The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-03-03

ANU oOiuCuOW, lhClC Uoo NOni P~Aoes
ton for all fatigue in the pleasant
evenings, when Mr.. Charles Dough
ty, coming home from the city, made
himself as agreeable to the new in
mate of the house as though she had
been a guest.
eff only had brother like that, "
Debbie often thought; "if this were
my home, how happy I should be =
So the days glided by. Her first
months wages were paid, but Deb
bic had lost her desire for the striped
silk. A heavy, black silk, like those
worn by Mrs. Doughty, had become
her object now. Two months salary
would buy this. So she boarded the
crisp notes carefully. The dress
should have a train and little lace
ruff, and it should fit her neatly and
not be the sllape1ess bag that Miss
Bones, the village dresstnaker, be-
lieved to be a polonaise. Once, at
least, she would let Charles Doughty
see her in this-once, at least, she
would prove that she could look like
lady. She hated the green merino
now worse than ever, for hide it be-
meath white aprons as she mihgt, she
could not hide its spottiness
And yet Mr.. Doughty was so polite,
so courteous, so kind.
"What a happy woman his wife
will be p thought poor little Debbie.
Once, indeed, he had even taken
her for walk when she had a sick
headache, and he looked at her SO
sweetly. No one was SO handsome,
so grand. And then Debbie found
tears in her eyes; she could not guess
why. "Oh, to stay here forever p
she sighed.
But alas the happiest days fly the
fastest. The two months were draw
ing to an end. There was talk about
the European trip, and one day Mrs.
Doughty put the last months wages
into poor Debbie's palm.
"I can't pay you for all you have
done for me" she said. "But I know
(Debbie had been confdential) that
you want black silk. I've made it
little more-and you can go down
to-day and buy it, and let me feel it
when you come home. I'm good
Judge of silk by touch, even now"
And Debbie felt wonderously rich,
as, with a hundred dollars in her
purse, she was hurried cityward by
the flying train. But somehow she
was not happy as she had hoped to
be. She should have the dress-but
her old life of thankless toll would be-
gin again, and her friends were going
to leave her. The sea would roll be-
tween her and the kind old lady and
splendid Mr.. Charles.
II don't fell as if I could buy it, j"
said Debbie to herself, as she walked
up Broadway. "What do I care for
ft1zsssfs4ssr . -s-zsssszzz:
Buffers. Not beau in the place
worth having. No one interesting or
pleasant. They can't be agreeably
polite all they can do is to grin and
try to kiss you. Oh, 1 detest them
all. And the only man worth any
thing in the world l shall never see
again."
Poor Debbie, her mind was far
away, but her feet trod the city
streets and New York is not the place
to go into dreamland in. Abstraction
written on her face, and her reticule
loosely held in her hand, the country
girl was an object calculated to attract
the attention of the first evil-disposed
individual who met her. And very
soon two young men in shabby
clothes, with low, evil faces, stumbled
rip against her, reproved each other
for hitting against the lady," and
while she, confused and alarmed, en-
deavored to get out of their way,
snatched her reticule and fed.
The next moment, rid of her
dreams for the time being, Debbie re-
allied the fact that she was alone and
penniless in great, strange city.
"What shall ! do" she asked her
self, as the tears filled her eyes. "The
dress is gone, of course, but how am
to get home again? Will they take
me on the cars without money!"
Stories of persons who had been
set off in swamps or tumbled over
bridges, for lack of tickets, rushed
into her memory. She had not a
friend in New York. 1t was such
wicked place. Robbed now, might she
not be murdered next? People look
ed at her curiously. An impudent
foreigner leered at her. A dingy
man approached and clutched her
arm. He only meant to beg, but the
girls nerves were quite unstrung by
this time, and she gave little scream
and turned to run. This time some
one caught her hand.
"Oh, please don't kill me-" sobbed
Debbie.
why, what is the matter, Debbie? +?
Don't you know me2" said voice,
and there was Mr.. Charles Doughty.
"Oh, thank goodness?" sighed
Debbie, and clung to him as though
her life were in danger.
"Take my arm little country girl, +"
he said. New York is enough to
distract one unused to it. And what
isit? Are you lost? Have you been
frightened?"
mot exactly" said Debbte, "but
I've been robbed, and l began to
think 1 should not get back home.
Oh, how good you were to find me
But, l declare, wonder you are not
ashamed of me in this shabby dress,
as if my father was a beggar. not the
rich man he is-and so excited, and
all. I think perhaps you would bet
ter not let me take your arm. shall
disgrace you, Mr.. Doughty 1 shall
indeed. 1 declare it's blue in some
places and yellow in others
"I'rn not looking at your gown,
Debbie," said Mr.. Charles. l don't