Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-05-01

down to Black Sam. the German, and
Davy, the errand boy, feel S.the better
when he spoke TO them.
Miss Nancy is a little late this
morning." observed Uncle McFarlane,
as Brown. his man., brought him the
paper. -. II -,
"Yes, sir. She was out till after
twelve last night, at Sans, sirv'
Indeed How was that?" - ~,
"Well, you see, sir. Sans girl 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 sends for her.
SO Miss Nancy, she went and stayed
till it 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 y
Il 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 breakfast, Brown"
Breakfast was usually a somewhat
silent meal, save for Alexis chatter
with his aunt; for Mr.. McFarlane al
ways read the paper, invariably asking
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.
Il was thinking how pretty YOU
| are y answered Alick, with his usual
frankness. II think you are hun
dred times prettier than Miss Regina
Schuyler, that they make such a fuss
about. And / don't want her for a
stepmother. SO there !"
What is that about Miss Schuyler"
asked my uncle, laying down his pa
per. 1T strikes me that YOU are tax
ing rather liberty with that young
lady-to say nothing of myself"
1T wasn't me, father, it was Mr.
Bonsall," answered Alick. "Mr. Bon
sail asked me if | wouldn't like pret-
ty young lady like Miss Regina Schuy-
Ter 10 come into the house and told
him no-l 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 Reg
ina-and so she is,
We won't discuss that matter :" said
my uncle, annoyed, but repressng his
annoyance, as usual. You need not
mind Mr.. Bonsall. We all know his
~ays
There was something in his fathers
tone which made Alick aware that he
had better drop the subject. Uncle
McFarlane went on with his paper, but
now and then glanced over it with an
expression of some interest. Nancy
is pretty he said to himself. There
is something in her face which reminds
me of my mother
Breakfast being oyer, nv uncle put
on his overcoat, asking, as he did 50,
his invariable question, slave 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. will take the expense on myself
sam is good faithful fellow"
Really Nancy is very pretty y said
nv uncle. as he walked out of the
house. Il never thought much about
it before, but she is decidedly pretty.
Miss Regina Schuyler, indeed. Really
Bonsall is too bad to put such notions
into the boys head" And Mr.. Nc
Farlane pursued his way TO the office,
unconscious of the fate awaiting him
there.
"Any letters, SAUNDERS" he asked,
as he passed the clerks desk. Il see
the packet is in"
"Ies, sir. They are on your desk,
and Mr.. Bonsall is waiting TO speak TO
you in your room. What ails Mr.. Nc
Farlane:" said the clerk to himself, AS
his principal passed on. IL don't be-
lieve he ever before forgot to ask tor
my wife. hope nothing is wrong"
Mr.. Saunders had an invalid wife, who
was indebted to Mr.. NcFarlane for
many little comforts.
Mr.. Bonsall was waiting in the Of
fee. He was stout man with red hair
and wliskers, and bluff, uncomprom-
ising manner He had habit, on
which he prided himself, of always
speaking his mind"-that is, of say
ing everything and anything which
came into his head-a habit which did
not cause him 10 be beloved by his ac
quaintance. He and Uncle McFarlane
had once been partners, and they still
kept up kind Of intimacy, at which
many people wondered.
"Well, Bonsall, how goes the world
with you:" asked my uncle, lcisurely
taking off his coat and overshoes.
"Oh, well enough. If it don't 60 to
suit me, 1 make it, that's all % answer
ed Mr.. Bonsall. ''But, see here, Nc
Farlane, don't come here TO handy
compliments. l want to talk to you
about a serious matter"
swell, what is it!" asked my uncle,
preparing to listen, not without long
ing glance at his foreign letters and
papers.
"rm going to speak my mind, as l
always do!" said Mr.. Bonsail. 81
want TO know what you mean to do
about Nancy"
About Nancy" repeated my uncle,
with little start. ''What about
Nancy"
AYE, what about her!-that's just
it. OF course you can't 60 on as you
do now. 1t was well enough when the
old lady was alive; but her death
changes all that, and folks will talk.
Nancy's an old maid, to be sure
forty, if she's an hour"
"Thirty-five!" said my uncle, cor
recting him.