The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-02-13

Sans wife, she's got little young
baby, too, and altogether it comes
hard 7"
81 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 somewhat
silent meal, save for Alexis chatter with
his aunt for Mr.. McFarlane always
read the paper, invariably asking Miss
Nancy's permission.
"Why do you look ut me so closely,
Alick ?" asked Miss Nancy, as she caught
her nephew's gaze fixed upon her. =.
81 was thinking how pretty you are
answered Aick, with his useful frank
ness. 81 think you are hundred times
prettier than Miss Regina Schiller, that
they make such fuss about. And l
don't want her for stepmother. 30
there I"
"What is that about Miss Schuyler"
asked nv uncle, laying down his paper,
cit strikes me that you are taking
rather liberty with that young lady, to
say nothing of myself"
"It wasn't me, father; it was Mr..
Bonsall," answered Alick. Mr.. Bon
sail asked me if / wouldn't 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 pref
tier than Miss Regina-and so she is.
eve won't discuss that matter y
said my uncle annoyed, but depressing
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
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 over, my uncle put
on his overcoat, asking as he did SO, his
invariable question, " Have 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 abouut the funeral.
/ will take the expense on myself. Sam
is a good faithful fellow"
a" Really Nancy is very pretty y said
my uncle, as he walked out of the house.
81 never thought 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 McFarlane pursued
his way to his office, unconscious of the
fate awaiting him there.
"Any letters Saunders ?" he asked as
he passed the clerks desk. 60 see the
packet is in"
" Yes, 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. 81 don't believe
he ever before forgot to ask for my wife.
j hope nothing is wrong" Mr.. Saun-
ders had an invalid wife, who was in
debted to Mr.. McFarlane for many lit
tie comforts.
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
prided himself, of always speaking his
mind"-that is, of saying everything
and anything which came in his head
a habit that did not cause him to be be-
loved by his acquaintance. He and
uncle McFarlane had once been part
ners, and they still kept up a kind of
intimacy, at which many people Won
dered.
q" Well, Bonsall, how goes the world
with you ?" asked my uncle, leisurely
taking off his coat and overshoes.
"Oh, well enough. If it don't go to
suit me, make it, that's all !" answered
Mr.. Bonsall. "But, see here, McFar-
lane, didn't come here to handy COM
pliments. want to talk to you about
serious matter.
"Well, what is it?" asked my uncle,
preparing to listen, not without a long
ing glance at his foreign letters and pa
pers.
:" I'm going to speak my mind, as /
always do ~ said Mr.. Bonsall. Ct
want to know what you mean to do about
Nancy?"
About Nancy p' repeated my uncle
with a little start. What about
Nancy ?"
"Aye, what about her ?-thats 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-fve ?" said my nncle, cor
recting him.
Well, five years don't matter much.
She's an old maid as 1 said Still,
folks will and do talk, and you ought
to get rid of her. The truth is, Nc
Farlane, you ought to marry again; and
of course you can't with Nancy in the
house."
I" You think so ?"
"Why, of course not. There's Miss
Regina Schuyler, now. She'd Jump at
the chance of marrying you; but
you dent suppose she would set up
housekeeping with Nancy Howard, do
you?"
must beg, Bonsall, that you will
not bring Miss Schuyler's name into
all $500 ggG,,ol> III.