Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-05-01
TAr. BOnsaIIs Matchmaking.

My uncle, Alexander McFarlane,
was waiting breakfast an event very
uncommon with him, for Aunt Nancy
was the soul of punctuality. Never
the less she was little late this morn
ing. Eight o'clock was the breakfast
hour, and it was now fully ten minu-
tes past.
Aunt Nancy was not my Uucle Nc
Farlane's wife He was a widower OF
some fifteen years standing. Fifteen
Yeas before his wife had left him 8
delicate little boy for keepsake, and
had gone away, whispering with hel
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
Nc Farlane's particular request. He
would be so glad he said, fit were
not eXacting too much Of a sacrifice
to have Mrs. Howard and Nancy stay
with him, keep up his house, and at
tend to his little boy. So Mrs. Ho
ward, who was a widow with very
straitencd income, rented her little
house in the New England village
where she had always lived, and came
to preside over Mr.. McFarlane's spac
ious mansion and liberal housekeeping
in Greenwich Street, New York-my
Uncle McFarlane lived in Greenwich
Street, fact which marks the date OF
Of my story with sufficient exactness.
Mrs. Howard had been dead three
months, and still Aunt Nancy presided
over Uncle McFarlane's household.
Neither OF them had ever thought Of
a changers either necessary or desirable.
Nancy had been Il fair, prim, and
somewhat quiet girl when she came tc
live in Greenwich Street. She was
still a fair, somewhat prime woman oI
thirty-five, with pretty, soft brown
hair, yiolet-blue eyes, and pure, soft
somewhat changeful complexion. She
was not in the least like a modern
young lady's heroine. She had nc
particular aspirations beyond the
limited and old-fashioned one of doing
her duty in that state of life to which
it had pleased God to call her. She
did not consider herself q martyr tC
uncongenial circumstances, because
she made Uncle McFarlane's shirt,
and mended his stockings, and ever
the fact Of going down into the kitch
en-, to do up his immaculate rufHes
when old Mrs. Browns hands were
too lame, and the chambermaid's toe
unskillful to be trusted with them, die
not awaken in her mind any desire tc
ruch out into the world in search of 6
career. No such fancy had ever en-
tered Nancy Towards head. She was
absolutely "contented with her pre-
sent condition." willing to 60 on max
ing Uncle McFarlane's shirts, keeping
his house, spelling his child, ant
making it pleasant for him. as she
simply said. Her great pleasures con
sisted 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 her. self, conf
ing them to 10 spiritual director, news
paper editor, or female friend. Sucl
was Nancy Howard at fve-and-thirty
My Uncle McFarlane was fine
gentleman in the true sense of the
phrase. lie was unimpeachable il
integrity, unspotted in morals, in man
ners absolutely perfect-a little set ir
his way, and possibly somewhat par
ticular in eating and drinking. He
was also given to amusing himself il
quiet way with the peculiarities o