The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-05-09
Mr.. B0nsall's MATCHMAKING.

My uncle, Alexander Mcr ariane,
was waiting breakfast, an event very
uncommon with him, for Aunt Nancy
was the soul of punctuality. Never
theless she was little late this morn
ing. Eight o'clock was the breakfast
hour, and it was now fully ten min
utes past.
Aunt Nancy was not my Uncle
McFarlane's wife. He was widow
er of some fifteen years standing
Fifteen years before his wife had left
him delicate little boy for keep
sake, and had gone away, whispering
with her last breath that she was very
happy. Her mother and sister, who
had come to the house TO nurse her,
remained after her death, according TO
Uncle, McFarlane's particular request.
He would he so glad, he said, il it
were not exacting too much Of a sac
rifce, TO have Mrs. Howard and
Nancy stay with him, keep up his
house, and attend TO his little boy
So Mrs. Howard, who is a widow
with very straitened income, rented
her little house in the New England
village where she had always lived,
and came TO preside over Mr.. McFar-
lanes's spacious mansion and liberal
housekeeping in Greenwich Street,
New York-my Uncle McFarlane
lived in Greenwich Street, n fact
which marks the date of my story
with sufficient exactness.
Mrs. Howard had been dead three
months, and still Aunt Nancy presid-
ed over Uncle McFarlane's household.
Neither of them had ever thought of
a change as either necessary or desir-
able. Nancy had been fair. prim.
and somewhat quiet girl when she
She was still fair, somewhat prim
woman of thirty five, with pretty,
soft brown hair, violet blue eyes, aud
pure, soft, somewhat ehangeiul com
/ plexion. She was not in the least Ike
a modern young lady's heroine. She
had no particular aspirations beyond
the limited and old-iashioned one of
doing her duty in that state OF life to
which it had pleased God To call her.
She did not consider herself martyr
TO uncongenial circumstances, because
she made Uncle McFarlanc's shirts
and mended his stockings, and even
the fact of going down into the kiich-
en-, To do up his immaculate rufiie>.
when old Mrs. Browns hands were
too lame, and the ehambermaid's too
unskilIul To he trusted with them,
did not awaken in her mind any de-
sire To rush out into the world in
| search of a career. No such fancy
had ever entered Nancy Towards
head. She was absolutely ''contenten
with her present condition" willing 10
90 on making Uncle McFarIaue's
shirts, keeping his house, spelling his
child. and making it pleasant for
him. as she simply said. Her great
pleasures consisted in doing muslin
embroidery, visiting the poor. going
to church, and reading the English
classics, with now and then moved
If she had any trials she kept them to
herself, confiding them to no spiritual
| director, newspaper editor. or female
friend. Such was Naycy Howard at
five-and-ihiriy.
Ny Uncle McFarlane was a fine
gentleman in the true sense of the
phrase. He was unimpeachablc III
integrity, unspotted in morals, in
manners absolutely perfect-a little
set in his way, and possibly somewhat
particular il eating and drinking
! He was also given TO amusing him
self in quiet way with the peculiari-
| ties OF those about him. But he never
willingly hurt or neglected any one,
and he had certain genial gracious
ness of manner, which made all his
employees, from Mr. Saunders, his con-
| fidential clerk, down to Black Sam,
the carman, and Davy, the erTand
boy, feel the better when he spoke TO
them.
Miss Nancy is little late this
morning. observed Uncle McFar-
lane. as Brown, his man, brought him
the paper.
"Yes, sir. She was out till alter
twelve last night, at Sans, sir"
Indeed How was that -
"Well, you see, Sir, Sans girl was
took with quick consumption last
spring, and his wife amt very rugged
either. Miss Nancy, she's been there
a good deal, and when Susy was
struck with death last evening, she
went and stayed till 1t was all over
1t was great comfort to them, SIR
You see, Sans wife, she's got little
young baby, too, and altogether it
comes hard p
Il should sag SO, indeed. We mus,
see that everything is done, Brown
Find out when the funeral is 10 be
and let me know, and tell your wife
to send them something comfortable
when she goes to market. But here
comes Miss Nancy. Send up break
fast, Brown"
! Breakfast was usually somewhat
silent meal, save for Alexis chatter
with his aunt; Tor Mr.. McFarlane al
ways read the paper, invariably ask
ing Miss Nancy's permission.
"Wby do you look at me SO closely
Alick ?" asked Miss Nancy, as she
caught her nephew's gaze fixed upor
her.
Il was thinking how pretty yor
are % answered Alick, with his usua
frankness. Il think you are hun
dred times prettier than Miss Regin.
Schuyler, that they make such a fuss
about. And / don't want her for {
step-mother. So there y
"What is that about Miss Schuy
ler?" asked my uncle, laying dowr
his paper. at strikes me that yo,
are taking rather liberty will
that young lady-to say nothing o