Mr. Stubbs's Brother: A Sequel to 'Toby Tyler'

In Short

James Otis’s Mr. Stubbs's Brother: A Sequel to 'Toby Tyler' follows young Toby Tyler as he settles back into quiet farm life with his Uncle Daniel and Aunt Olive after running away to join the circus. Beset by local playmates eager to stage an amateur circus of their own, Toby reluctantly agrees to guide their ambitious enterprise. The project becomes intertwined with the arrival of a visiting circus, the gift of a new monkey named Mr. Stubbs’s brother, and the gentle companionship of Abner, a fragile, crippled orphan boy from the poor-farm. It is a story of boyhood ingenuity, rural warmth, and quiet grief.

The Story

Following his escape from circus life and his return home to Guilford, Toby Tyler wants nothing more than a peaceful routine of farm chores and games of I-spy around the meeting-house. Yet his past makes him a celebrity among the local children. Led by the energetic, red-haired Walter "Reddy" Grant, Bob Atwood, and others, the neighborhood boys are determined to put on a grand amateur circus. Toby initially resists, haunted by memories of his original circus ordeal and the tragic death of his beloved pet monkey, Mr. Stubbs. Eventually, he yields to their persistence and agrees to serve as the enterprise's chief director and manager.

What follows is a series of comical misadventures in show business. The boys attempt to train an ancient, blind horse named Jack, struggle to manage a wildly kicking pony, and try to fashion circus tents out of old ship sails and a borrowed flag. They assemble a haphazard menagerie featuring rabbits labeled as "Wolves," a calf dressed up as a "Grizslee Bare," and five striped squirrels. Their musical accompaniment consists of Leander Leighton attempting to play "Yankee Doodle" and "Old Dog Tray" simultaneously on an accordion while Joe Robinson contributes ferocious hyena howls.

The project takes a dramatic shift when a real traveling circus arrives in town. Reunited with his old circus friends—including the driver Ben, the circus girl Ella, and the kindly fat woman Mrs. Treat and her thin husband—Toby receives a special gift: a monkey that closely resembles his lost pet, immediately dubbed "Mr. Stubbs's Brother." The monkey promptly brings chaotic energy to the village, escaping into the trees, stealing Aunt Olive's ducks, and wreaking havoc on the boys' newly erected canvas tent.

Alongside these lighthearted escapades runs a somber thread centered on Abner, a gentle, lame boy from the local poor-farm who becomes Toby's close companion. After spending a day at the real circus, Abner falls gravely ill. Ben and the circus performers send money, a small carriage, and pony harnesses to aid the sick boy, and Toby devotes himself entirely to Abner's care, halting circus preparations. Despite moments of hope and careful nursing, Abner’s condition steadily worsens. In the end, Uncle Daniel gently breaks the news to Toby that his friend will not recover. Abner dies peacefully, leaving Toby and his community to mourn the sweet-tempered boy and find comfort in the simple, enduring bonds of home.

How It Unfolds

The scheme begins Reddy Grant and Bob Atwood persuade a hesitant Toby Tyler to lend his real circus experience to their ambitious plan for a neighborhood amateur show.

Training the stock The boys attempt to train a blind old horse and manage a vicious, kicking pony in Uncle Daniel’s pasture with very limited success.

The real circus arrives A traveling circus visits Guilford, allowing Toby to reunite with his old friends, including the driver Ben and the performative Mr. and Mrs. Treat.

A living memorial Ben arranges for Toby to receive a mischievous monkey that looks just like his deceased pet, promptly named Mr. Stubbs's brother.

Private viewings Toby introduces his lame friend Abner and his playmates to the circus troupe, where Mrs. Treat and her husband treat the boys to a private exhibition.

Monkey business Mr. Stubbs's brother escapes and leads the boys on wild chases, stealing Aunt Olive's ducks and damaging the amateur circus tent.

Constructing the arena Using borrowed sails, wooden poles, and a giant flag, the boys successfully erect their makeshift tent and prepare posters and animal cages.

Sickness sets in Abner falls dangerously ill following his excitement at the circus, forcing Toby to put all circus preparations on hold to attend to his friend.

A quiet ending As the boys decide to dismantle the circus project for the season, Abner passes away peacefully, surrounded by the quiet care of Uncle Daniel and Toby.

The People

• Toby Tyler: A kindhearted, freckle-faced farm boy who has recently returned from running away with a circus. He wants only a quiet life, but his loyalty to his friends draws him into managing their amateur show and caring for his sick companion.
• Abner: A delicate, crippled orphan boy from the poor-farm. He wants simple friendship and a glimpse of the magical circus world, but his frail body stands in his way, ultimately leading to his tragic, early death.
• Reddy Grant (Walter Grant): A fiery, red-haired boy with boundless energy and enthusiasm. He wants above all to launch a successful circus, driving the other boys forward with his unrelenting optimism and handmade posters.
• Bob Atwood: A neighborhood boy who serves as the clown and practical planner of the troupe. He takes on the difficult tasks of crafting saddles and handling unpredictable animals.
• Uncle Daniel: Toby’s loving, deeply religious uncle. He provides a steady, moral anchor for Toby and offers compassionate shelter and spiritual comfort when tragedy strikes.
• Ben: The gruff but soft-hearted circus driver who remains a loyal friend to Toby, bestowing the new monkey and sending financial aid for Abner's medical care.

In Its Own Voice

"I mean, he don't get up a dinner for the sake of havin' a chance to make a speech, like the skeleton, does he, eh?"

Old Ben the driver asks Toby this quiet question, revealing his awkward hesitation about accepting Aunt Olive’s invitation to a warm family dinner.

"I played two tunes," replied Leander, proudly. "I can play 'Yankee Doodle' with the whole of one hand; but I think it sounds better to play that with my thumb and two fingers, an' 'Old Dog Tray' with the other two fingers."

Leander Leighton defends his chaotic musical performance on the accordion during the rehearsal for the amateur show.

"It is very likely that the good God will take the crippled boy to Himself to-night, Toby, and there in the heavenly mansions will he find relief from all his pain and infirmities."

Uncle Daniel offers gentle, faithful words of comfort to Toby as they realize their frail friend Abner is nearing the end of his life.

What It's Really About

Beneath its cheerful surface of boyhood antics and circus preparations, Mr. Stubbs's Brother is a story about the true meaning of home and the weight of grief. It contrasts the artificial excitement and harsh realities of the traveling circus with the quiet, genuine security found in a rural community. Toby’s lingering sorrow over his lost monkey and his tender devotion to the dying poor-farm boy, Abner, turn the novel into a meditation on empathy, responsibility, and loss. The book asks how young people learn to process tragedy—not by running away toward glamour or adventure, but by drawing close to family, standing by suffering friends, and accepting the natural end of fragile lives with courage and grace.

Why Read It Today

Mr. Stubbs's Brother offers a warm, unpretentious window into late nineteenth-century American childhood. Readers who enjoy classic domestic fiction, rural history, or vintage youth adventures will appreciate its earnest charm and nostalgic depiction of summer play, complete with unvarnished, heavy dialect and period phrasing that reflect its era.

The story moves at a leisurely, episodic pace, balancing funny physical comedy—such as runaway monkeys and screeching accordions—with surprisingly frank, tender depictions of childhood mortality and poverty. It does not shy away from the harsh realities faced by orphan children of the period, yet it tempers those difficulties with deep communal warmth. What remains with the reader is not the grand spectacle of the circus ring, but the quiet decency of Uncle Daniel’s household and Toby’s devotion to his friends.

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