Chapter 6

           August4.—ThefirstpostbroughtaniceletterfromourdearsonWillie,acknowledgingatriflingpresentwhichCarriesenthim,thedaybeforeyesterdaybeinghistwentiethbirthday.Toourutteramazementheturneduphimselfintheafternoon,havingjourneyedallthewayfromOldham.Hesaidhehadgotleavefromthebank,andasMondaywasaholidayhethoughthewouldgiveusalittlesurprise.

           August5,Sunday.—WehavenotseenWilliesincelastChristmas,andarepleasedtonoticewhatafineyoungmanhehasgrown.OnewouldscarcelybelievehewasCarrie’sson.Helooksmorelikeayoungerbrother.IratherdisapproveofhiswearingachecksuitonaSunday,andIthinkheoughttohavegonetochurchthismorning;buthesaidhewastiredafteryesterday’sjourney,soIrefrainedfromanyremarkonthesubject.Wehadabottleofportfordinner,anddrankdearWillie’shealth.

           Hesaid:“Oh,by-the-by,didItellyouI’vecutmyfirstname,‘William,’andtakenthesecondname‘Lupin’?Infact,I’monlyknownatOldhamas‘LupinPooter.’Ifyouwereto‘Willie’methere,theywouldn’tknowwhatyoumeant.”

           Ofcourse,Lupinbeingapurelyfamilyname,Carriewasdelighted,andbeganbygivingalonghistoryoftheLupins.IventuredtosaythatIthoughtWilliamanicesimplename,andremindedhimhewaschristenedafterhisUncleWilliam,whowasmuchrespectedintheCity.