Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1903-11-04
The WOOinQ
of A" BuSter''
Tale Of a Maids Way With Man

birds of feather may flock togeth-
ID er, but they do not always fall in
love with each other. AS rule, it takes
birds not of a feather to do that. At any
rate this was the case with Miss Chris
tobel Merlin and Peter funston; and
yet, so different were they that the whole
affair seemed altogether hopeless up to
the time that Miss Merlin's catboat came
between them. 1t is strange that any
thing coming between two people who
love each other should bring them to-
gether, yet this may happen If the wind
be in the right direction.
At Sandheaps, where Miss Merlins
father had a cottage, and where Miss
Merlin, with her diminutive catboat,
had learned to be one of the best sail
ors among the summer contingent,
there had been a lack of visitors owing
to bad weather, and the hotel, usually
crowded, looked lonesome up to the
first of July, when the guests all seemed
to come at once. And among them
came Peter, or, as his class Familiarity
called him, Buster"
They met at a Saturday evening hop.
He was brought up and introduced by
Christobel's cousin, Jack. He bowed
awkwardly
May l have this dance?" he NUT
tered
With pleasure" she replied.
In a moment they were whirling
around the room, or, rather, they were
trying to whirl, for funston, with his
$50 pounds, was not the best dancer in
the world.
After awhile they stopped.
I'm not much of a dancer" he OBJ
served, alphabetically.
His partner tried to smile.
Never mind" she said; I'VE will sit
Il out"
They strolled on the piazza, where the
wind from the ocean, cool and refresh
ing. famed their cheeks. The contrast
between them was striking funston,
heavy, clumsy, almost giant, lowered
above his slight, ethereal companion,
whose delicate, classical, sensitive face
could express every shade of meaning
She looked up at him half shyly, even
in the semi-darkness. His stature awed
everything she was not, and the
thought made her love him AS for Tun-
ston, he could not have described his
feelings il he had tried. Self-analysis
with him was an unknown quality. He
only knew that he felt uncomfortable.
I'm a beastly dancer" he half
stammered, as they sat down. 81 never
tackle it il l can help it, but Jack said
that"
Said she repeated, that l was
dying TO dance, l suppose. Well. Jack
doesn't know everything. How do you
like it here?"
Bully beach Good surf-seems like
decent sort of place. said funston
do you sail?"
mot much. play ball good deal in
the spring and fall, Water polo in the
winter and in the summer-well, these
dinky little boats don't appeal to me-
She smiled
That's what I've got-a dinky little
boat"
He colored.
It"
Don apologize. It's all right. can
understand how you feel. But enjoy it
hugely. Papa got me my boat last year.
and GO sailing in it every day"
"Aloae?"
''Oh, yes. That's the fun"
The propriety of a young man go
ing sailing with a young girl alone in
small boat has often been discussed
and probably never will be determined.
1t is all right, of course, to take a cir,
for a long stroll up the beach when the
elder people are having their afternoon
nap and where there are plenty of shell
tering rocks, though the prudes sniff
even at this But to go out in boat
alone with young man. at the mercy of
sea and wind and tide, is quite differ
ent matter.
Miss Merlins father might have OBJ
jected to such a proceeding, had he not
such confidence in his daughters judg-
ment and her sailing powers. AS for
Miss Merlin, she was more or less above
such things: American to the core, she