The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-03-14
MIR. 5onsaII's Matchmaking.

My uncle Alexander McFarlanc was wait
ing breakfast, an event very uncommon witt
him, for any Aunt Nancy was the soul Of
punctuality Nevertheless she was q little
late tins morning. Eight O'Clock was the
breakfast hour and it was now fully ten MN
utes past.
Aunt Nancy was not my Uncle McFarane's
wife. He was q widOwcr of some fifteen
years standing. Fifteen years before his
wife left him delicate little boy for keep.
sake, and had gone away, whispering with
her last breath that she was very happy. Her
mother and sister, who had come to nurse
her, remained after her DEATH according to
Uncle McFarlane's particular request. lie
would be SO glad, he said. if it were not eX.
acting too much Of Il sacrifice, to have Mrs.
Howard and Nancy stay with him, to keep
up his house, and attend to his little boy. SO
Mrs. Howard, who was IA widow with very
Strengthened income, rented her little house
in the New England village where she had
always lived, anu came to preside over Mr.
McFarlane's spacious mansion and liberal
housekeeping in Greenwich street, New York
my Uncle McFarlane lived in Greenwich
street a fact which marks the date of my
story with sufficient eXactness.
Mrs Howard had been dead three months,
ana still Aunt Nancy presided over Uncle
McFarlanc's household. Neither of them
nad ever thought Of "a change as either nee
essary or desirable Nancy had been fair,
prlm, somewhat quiet girl. when she came to
Ilyeln Greenwich street She was still far,
s0meVhat pnm woman of thirtyfve, with
pretty, soft brown hair, yiolet-buc eyes, and
pure, soft, somewhat changeful complexion
she was not in the least like Il modern young
Iauy s heroine. ohe had no particular aspi
ration beyond the limited and old.fashioned
one OF DONG her duty IN that state of life 10
which 1t had pleased God TO call her She
did not consider herself martyr TO uncon.
genial circumstances, because she made I'm
Gle Mctarlancs shirts and aendcd his stock
ingS, and even the fact Of going down into
the kitchen to do up hi: immaculate ruflIcs
when old Mrs Browns hands were too lame
and the chamberma!d's too unskillful 10 he
trusted with them, and did not awaken in her
mind any desire 10 rnsh ulit into the wor Id In
search of career. No such fancy had ever
entered Nancy Towards head. She was ALI
solutely "c0nIentsd with her condition." will
ing to go on making Uncle McFarlane,
shirts, keeping his house, spelling his child
and making ii pleasant for him." AS sh
SIMPLY SAID Her great pleasures consistc
IN DONG muslin embroidery, visiting III
poor, going 70 church, and reading the Eng
lisH Clt-5tC' Win now anu then novel.
she had any trials she kept them 10 herscl
confdinS iAam to no spiritual director, or f
male friend. Such was Nancy Howard 8
thirty fiv"
Ny Uncle McFarlane was fine gentlema
in the trIe sense Of the phrase He was III
impeachable in integrity, uuspotted in moral
in manners absolutely perfect-a little set /
his way, and possibly somewhat particula
in eating and drinking. He was also give
10 amusing himself in quiet way with Il,
pecularities Of those about him. But he ne,
er willingly hurt or neglected any one, an
be had certain Genial graciousness OF maj
ner, which msde al his employees, from NJ
Saunders, his confidential clerk, down
black Sam, the carman, and Davy, the erran
boy, feel the be!tc. when he spoke pleasant
TO them.
4 Miss Nancy is little iAie this morning