Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-05-17
independent in all things.

VI
Send up breakfast, Brown" -
Breakfast was usually somewhat ST.
lent meal, save for Alexis clattcr with
his aunt; for Mr. Farlanc always read
his paper, invariably asking Miss Nancy's
permission.
"Why do you look at me SO closey.
Alick - aske Miss Nancy, as She caught
her nephew's gaze fixed upon her
81 was thinking how pretty you arc!"
answered Alick, with his usual frankness.
81 think you are a hundred times pret-
tier than Miss Regina Schuyler. that
they make such n fuss about. And
don't want her for a stcpmother So
there!'
"What is that about Miss Schuvler?"
asked my uncle, laying down his paper,
''lt strikes me you are taking rather a
Liberty with that young lady--to say
nothing o. myself"
cit wasn't me, father: it was Mr.. Bon
SAIL" answered Alick. Mr. Bonsall ask
me if | wonldTt like pretty young lady
like Miss Regina Schuyler to come into
the house; and told him mo- 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 hundred times prettier than Miss
kegina-and so she is!''
"We won't discuss that matter" said
my uncle, annoyed, but repressing his
annoyance, as usual. "You need not
mind Mr.. Bonsall We all know his
ways"
There was something in his fathers
tone which made Alick aware that he
had better drop the subject. Uncle Nc
Farlane went on with his paper, but now
and then glanced over it with an express
sion OF some interest. "Nancy is pretty"
he said to himself. "There is something
in her face which reminds Inc of my
mother"
Breakfast being over, my uncle put
on his overcoat, asking, as he did so, his
invariable question, "liave you any com
mands for the city,"
''And, by the way, please see that ev-
cry hing is done for Sans family. The
poor woman will, perhaps, be the better
for some port VINE, or ale, and let ey-
erything Oe nice about the funeral.
will take the expense on myself. Sam
is a good, faithful fellow"
"hellly, Nancy Is very pretty" said
my uncle, as he walked out OF the house
81 never thought much about it before,
but she is decidedly pretty. Miss Re
gina Schuyler, indeed! Really Bonsall
is too bad to put such notions into the
boys head" And Mr.. McFarlane pur-
sued his way to the Office, unconscious
IF the fate hat awaited him there.
"Any letters, Saunders:" he asked, rs
he passe the clerks desk. 81 see the
packet is in"
eyes, sir. They are on your desk,
and Mr.. Bonsall is waiting to speak to
you in your room. What ails Mr.. Me
Farland:" said the clerk to himself, as
his principal passed on. 81 don't be-
lieve he ever forgot to ask for my wife.
| hope nothing is wrong" Mr.. Saun-
ders had an invalid wife, who was in
debted to Mr.. McFarlane for many little
co omiorts.
Mr.. Bonsall was waiting in the office.
He was stout man, with red hair and
whiskers, and bluff, uncompromising
manner He had habit, on which he
prded himself, of always speaking his
mind"-that is, of saying everything
and anything which came into his head
"a habit which did not cause him to be
beloved by his acquaintance. He and
Uncle McFarlane had once been part
ners, and they still kept up kind of
intimacy, at which many people Won
dered.
"Well, Bonsall, how goes the world
with you:" asked my uncle, leisurely
taking off his coat and overshoes.
"Oh, well enough. Ii it don't go to
suit me, make it, that's ALL" answered
Mr.. Bonsall. "But see here, McFarlane,
| didn't come here to handy compli-
ments. want to talk to you about a
serious matter"
"Well, what is it," asked my uncle,
preparing to listen, not without Il long
ing glance at his foreign letters and pa
pers.
''I'm going to speak my mind, as | al
ways do'' said Mr.. Bonsall. 81 want
to know what you mean to do about
Nancy?"
"Aye, what about her?-that's just it.
Of course you can't go 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-fver' said my uncle, correct
ing him.
swell, five years don't matter much.
She's an old maid, as said. Still, folks
will and do talk, and you ought to get
lid of her. The truth is, McFarlane,
} Oh ought to marry again; and OF
course you can't with Nancy in the
loise."
"You think so?"
"Why, of course not. There's Miss
Regina Schuyler, now. She'd jump al
the chance of marrying you; but you
don't suppose she would set up house
keeping with Nancy Howard, do you?'
81 must beg, Bonsall, that you will
not bring Miss Schuyler's name il t
question:" said my uncle. "Such liber-
ties are not to be taken with respectable
young ladies'"
'Iiberty or not, she would have yor
in minute. And there's another thing
about it. Nancy Howard is dead in lov'
with YOU, herself, and of course, yol
cant marry her-that is out of the ques