The Lincoln County herald., 1873-05-28
MR.. BONSALL'S MATCHMAKING.

Mks BUNSALL'S MATCuMAkLNG.
My uncle, Alexander McFarlaue, was
waiting breakfast, On event very un-
common with him, for Aunt Nancy was
the soul Of punctuali,y. Nevertheless
she was . little late this morning.
Eight o'clock was the breakfast hour,
and now it was fully ten minutes past.
Aunt Nancy was not my Uncle Nc
Farlane's wife. He was a wijower Of
some fifteen. years standing. Fifteen
years before his wife had left him deli.
cate little boy for q keepsake, and had
gone away, whispering with her last
breath that che was very happy. Her
mother and sister, who had come to the
house to nurse her, remained after her
death, according to Uncle McFarlanc's $
particular request. He would be 40 glad,
he said, if it were not exacting to much
of Q sacrifice, to have Mrs. Howard and
Nancy stay With him, keep up his house,
and attend to the little boy. So Mrs.
Howard, who was a widow with very
Strengthened income. rented her house in
the New England village where she had
always lived, aud came to preside over
MIR. Mctarlane's spacious mansion and
liberal housekeeping in Greenwich street,
New York--my Uncle McEarlane lived
in Greenwich street, fact which marks
the date of my story with sufficient ex
actness.
Mrs. Howard had been dead three
m ,nths, and still Aunt Nancy presided
over Uncle McFarlane's household
Neither of them had ever thought of a
change as either necessary or desirable
Nancy bad been fair, prim, and some
what quiet girl when she came to live in
Greenwich street. She was still fair
somewhat prim woman Of thirty Eve
with pretty, soft brown hair, violet blue
eyes, and a pure, soft, somewhat changed
mplexion. She was not in the leas,
like a modern young lady's heroine
She had no particular aspirations beyond
the limited and 6id.fashioned one ol
doing her duty in that state Of life tc
which it had pleased God to call her
She did not consider herself a martyr tc
uuco ngenial circumstances, because she
made Uncle McFarlanes shirts anc
mended his stockings, aud even to the
fact of going down into the kitchen, tt
do up his immaculate ruffles. when ole
Mrs. Browns hands we're too lame, anc
the hambermaids too unskillful to b
trusted with them, did not awaken an!
desire to rush out into the world il
search Of q career. No such fancy hat
ever entered Nancy Howard's head
She was absolutely "contcnted with he'
present condition." willing to 90 on max
ing Uncle McFarlaue's shirts, keepln
his house, spelling his child, and "mak
ing it pleasant for him." as she simpl
said. Her great pleasures consisted il
doing muslin embroidery, visiting tn
poor, and reading the English classics
with now and then novel. If she ha'
any trials sho kept them to herself, con
6ding them to no spiritual director, news
paper editor or female friend. Such wa
Nancy Howard at five aud thirty.
My Uncle McFarlane was fine gen
tleman in tho true sense of the phrase
He was unimpeachable in integrity, ur
spotted in morals, in manners absolutel
perfect-a little set in his way, and POI
! sibly somewhat particular in eating an
drinking. He was also given to amusin
himself in . quiet way with the peculiar
ties of those about him. But he nevt
willingly hurt or neglected any one, an
be had q certain genial graciousness
manner, which made all employees, fro
) Mr.. Saunders, the confidential clerk
, down to Black Sam, the carman, an
Davy, the errand boy, feel better whe
be spoke to them.
"Miss Nancy is q little late this morn
ius ~ observed Uncle McFarlaue,
Brown, his man, brought him his pape
"Yes, sir, she was out till after twel'
last night, at Sans, SIR"
"Indeed! How was that?"
"Wsll, you see, sir, Sans girl W
took with quick consumption last sprit
and bis wife sin't very rugged eithe
> Miss Nancy, she's been there goe
deal, and when Susy was struck wi
t death last evening she sends for DC
1 So Miss Nancy went and stayed till
}, was over. 1t was q great comfort
+ them, sir. You see, Sans wife, she
8 got a little young baby. too, and alt
gether it comes pretty bard"
' II should say so. indeed! We mu
see that everything is done, Brow
Find out when the funeral is to be, al
lot me know. and tell your wife to sci
! them something comfortable when g
goes to market. But here comes MI
Nancy-send up breakfast, Brown"
Breakfast was usually somewh
silent meal, save for Alexis chatter wi
,. his suut; for Mr.. McFarlano alwa
read the paper, invariably asking MI
Nancy's permission.
why do you look at me SO close'
Alick ?" asked Miss Nancy, as .
n caught her nephew's gaze fixed upon h'
III was thinking how pretty you ere
uswered Alick, with his usual frankne
uJ mink vou are 4 hundred times pre-