Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-06-15
The Census.

The Misses McFarlanes are threa
maiden ladies-sisters. It seems tho
one would not trust the other to see the
census paper filed up, so they agreed to
Drlng 1t to me to fill it In.
Would you kindly fill in this census
paper for me 2" said Miss McFarlane.
My sisters will look over and give Won
their particulars by and by"
Now, Miss McFarlane is a very nice
lady. though Mrs. Cameron tells me she
has been calling very Often at the manse
since the minister lost his wife. Be that
as 1t may, said to her that I would be-
happy to fill up the paper, and asked
her In the meantime to give her own par
ticulars. When it came to the age col.
umn, she played with her boot CD the
carpet, and drew the black ribbons OF
her silk bag through her fingers. and
whispered "You can say four-and-
thirty, Mr.. MCLAUGHLIN. CAN right.
ma,am, says /, for / knew she was four
and-thirty at any rate. Then Miss
Susan came oYer-that's the second sis
ter, really handsome young creature,
with fine ringlets and curis, though she
Is little tender eyed and wears specta-
cles. Well, when we came to the age
column Miss Susan played with one Of
her ringlets, and looked in my face
sweetly, and said: "Mr. MCLAUGHLIN.
what did Miss McFarlane say2 My
sister, you know, is considerably older
than / am-there was q brother be-
tween u.s."
"Quike SO, my dear Miss Susan" said
/; . but You see the bargain was that
each OF you was TO state your own age. :"
Well, said Miss Susan, still playing
with her ringlets, "you can savage.
81 years, Mr.. MCLAUGHLIN.
In little while the youngest sister
came in.
Miss McFarlane," said she, "sent
me over for the census paper"
Oh, no, my dear, says I 81 can
not part with the paper.
We'll, them" said she, "just enter
my name, too, Mr.. MCLAUGHLIN.
Quite so. But tell me, Miss Robina,
why did not Miss McFarlane fill up the
paper herself ?"-for Miss Robina and
were always on very confidential terms.
"Oh," she replied, "there was dis
pute over particulars and Miss McFar-
lane would not let my other sister see
how old she WIS and Miss Susan re-
fused to state her age to Miss McFar-
lane and so, to end the quarrel, we
agreed to ask you to be so kind as to fill
IN the paper"
Yes, yes, Miss Robina," said I,
" that's quite satisfactory; and so I'll
fill IN your name now, if you please"
" Yes, " she said, with a sigh. When
we came to the age column-"I it alb
solutely necessary" said she, TO fill in
the age? Don't you think it is most
impertinent question to ask, Mr.. Nc
Lauchlin 2"
" Iuts, it may lie SO to some folk, but
to a sweet young creature like you it can
not matter button"
well" said Miss Robina. "But
now, Mr.. MCLAUGHLIN, I'm to tell you
great secret" and she blushe1 as she
slowly continued "the minis ter comes
sometimes to zee us.
. have noticed him rather more at
tcntve III his visitations in your quarter
OF late than usual, Miss Robina. +"
" Very well, Mr.. MCLAUGHLIN but
You must not tease me Just now. You
know Miss McFal!ane is of opinion that
he is in love with her, while Miss Susan
thinks her taste for literature and her
knowledge of geology, especially her
on the old red sandstone and
ITS fossils as confirming the Mosaic Pc
rod, are all matters of great interest to
MIR. Fraser, and she fancies that he
comes so frequently for the privilege of
conversing with her. But" exclaims
Miss Robina, with look of triumph,
look at that !" and she held in her hand
a beautiful gold ring. Il have got that
from the minister this very day."
/ congratulated her. She had been q
favorite pupil of mine, and was rather
pleased with what had happened. "But
what, | asked her, has all this to do
with the census ?"
"Oh, Just this continued Miss Ro-
bina. 81 had no reason to conceal my
age, MS Mr.. Fraser knows it exactly.
since he baptized me He was young
creature then, only three-and-twenty
so that's just the difference between us
Nothing at all, Miss Robina," said
!, nothing at all; not worth mention
ing"
In thisp passing and changeful world"
said Miss Robina, three-and-twentv
wears are not much, after all, Mr.. Nc
?"
"Much ?" said 1. "Tuts, my dear,
It's nothing just indeed what should
be. !"
Il was Just 81 last birthday, Mr..
said Miss Robina, "and
the minister said the last time he called
that no young lady should take the
cares and responsibilities of a household
upon herself until she was-well, eight
and he added that 81 was
late enough"
1.-THE minister, my dear, said 1, "is
a man of sense"
So thus were the Miss McFarlanes'
schedules filled up; and if ever some
one in search of the Curiosities of the
Census should come across it he may
think it strange enough, for he will find
that the three sisters McFarlane are all
one years BARNS. - Chambers Journal.