Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-07-19
MR., BULSTEAD'S SURPRISE.

Mr. Bulstead's third and last letter bort
the Oxford postmark; as he opened it he
fvowned. His niece, who had long agc
noted that particular letter with apprehcn.
sion, helped him in haste to the hottest ana
choicest kidney on the 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 gentleman, dashing
his list upon the table and narrowly miss
ing the just arrived and juicy kidney
Now, Master Tom has tried my patience
once too often Bill after bill have | set
tied curing the last three months, expect
ing each 10 De the last; and, fors0oth, listen
10 this, miss TO 500 lawn-tennis, 81 los;
to rackets, as per former account, ES los;
II marking machines, "a to-good gra-
cious-tO half ton OF whiting "a total.
*29 Good gracious | say, does the
young scapcgrace live upon whiting2'
GA, It must be a mistake uncle p
Mistake, indeed Why, did not I have
bill Of e. los. for dog-collars2 Was that a
mistake, too? And the wine bill, and
5yIn0nds' bin for horse hirel All mistakes
OF Counsel You may thank your stars
young lady" cried the old gentleman
abandoning the indignantly satirical for
the savagely personal tone, g that would
not let you tie yourself to this extravaganza
nephew OF mine. Now I've done with him
and 50 have you"
Maggie rose from the table with flushed
face and looked from the window with ewes
that saw little of the square outside through
their sears. But, like 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 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
Well, well, said ne, sitting down to his
now cold kidney There. my dear, give
me another cup of tea. Half ton Of whit
ins-the lad must have gone mad p
" II might have gone in worse things
than whiting" she suggested humbly, but
with humorous culver al the corner of
pretty mouth.
So it might; that's true The old gem
ueinan was little more straightlacedsthan
most L3ndoners. IN tell Won what. Mag
gle, III give Tom one more chance. I'll 20
down 10 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 do |
Ing nothing worse than wasting money I'll |
forgive him; but if / find the young fellow /
Is as Visions 20 some Of those Oxford sparks, /
WHY tLen"-and Mr.. Buisteads voice as |
sumed q quite unaccustomed tone Of cool {
determ nation" / We done with nephew
Tom"
Maggie triAed with the teaspoons her
eyes bent upon her plate. Her uncle's irri- /
liability was little to be feared it waJ more |
than neuCgaliZed BY his kindness OF heart. |
But she knew him to be on rare occasions, !
and IN some matters, man Of great obsti- |
macy; and, loving her cousin with all her /
heart, she dreaded the result OF her uncles !
projected trip. Tom would be doing moth |
ing dreadful, but he might be doing some |
thing Ar 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 I
gentleman, who had few months before .
forbidden an express engagement between +
the cousins, was little inclined to resent |
any influence she might try to exert in
Toms behalf
shall not want any more tea. thank
you, so yOu may 90 TO your music lesson if
You Ike. | shall just go to the Atheneum
for an hour, and then to Paddington I'll |
leave orders about the carriage, and if you
like You can meet the six-oclock train
with it,
When Mr.. Bulstead reached his club he
found, TO his disgust, that his favorite chair
was occupied by bishop. Had it been |
any one else he would not have scrupled
at attempting to Dust him by one of those
forms of strategy 50 we'll known in club
rooms but as il was he ran his eye over the
] INES all Standing, and took his seat in
cab not in The best of tempers. Half a ton
= whiungN he muttered 70 himself in
tones Of tretful speculation, as he passed
through Park lane.
He felt q little like SOY as he hurried
across Canterbury Quad and made with all
pe5d for the bottom of Toms staircase.
! he scout old Dot and 90 one as he was
'llle3 from lIis wooden leg, in vain essayed
% de.ain him. Up went Mr.. Bulstead two
steps a; time to the second floor where,
above ,he iett-hand door, appeared in white
etser5 upon black ground, his own name. !
Ne knocked sharply, and, hardly waiting
JI some one within 20 utter what might or
0ight not be Come in " threw il open and
entered. iounging upon one Of the win
low seats. in iannels and cigarette in
MS mouth, was young fellow whose
s0oI-lGoidng face was rather manly and {
'Fa ght-tofward than handsome. He was
il1no and got up without much appearance !
lf furry ]
How do you DO, uncle9 Thought it {
vas Won crossing the quad. Take a seat.
" ny did You not let me know that you I
we're c3mmg2'
Mr.. Bulstead took the proffcred scat and y
painted as he looked round The stairs were /
steep and his wind was not So good As ii
lad been. {
] thought ] would come upon you a bit q
by surprise. Tom, ne said. without any ( b
'ircumlocUuon. Inc fact is 10 is that O
Yhlng that has brought me" u
Whiting uncle CALCULATED Tom with y
rs first show of surprise. d
Halfa ton of whiting! murmured his {
sncle, iITesistibly jmPelled 10 dwell upon
he mystery. Ealf a ton OF Yhitingl c
~, here il is And he Aourished the bill | Il
inder the others nose. ID
Tom look it gingerly, and opened il with i
serious face. 1t seemed 70 Mr. Bulstead
hat be was not quite SO much at his case q
is he would have his uncle believe and the 9
I'D gentleman glanced suspiciously round C
he room. It certainly was not the room /
# a Woodworking, hard-reading student; L
,ut sill there was nothing Objectionable in y
/ He turned his glance again upon Tom: !
he latter was contemplating the bill with n j
road smile genuine enough. Z
Well said Mr., Bulstead, what have c
-ou to say about it? Haf.a ton Of whit J.
Nc, you know, Tom p
The young man laughed loudly.