Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-12-18
viouslv belonging to the unfortunate

Toby when alive, people grew tired Of
specializing as to the cause which had
prompted TIE crash act" And as soon
as certain legal formalities had been
complied with, Jack Bunskin found
himself Sir John Tobias Bunskin, baro-
net of Bunskin Hall and Grosvenor
Square, and the possessor of a substan-
tial rent-roll and a goodly sum of ready
money. Now, it was not very likely
that Jack should feel any profound grie
for his uncle. The manner of the mans
death certainly shocked him consider
ably, but the pleasures and duties OF his
new position speedily banished the un-
pleasant subject from his mind.
Ee had, too, plenty OF things to look
after. His creditors, of course, came
down upon him in hungry horde, and
the amount of .post-obits which he had
to pay off was quite alarming. More
over, he had no intention of leading the
sober and quiet ii e that had suited his
uncle. He bought a yacht. started a
small racing stud, and began to dabble
In city mpanies-all of which things
demand considerable amount of time
and attention, not to mention money.
So couple of years passed. Jack, in
common parlance. went the pace to the
best of his ability, got himself elected
M. P. for one OF the divisions of Fallow-
land, and finally became engaged to
Miss Hilda Grains, only daughter and
heiress of the late Sir Joshua Grains,
M. p the well-known brewer and mill
ionaire. There was, OF course, g very
grand wedding, and in due time the
happy pair returned to London from a
prolonged honeymoon trip on the con-
tinent. When Jack had finished exam
lining pile of letters and other docu-
1tC ho f. Al
whether he had any special news to
communicate, for that individual
looked like 4 man burdened with a
guilty secret.
Its my dooty to tell you, SIR" said
Mr.. Flaggon mysteriously, 'as an old
gent as been calling here every day Tor
the last week, and says he must see
you"
SIS that all % queried Jack.
'sNo, sir-fact is, sir, that he says he's
your uncle"
"My uncle What nonsense Why,
the fellow must be lunatic or an i'm
poster ~
"Just so, sir; but we can't get rid of
him, and | didn't like to give the poor
old idiot in charge"
s'Quite right, Flaggon; next time he
comes I'll see him."
Oddly enough, half an hour afterward
the old gentleman returned, and Mr..
Flaggon promptly ushered him into Sir
Johns study.
"Weil, my man," said the new baro-
net, land what can do for you"
''Jack," said the stranger. "do you
mean to say that you don't know me :?
Pm your Uncle Toby-I am, indeed.
and not blessed soul recognizes me !"
Jack stared at his seedy visitor in as
49, sclx g ia L. IL
and he wore hang-dog look; his lace
was dlstgured IN most remarkable
fashion, and the small remnant of hair
that he possessed stuck upright in q
strange TUT. He did not resemble the
late Sir Toby Bunskin in the slightest;
bnt the tone OF mis- voice was horribly
familiar, and almost made Jack doubt
the evidence OF mis- senses.
This is dwelling nonsense !" he
said; 'but if you are my uncle, how the
deuce do you account for the fact that
you were drowned in the Atlantic"
81 wasn't drowned; it was another
passenger" and Sir Toby confessed the
story of the change Of coats, which had
induced everyone to believe that he
was dead.
''But what on earth have you been
doing for more than two years"
II went hunting bears and things in
the Rocky Mountains" said Uncle
Toby in a sepulchral voice. "We lost
our way, wandered about for days, and
were eventually captured by the obj
beboo Indians. Couldn't get away or
even write"
ooh, indeed Is that why you have
tattooed your face so elegantly ?" asked
Jack.
II didn't tattoo myself-they did it
for me-" walled Sir Toby. "My face is
nothing to the rest of me. I've got a
pine forest, a lake and range OF noun
tains on my back; three rattlesnakes on
each arm; my chest is covered with
tomahawks, arrows and pipes; and
there are opossums, terrapins and all
sorts of beastly animals on my leesp %
dear me :! By the way, what's be-
come of your left ear ?'
"Well, you see, Red Blanket, the
chief, you know, took great fancy to
me but sometimes he used to get drunk
and throw things about. He cut nearly
the whole of my ear off with toma-
hawk one day."
"You must have had a rollicklng
time !'
Don't laugh, you vagabond p cried
Sir Toby, waxing wrathful. "Look at
my head That was done by Blue
Braces, another chief; he tried to scalp
me, and it was all that Red Blanket
could do to stop him. He got about
half of it Of as it was. And now, Jack,
when you've done grinning, perhaps
you'll talk business. I meant to play a
oke on you, but it seems to me that I've
got the worst of it. However, we'll let
bygones be bygones; Til make you a
good allowance. though I hear you've
married wife with big fortune, But
of course, you know now you must clear
out"
"Clear out of WHAT"
"Why, out of my property and my
money, of course" snapped Sir Toby.
"You are welcome to the baronetcy,
| Uncle Toby" said Jack, thoughtfully
"but I'm afraid l can't oblige you any
further
"What the deuce do you mean, sir 2"
''Simply that there's nothing lie to
clear out of! I've spent it-every
bob"
Sir Toby turned livid under his tattoo
| marks.
"You internal scoundrel" he
shrieked; .'are you mad ?"