The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-03-14

~ CS SIR. Shc WAS o"I III "'''i '"'''' '"''
night, at sans, SIR.
Indeed How was thatE'
.WcIl, YOU see, sir Sans girl was took
with n quick consumption last spring, ana
his wife amt very rugged either. Miss Nan
cv she's been there a good deal, and when
Susv was struck with death last evening, she
sends tor her. So Miss Nancy she went and
STAYED till it was all over. 1t was II great
comfort to them, sir. You see, Sans wife,
she's got little young baby, too, ana alto
gcthcr it comes hard.
II should say so, indeed Wemust see lhat
everything is done, Brown. Find out when
me funeral is to be, and let me know, and tell
your wife to send them something comlorta'
lille when ske 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 i;
for MIR. McFarlanc always read the paper IN
yariably asking Miss Nancy permission;
"Why do you look at me so closely, Alick ~
asked Miss Nancy, as she caught her
nephew gaze fixed upon her.
Il was thinking how pretty you are" an,
swered Alick, with his usual franknesS, Il
think you are hundred times prettler tnan
Miss Regina Schiller, that they make such Il
fuss about And dont want ,her Tor step
mother So there"
What is that about Miss Schulcr?' asked
nv uncle, laying down his paper. at strikes
! me that YOU are taking rather great liberty
with that young lady, to say nothing OF my
SELF
at wasn't me, father; it was Mr. Bonsall,'
answered Alick "Mr. Bonsall asked me II
| wouldn't like pretty young lady like Miss
Regina Schiller to come into the house; ana
| told him no--I didn't want any one but
Aunt Nancy Then he said Aunt Nancy was
an old maid and | said If she was forty ola
maids she was hundred times prettler than
Miss Regina-and so she is
"Wc won't discuss that matter" said my
uncle, ANNOYED, but REFRESHING 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 1t with an expression of some interest.
l"Nancy is pretty" he said to himself. There
is something in her iacc which reminds me
Of my mother"
Breakfast being over, my uncle put on his
ovcrcoat, asking rs he did so, his inyariable
question, Have you any commands for the
city,"
"And, by the way please see that every
thing i, done for Sans family. The poor
woman will perhaps be the better for some
port wine, or ale, and let everything be nice
about the funeral | will take the expense
upon myself Sam is u good and a faithful
! fellow"
Really, Nancy is very pretty" said my
uncle, as he walked out of the house II new
er thought about it before, but she is decided
| ly pretty. Miss Regina Schuer, indeed.
Really, Bonsall is too bad to put such notions
into the boys hcadn And McFarane pur-
sued his way to his Office unconscious of the
fate awaiting him there,
"Any letters Saunders" he asked as he
passed the clerks desk II 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. McFarlaneY" said the
clerk to himself as his principal passed. II
| don't believe he ever before forgot to ask for
my wife. ! hope nothing is wrong" Mr..
Saunders had an invalid wife, who was IN
debtcd to Mr.. McFarane for many little
comforts.
! Mr.. Bons Ill was waiting in the Office. He
was stout man with led hair and whiskers
and a bluff, uncOmprOmising manner. He
had habit on which he prided himself of
always speaking his mnd''-that Is, of say.
ing everything and anything which came in
his head-a habit that did not cause HIM to
be beloved by his acquaintance, He and
Uncle McFarlane had once been partners,
and they still kept up kind of intimacy, al
which many people wondered.
! "Well, Bonsall, how goes the world with
you ~ asked my uncle, leisurely taking off
his coat and ovcrshoes.
ooh, well enough, If it don't go to suit
me, make it, that's ALL" answered Bonsall,
But, see here, McFarane didn't come here
to handy compliments. | want to talk to you
about serious matter
"Well, what is ity asked my uncle, prepar.
ing to listen, not without longing glance at
his foreign letters and papers,
Pm going to speak my my mind, rs al
ways do" sad he. II want to know what
you mean to do about Nancy?"
about Nancy" repeated my uncle, with a
little start. What about Nancy"
aye what about her!-that's just It, OF
course you can't 20 on rs you do now. I'll
was well enough when the old lady was alive;
but death changes all that, and folks will
talk Nancy's an old maid, 70 be surc-torty, |
if she's an hour
"Thirty,tivc," said my uncle, correcting
well, five years don't matter much She's
an old maid AS / said Still, folks will and
do talk, and you ought TO get rid of her, The
truth is, McFarlane, you ought to get married
again; and of course you can't with Nancy
in the house"
"You think so?"
why, of course not There's Miss Regina
Schuler, now She'd jump at the chance of
marrying you; but you don't suppose she
would set up housekeeping with Nancy How
ard, do your
81 must beg, Bonsall, that you will not
bring Miss Schuler's name into question"
SAID my uncle Such liberties are not to be |
taken with respectable young ladies'"
Liberty or not, She would nave you IN a
minute. And there's another thing about il, |
Nancy Howard is dead in love with you,
herself, and OF course you can't marry her
that is out Of the question"
Nancy Howard" repeated my unclc,.in
tone OF bcwildcrment.
40 be sure, man. Any one but you would
have seen it, though Nancy is not the woman
to throw herself at any ones head, I'll say
that for her. My wife has known of this a
long time, and | can see it, too OF course