The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-27
PART I.

Tom tore open the Letter which had
Just been brought to him. 1t was
evidently brief. He read it at a glance,
then threw it down on the table with an
energetic expletive.
II beg your pardon" said politely.
Tom pulled vindictively at his bud.
ding mustache.
Il ought to beg mothers pardon" he
muttered, "for swearing over her note!
But would you believe what she says"
Certainly" said l. with sweet seri-
BUSINESS, Il would take your mothers
word against a million!"
OH he exclaimed, impatiently.
"You know don't mean that. Do shut
up till tell you!"
threw away the stump of my cigar,
Clasped my hands, and assumed an atti-
tude of hungry attention.
Tom muttered something about my
being an idiot, but Fastening to share
with me the tidngs which had so dis
turbed him.
My distinguished uncle. Prof. Henry
Jerrold, will be here tonight. Mother
says we must make it pleasant for
him!"
That's a. gaudy prospect" said I.
"What particular species of dry-as-dust
is he to be classified under? Tell me
that. and I'll tell you how to manage
him.
"Oh, I'm aware you know everything.
Bob!' was the unkind reply, 'but this
is too big problem even for your in
tellect. It's too bad, with mother just
comfortably out of the way, and the
little game all arranged for tonight,
and the picnic to the island so nicely
planned for tomorrow. We can't take
him in. We can't leave him out. It's
too rough altogether"
but who is?" l persisted. '1t may
not be as bad as you fancy"
Hes professor of mathematics in
some western college!" said Tom. "A
big gun in his way, you know. There
are half dozen of his books over on
that shelf next to the fireplace. Fas-
clnating things on the Calculus, and
Surds, and Comic Sections"
"Ah!" said I rising languidly and
going over to the shelf in question.
Mathematics, I perceive! And very
very dusty! Now, my dear boy
the case simplifies itself amazingly.
Have these books nicely busted and
leave one Of them lying on this table
beside your own easy chair. This will
make him feel at home and please him
greatly, Mathmaticians are, next to
scientists and musicians, the vainest Of
men. Moreover unlike other pro-
fesors, the professors of mathematics
are in measure human. They all
drink whisky-usually Scotch. Eet him
have the library here all to himself
and with pen, ink paper and whisky
he'll be happy all night till we tell him
it's time to go to bed. .Mathematicians
generally sit up, lost in a problem, till
they are told it's bedtime. Well have
our little game in the breakfast room,
and tell him it's whist. Mathematicians
approve of whist; but he won't want to
play, because he'll understand that the
party is made up!"
Somewhat fatigued by this eloquent
dissertation on mathematicians, I flung
myself down on the broad lounge. AS
for Tom, he beamed upon me gratefully
"Old man." said he. "yOu have Il
statesman's brain. And what about the
picnic tomorrow"
Sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof" said l, airily, waving aside
the problem. 'Ill devise some way Of
escape before the time is upon us
Toms normal cheer of countenance
had now returned to him.
Get up, Bob" said he; "let's go down
to the club. I want to arrange some
thing about the picnic"
Now, 1t would have suited me better
to stay on the lounge and think. l love
to spend my mornings in luXuriously
thinking Of what l will do some other
morning. 1t is easy to forget these res
olutions when the time for acting upon
them threatens to arrive. But this
morning Tom was impatient; and. to
save argument, which bores me, went
with him.
Tom and were in our senior year at
college. ! was spending the vacation
with him at his mothers summer place
in the quaint old village of Stratford, on
the Housatonic. Toms mother sweet
1y prim and benevolently Puritanical
little dame, had run up to Boston for q
few days to see an invalid sister, and We