Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-07-10
MIR. BULSTEAD'S sURPR Isl.

bore the Oxford postmark; as he open
ed it he frowned His niece, who had
long ago noted that particular letter
with apprehension, helped him in
haste to the hottest and choicest kid
ney on the dish. Maggie knew we'll
that of late the contents of letters
from Oxford were far from welcome.
Now, | will not stand this any
longerlo cried the irritable old gen
tleman, 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 l
settled during the last three months,
expecting each to be the last; and, for
sooth, listen to this, miss To 800
lawn tennis, el2 los. to rackGts, as
per former account, IS los. to mark
ing machines, "a; to-good gracious
to half ton Of whiting, "a; total,
f29l Good gracious say, does
the young scapegrace live upon whit
ing2"
ooh, it must be a mistake, uncle p
mistake, indeed Why, did not /
have bill of 50 10. for d .g-collars?
Was that mistake too? And the
wine bill, and Symonds' bill for horse
hire All mistakes, of course You
may thank your stars, young lady, "
cried the old gentleman, abandoning
the Indignantly satrical for the saw
agely personal tone. " that | would
not let you tie yourself to this eXtrav-
agant nephew of nsine Now I've
done with him, and so have you"
Maggie rose from the table with q
flushed face, and looked from the
window with eyes that saw little of
the square outside through their tears.
But, like wise girl, she kept silence,
and the kind hearted old gentleman
after storming once or twice Hp and
down the room began to cast uneasy
glances at the graceful figure by the
window If there was one person
whom Mr. Bulstead loved before and
above the cause of his present anger
it was his niece, Maggie Lloyd.
We'll, well, said he, sitting down
to his now cold kidney. There, my
dear, give me another cup of tea. Half
a ton of whitiHg-the lad must have
gone mad p
at might have gone in worse things
than whiting, she suggested humbly,
but with humorous culver at the cor
ner of a pretty mouth.
so it might; that's true" The old
gentleman was a little more straight
laced than most Londoners IN tell
you what. Maggie, I'll give Tom one
more chance. I'll 90 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 wasting money
I'll forgive him; but If l lind the
young fellow is as vicious as some OF
those Oxford sparks, why theu"--and
Mr.. Rulstead's voice assumed quite
unaccustomed tone of cool determine
tion-"Tve done with neohew Tom. "
Maggie triHed with the teaspoons,
her eyes bent upon her plate. Her
uncle's irritabihty was little to be fear
ed il was more than neutraRzed by
his kindness Of heart. But she knew
him to be on rare occasions, and IN
some matters, man of great obstl-
macy; 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.
Bulstead might object to. To move
her uncle from his resolve, once eX-
pressed in this way, she knew to be
beyond even her influence; the more
as the old gentleman, who had few
months before forbidden an express
enlargement between the cousins, was
a little inclined to resent any IN
huence she might try to exert IN Toms
behalf.
II shall not want any more tea,
thank you, so you may 90 to your
music lesson if you like | shall Just
go TO the Athena um for an hour, and
than to Paddington. III leave
orders about the carriage, and II You
like YOU can meet the SIX o'clock tram
with it.
When Mr.. Bulstead reached hls
club he found, to his disgust, that his
favorite chair was occupied by a
biskop. Had it been any one else, he
would have scrupled at attempting to
GUST him by one of those forms OF
strategy so well known in club rooms;
but as it wus he ran his eye over the
Times 'all standing, and took his
seat in a cab not in the best OF tenn
pers. Half ton of whitingi ne
muttered to himself, in tones OF fret
full speculation, as he passed through
Park lane
He felt little like spy as he hur,
ried. across Canterbury Quad and
made with all speed for the bottom
Of Toms staircase. The scout, old
Dot and 60 on. as ne was called
from his wooden leg, IN VAIN essayed
to detain him. Up vent Mr.. Bulsteaa
two steps at time to the second hoor'
where. above the left-hand door APP