room, began to cast uneasy chances at
the window. II theae was one person whom
MIR. Bulstead loved before and after the cause
Of his present anger, it was his niece Maggie
Lloyd.
''Wcll, WELL" said he, sitting down to his
now cold kidney. ''There, my DEAR give
me another cup of tea. Half ton of whit
ing-the lad must have gone mad''
1t might have gone in worse things than
whiting" she suggested humbly, but with
hum orous culver at the corner of pretty
mouth.
$50 it might; that's true" The old gen
tleman was little more strait-laced than
most Londouers. 'I'Il tell you what, Mag
gle; I'll give Tom one more chance I'll
30 down to Oxford by the II O'Clock train,
giving him no notice, and see for myself
!. what sort of life he is living. If he is doing
| nothing worse than waste money I'll forgive
him; but if find the young fellow is as
vicious us some of these Oxford sparks, why,
then'-and Mr.. Bulstead's voice assumed a
quite unaccustomed tone of cool determine
ton-'I'ye done with nephew Tom.n
Maggie trled with the teaspoon, her eyes
bent upon her plate. Her unce's irrtability
was little to be feared; it was more than neu-
tralized by his kindness of heart But she
knew him to be on rare occasions, and in
some matters a man of great obstinacy, and
loving her cousin with all her heart she
dreaded the result Of her uncle's projected
trip. Tom would be doing nothing dreadful
but he might be doing something Mr.. Bull
stead might object to. To move her uncle
from his resolve once expressed in this way,
she knew to be beyond even her influence;
the more, ms the old gentlemen, who had
few months before forbidden any express
engagement between the cousins, was lit
tie inclined to resent any influence she
might try to exert in Toms behalf
"a shall not want any more tea thank YOU,
so you may go TO your music lesson if you
like ! shall just so to the Athenium for an
hour, and then to Paddington I'll leave
orders aboutthe carriage, and If you like YOU
can meet the & O'Clock train with it."
When Mr. Bustead reached his club he
was Disguised to find that his favorite chair
was occupied by bishop. Had It been any
one else he would not have scruped at at
tempting to Dust him by one of those forms
of strategy so well known in the club rooms:
but as it was, he ran his eye over the Times
''all standing, and took his seat in cab not
In the best of tempers. "Half ton OF whit
ingr' he muttered to himself in tones of
fretful speculation as he passed through Park
Lane.
He felt a little like spy as he hurried
across Canterbury Quad, and made with all
speed for the bottom of Toms staircase The
scout, old "Dot and go one'f as he was
called, from his wooden leg, in vain essayed
TO detan him. Up went Mr.. Bulstead two
steps at Il time to the second floor, where,
above the left hand door, appeared in white
letters upon black ground, his own name.
He knocked sharply. and hardly waiting for
some one within to utter what might or might
not be "Come in" threw II open and enter
cd. Lounging upon one OF the window
seats, in haunels aud a cigarette in his
mouth, was young fellow whose cookbook
ing face was rather manly and straightfor-
ward than handsome. He was alone, and
got up without much appearance of furry.
GLOW do you do, uncle! thought it was
you crossing the quad. Take a seat. Why
did YOU not let me know that you were com
ingr'
Mr. Bulstead took the proTered seat, and
painted rs he looked around. The stairs were
steep and his wind was not as good as it had
been.
Il thought would come upon YOU bit BY
rpriSe, Tom, he said without any circum-
loeution The fact is, it is that hitting
that has brought me-"
Whiting, uucle!" calculated Tom, with
his first show Of surprise.
''lIalf ton of whitingr' murmured his
uncle, irresiStibly impelled 70 dwell upon the
my stery. "EaI ton OF whiting. Nv. here
II is Ard he lourshed The bin under the
others nose.
Tom took it gingerly, and opened ii with
serious face. II seemed to Mr. Bulstead
that he was not quite Is much at his ease as
he would have his uncle believe, ana the old
gentleman glanced suspe.ously around the
room. 1t certainly was not the room of n
hard-worting, hari-reading student; hut
stu there was nothing objectionable In it.
He turned his glance again upon Tom: the
latter was contemplating the bill with broad
smile genuine enough
''Weu." said Mr.. BUlstead, what have
you TO say about il! HAd ton of whiting.
you know, Tom -
The Young man laughed loudly.
az am not in the fault this time, sir; il is
the Lawn Tennis clubs account sent in to
me rs secretary. I gave the ground man
the check 70 pay it last week; and why they
should have had the impudsnce To- send it in
70 you can't imagine.
''Umph, but how about the whiting, Tomi
What Is that for.'