The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-05-01
M. BO1isdJHs MGTcHIl0E.
ing.

NfSDs
Ny uncle, Alexander McFarlane
was waiting breakfast, an event yer.
uncommon with him, for Aunt Nan
cy was the soul of puuctuality. New
ertheless she was a little late thi
morning. EightO'clOck was the break
fast hour, and it was now fully tel
minutes past.
Aunt Nancy was not my Uncl
McFarlane's wife. He was a widow
er of some fifteen years standing
Fifteen years before his wife had lef
him a delicate little boy for a keep
sake, and had gone away, whispering
with her last breath that she was verl
happy. Her mother and sister, whl
had come to the house to nurse her
remained after her death, according
to my Uncle McFarlane's particuia
request. He would be so glad, IN
said, ifit were not eXacting too mucl
of a sacrifice, to have Mrs. HowarC
and Nancy stay with him, keep uI
his house and attend to his little boy
So Mrs. Howard, who was a widow
with a very Strengthened income
rented her little house in the New
England village where she had al
ways lived, and came to preside ovel
Mr.. McFarlane's spacious mansion
and liberal housekeeping in Green.
wich Street, New York-my Uncle
McFarlane lived in Greenwich Street,
fact which marks the date of ms
story with sufficient eXaetness.
| Mrs. Howard had been dead three
months, and Aunt Nancy presided
over Uncle McFarlane's household
Neither of them had ever thought Oi
4 change rs either necessary or de-
sirable. Nancy had been a fair, prim,
and somewhat quiet girl when she
came to live in Greenwich Street.
She was still fair, somewhat prime
woman of thirty-five, with pretty,
soft brown hair, violet-blUe eyes, and
a pure, soft, somewhat changeful
complexion. She was not i'm the
least like modern young lady's he
tions beyond the limited and old
fashioned one of doing her duty in
that state of life to which it pleased
God to call her. She did not consider
herself martyr to uncongenial cir
stances, because she made Uncle
| McFarlane's shirts and mended his
stockings, and even the fact of going
down into the kitchen, to do up his
immaculate ruffies, when old Mrs.
Browns hands were too lame, and
the chambermaid's too unskillful to
be trusted with them, did not awaken
in her mind any desire to rush out
into the world in search of a career.
No such fancy had ever entered Nam
cy Howard's head. She was absO-
/ lutely "contented with her present
condition." willing to go on making
Uncle McFarlane'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 a novel. If she had
any trials she kept them to herself,
confiding them to no spiritual direc-
tor, newspaper editor, or female
friend. Such was Nancy Howard at
fve-and-thirty.
Ny Uncle McFarlane was a fine
gentleman in the true sense of the
phrase. He was unimpeachable in
Integrity, unspotted in morals, in
manners absolutely perfect-a little
set in his way, and possibly some
what particular in eating and drink
ing. He was also given. to amusing
himself in quiet way with the pc
culiarities of those about him. But
he never willingly hurt or neglected
any one, and he had q certain gra-
ciousness of manner, which made all
his employees, from Mr.. Saunders, his
confidential clerk, down TO Black
Sam, the carman, and Davy, the err
rand boy, felt the better when he
spoke to them.
"Miss Nancy is a little late this
morning." observed Uncle McFar-
lane, as Brown, his man, brought
him the paper.
ayes, sir. She was out till twelve
last night, at Sans, sirp'
"Indeed How was that%'
"WelI, you see, Sans girl was
took with a quick consumption last
spring, and his wife amt very rug
ged either. Miss Nancy, she's been
there a good deal, and as Susy was
struck with death last evening, she
sends for her. So Miss Nancy, she
went anc stayed till il was all over.
1t was q great comfort to them, sir.
You see, Sam's wife, she's got little
young baby, too, and altogether it
comes hard ~
81 should say so, indeed. We must
see that everything is done, Brown.
Find out when the funeral is to 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 4 somewhat
silent meal, save for Alexis chatter
with his aunt; for Mr.. McFarlane
always read the paper, invariably ask
ing Miss Nancy's permission.
"Why do you look at me so closely,
Alick?" asked Miss Nancy, as she
caught her nephew's gaze fixed upon
her.
'I was thinking how pretty you
are!p answered Alick, with his usual
frankness. 81 think you are a hun
dred times prettier than Miss Regina
Schuyler, that they make such a fuss
about. And l don't want her for a
stepmOther. So therer,
"What is that about Miss Schuyler"
asked my uncle, laying down his pa
per. "It strikes me that you are TAX
ing rather liberty with that young
Iady-tO ask nothing of myself"
at wasn't me, father; it was Mr..
BOnsall," answered Alick. "Mr.
Bonsall aaked me if 1 wouldn't like
pretty young lady like Miss Regina
Schuyler to come into the house and
l told him nO-I didn't want any one
but Aunt Nancy. Then he said Aunt
Nancy was an old maid; and said,
if she was forty old maids she was a
hundred times prettier than Miss
Regina-and so she islp
1--WE won't discuss that matterw
said my uncle, annoyed, but repress-
ing his annoyance, as usual. 'HOu
need not mind Mr.. Bonsall. We all
know his ways!n
There was something in his fathers
had better drop the subject. Uncle
MeFarlane went on with his paper,
but now and then glanced over it with
an expression of some interest.
''Nancy IS prettyr' he said to him
self. ''There is something in her face
which reminds me of my mother"
Breakfast being over, my uncle put
on his OvercOat, asking, as he did so,
his invariable question, "Have you
any commands for the citY?',
"And, by the way, please see that
everything is done for Sans family.
The poor woman will perhaps be the
better for some port wine, or ale, and
let everything be nice about the funer-
al. I will take the expense on myself.
Sam is a good, faithful fellow"
'ReaHy Nancy is very pretty ~
said my uncle, as he walked out of the
house. Il never thought much about
il before, but she is decidedly pretty.
Miss Regina Schuyler, indeed. Really
BOnsall is too bad to put such notions
into the boys lIead, y And Mr.. Nc
Farlane pursued his way to his Office,
unconscious of the fate awaiting him
there.
"Any letters, Saunders ," be asked,
as he passed the clerks desk. "I see
the packet is in"
ayes, sir. They are on your desk,
and Mr.. BOnsall is waiting to speak to
YOU in your room. What ails Mr..