Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-05-03
Mr.. BonsaIPs Matchmaking.

NY uncle, Alexander MckaTlane, was waiting
breakfast, an event very uncommon with him, for
Aunt Nancy was the soul of punctuaLty Never
theless she was little late this morning Eight
o'clock was the breakfast hour and it was now ,
fully tan minutes past.
Aunt Nancy was not Uncle McFarIane's wife
lie Was WidoWer Of some fifteen years standing
Fifteen years before his wife had left him
a delicate little boy for q keepsake aud had gone
away, whispering with her last breath that she
was happy. Her mother and sister, who had
come to the house to nurse her, remained after
her death, according to Uncle McFarlane's partic-
ulAr request. He would be glad, he said if i'll
were not exactlng too much OF a sacrifice, to have
MRS. Howard and Nancy stay with him. keep
up his house, and attend to his little boy. So
Ma. howard, who was u widow with Z very
| straltened income, rented her httle house in New
| England village where she had always lived and
came to preside over Mr.. McFaranes spacious
| mansion and liberal housekeeping in Greenwich
| Street, New Yofk-my Uncle McFarane lived in
Greenwich Street, fact which marks the date of
| my story with sufficient exac.ness
| Mrs. Howard had been dead three months. and
sill Aunt Nancy presided over Uncle NcFaflane's
household. Neither of them had ever thouObt Of |
| a change as either necessary desirable Nam
cy had Deen falr, Prim, and somewhat quiet girl |
when she came 70 1--we ia Greenwich Street. She |
was stiIl fair somewhat prim woman of thirty
five, with pretty, soft brown hair volet-blue ewes
and pure, soft, somewhat changeful complexion
heroine. She had no particular aspirations he
yond tbs limited apd Old-fashioned one of doing
her duty in that state OF life to which II haS
pleased God to call her She did not consider her
self martyr to uncopRenial circumstance he
cause she made Uncle McFaranes shirts and
mcndcd hi5 stockings, and even the fact of GOING
down into the kitchen, to do up his iunu aculate
rufiss, when old Mrs, Browns hands were too
lame, and the chambermaid's too unskillfuI To he
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 Nancy
H9ward's head She waa absolutely "cOutentsd
with her present condition" willing to go making
Uncle McFarlans's shirts, keeping his house,
spelling his child. and "makiug it pleasant for
him, as he simply said. Her great pleasure con-
sisted in doing muslin embroidefy. visiting the
poer, going TO church, aud reading the English
classics, with now and then a novel II shs had
any trials she kept taem to herself, eonHding them
i to no spiritual director newspaper editor or fe-
/ male friend, Such was Nancy howard at five
: My Uncle McFarlane was a fine gentleman in
the true sense OF the phrase. He was unmpeach-
able in integrity, unspottsd in morals in manners
absolutely Perfect-a little set in his way, and
possibly somewhat particular in eating and drink
ing He was also given to amusing himself in a
quiet way with the peculiArities OF those about
him. But he never WilfuIly hurt or neglected
e any one, and he had eerkAIn genial graciousness
n of manner, which made all his employees from
/ Mr Saunders, his confidential clerk down Ia
d Black sam, the carman, and DaYy, the errand
D boy, feel the better when he spoke to them.
g "Mss Nancy ls little late this morAing u OBJ
"
brought him the paper
"Yss, sir. She was out till alter twelve last
night at Sans slEl
III "Indeed How was that 7"
y "Well, you see, sir, Sans girI Was took with Z
3D. quick consumption hast spring aud his wife aim
~ very rugged either. Mss Nancy she been ther,
y good deal, and when Susy was struck with deatE
last evening, she sends Tor her. So Miss Nancy
she went and stayed till it was all over It was q
nc great comfort to them, sir You see sans wife
n she's got little young baby, too, and altogethe
~ it comes hard ~ Hs.. Is e.
al should say 80, indeed. We must see tina
everything Is done, Brown. Find out when thu
At funeral - to be, and let me know, and tell you
OF wife to send them something comfortable whsI
Is, she goes to market But here comes Miss Nancy
nd Send up breakfast, Brown"
IT, Breakfast was usually 3 somewhat silent nea
o. save for Alexis chatter with his aunt; tOr MI
th McFarlane always read the paperF Invariably ASK
lug Mss Nancys permission.
IRA "Why do you look ct me 50 closely, Alck
,ht asked Miss Nancy, asshe caught her nephew
~ gaze fixed upen her.
y; "I was thinking how pretty you areP answere
- Ahck with his usual fRRnkness. 81 think you al
~ : AuhdrOd tmes prettsr than Miss Regina Schuy
od Ief, that they make such . fuss about. And
"a don't want her for q stspmother. So there J.
AU "What Is that about Miss Schuyler" asked N
uncle, laying down his paper. cit strikes me To
-. are taxing Eathar liberty with that yonpg lad
~ tn say nothing Of myeet" rs
oa- ait wasn't me father; it was Mr. Bonsal," al
NY sWcred Alck. "Mr Bonsal asked me Il
are wouldn't like pretty young lady like Miss
: gina Schuyler to come into the house, and to
oeE him mol didn't want any one but Aunt Name
tier Then he said Aunt Nancy was an old maid; and
said if she was forty old maids she was a hundr'
times prettier than Miss Regina Schuyler-and
t Au she Is "
aek ave won't discuss that matter" said my unel
lhe annoyed, but REFRESHING his annoyance, as usu'
an uYO6 need not MUD Mr.. BOnsai. We all kno
'e'- his WAYS" },a IA A4HgT0
There was something IN his fathers tone viii
made Alick aware that he had better drop :
ige- subject Uncle McFarlane went on with his !
med Der but now and then glanced over II with
ZACH EXPRESSION OF some interest "Nancy Is pretty
fray he said to himself "There Is something In !
eek Iare which reminds me q ny mothesf
Breakfast being over, my uncle put on MS oV
coat, asking, as he did so, his nyariaole q9esIlS
/. re tHaye you got any eomnlandstrom the Guy
iing' 7.sAud by the way, please see That eVerythl
loP- IA done for sam'a family. Tue poor woman "
uslhaps Oe The better f1r some Wlae. or ale, a
iet everything be nice about the funeral.
ance take Ihe expense on myself sam . 81
and faithful fellow" &.az.
te in HReally Nancy Is very pretty y said my un'
resi- az he walked oat Of the house ~ never thou
ptst much about il before, but she s deelaedy pre-
1hIie Miss Regina Schuyler, indeed keaily ecesl
too bad 70 put such notl0ns INTO the y
baaUfG 80 taf shA .eiA .f-- ~
t.s -- e. $500