The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-02-20
Busters.
Annah r. Watson

Annah r. Watson.
Busters have gone out of fashion
my dear; look into any Pullman palace
car and you will o0e that rol youi SCR. !
the thing at all; frst-class travellers now
are in stylish suits, and I'm sure they
look much better. A few years ago the
womn in any waiting-room were like a
brigale ready to be ordered off on
duty, all in uniform-the regulation
gray luster, with only blue or brown
veil to distinguish one from another.
am not surprised that dainty aristo-
crats have discarded the homely but
conventional garment, for all must ad-
mt that busters were eminently deino-
critic; that they were great Jewelers.
tha they were no respectors of persons.
They covered the shabby alpaca quite
as successfully as the glossy silk; do
no. doubt in the least that their demo-
cratic proclivities banished them from
good society.
But l have dear old duster laid
away; you will laugh, 1 am sure, to
hear that l entertain for it the most ro-
mantle attachment. All! you can't think
what a trick it served me-dear old
thing.
first came South this very month
three years ago to teach, you know,
though l do not think now I was we'll
qualified for the work-only an untu-
tored girl myself.
This was the first time I had ever
strayed far from home; the trip was a
long one; l grew very tired, and as the
engine steamed into the city terrible
feeling of homesickness took possession
of me.
I expected Professor Raynor, the
principal, to meet me; and when the
train stopped, took my little satchel and
stood waiting, while all the passengers
hurried out, l began to feel faint and
dizzy with the fear that he might not
come, but followed along after the others,
my heart in my throat, my eyes gazing
forward eagerly and scanning every face
in sight.
Suddenly 1 saw gentleman making
his way anxiously toward me, smiling
and expectant; this was surely Mr..
Raynor, but how young he was for the
principal of a school. and how hand
svls.s~- 1t was e9ldently he, Tor his nanu
was extended before we quite met and
in a second more he had clasped mine
warmly, and ardently kissed mel Yes,
kissed me! fair and square on the lips.
Did l scream? No, not exactly, but
I shivered and was cold to my finger
tips, then flushed until the angry blood
burnt into my cheeks, before he ex-
claimed:
'Why, little Christine, how you have
grown Can it be really my little
Christine?' sudden fear flashing into
his face.
I tried to speak, I gasped, turned
cold again and almost fell, but managed
to say:
am Miss Stretton. l am to teach
at Jackson Academy and expected Mr..
Raynor to meet me. You are not he ?
Of course it was very foolish. l knew
it at the time, but knowing it did not
help matters. Great tears welled up to
my eyes as I gazed into his, and a com
passionate look came into his pale, hand.
some face.
"a thousand pardons, Miss Stretton.
came to meet some one,' he continued.
NO, I am not Mr.. Raynor; but allow
me to accompany you to the waiting.
room. Probably he is on the platform.
Il made no reply but went with him.
and just as he turned to help me down
the steps of the coach, a tall, portlJ
gentleman, with suave, self-consciou:
manner, came forward somewhat slow
ly, saying:
'Ah Miss Stretton II am Professor
Raynor. I began to fear you were no
on the train
I could not tell you exactly why, bu
strange shyness came over me; die
not even look toward the gentleman
who had given me such an affectionatt
Welcome, only mumbled something te
Mr.. Raynor, and followed him quick
ly to the omnibus.
| That night, after shutting and boltlnl
the door of my room, looking aroun1
upon its bare and cherries walls ant
.rylng to think the place homelike an'
pleasant, threw myself, in fit of hys
terical sobbing, upon the narrow bed
and between smiling and weeping, man
aged to spend an hour. What foolls
creatures girls are!
'Why did l cry?' Because, to b
sure, 1 was homesick, and-and-be
cause a strange man had kissed me, an
-and-and-perhaps few tears wer
shed because he was stranger. l wish
ed in my heart of hearts that ne ha
not been; that he was some dear brother
cousin or friend, who had come to gree
me so warmly.
What was his name? Who was tn
little Christine?' And would I eve
meet him again?
These were the thoughts that occupie
the hour, but at last l fell asleep. IN
eyes always did make pictures whe
they were Shut great pity | new
could put the pictures on canvas. M
dreams that night would have been
fortune either painted or written. Ol
such glorious sights and scenes-an
always that stranger somewhere near.
Well, week passed, and ain ashan
ed to say how frequently l thought
him; of course as I told myself them
was due to loneliness, to my entire IS
lation, and to the fact that it was n
first prolonged absence from home.
One afternoon, chilly, drizzllng a
tumn day, servant came to my roo
with card. "a gentleman to see 20
Miss Stretton.'
took the card wonderingly, thin
ing, Perhaps it is the minister. In
gave a hasty look into the miro