Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-06-13

rain-drops. Kate started up as she heard
step outside the door; another moment,
and Tom was before her, looking very
solemn, like newly-materialized ghost.
"Tom:" she cried, sharply, and then
she seemed to cover before him; yet not
before him, but the horror of the after
noon, which again descended upon her
and took possession of her. Tom, her
husband, might have been one If that
srlsly throng of mangled, crushed. dead,
and dying phantoms Of the might-have-
been, ever torturing her mental vision.
She pressed her hands over her eyes, as if
they might bar out the sight.
''Oh, you ought not; you should never
do such a thing" she said.
After all, she had nerves, and they had
been sorely tried that day.
"What do you mean:" gravely de-
manded Tom. This was indeed a sorry
greeting, after all no had been through.
"You shouldn't come home in this I'M
expected way; you shouldllet people know
when you are coming"
Kate" said Tom, solemnly, seating
| himself on the sofa and drawing her down
beside him, ''you will speak differently
when you know how near I came to not
coming home at all; I have travelled
| twelve miles on horseback over rough
| mountain road to get here tonight. We
| were just starting out of Prescita when
we were notified that the bridge three
| miles below there-six miles above here,
kate-had been carried away"
"How did you find out:" Kate was her.
| self again. There was little twinkle ir
her eye, but her lip trembled.
las to that" replied Tom, reports are
somewhat vague. But all accounts agree
| 1t was woman. And she did wonderful
| things. The bridge-tender's wife, l be.
lleve. FlOated down stream on a timber,
somebody said. Started, all dripping, for
the station, and got there in an uncon-
sionably short time. Not minute tc
spare. If it hadn't been for her!-oh, il
was wonderful feat, every body says"
but how-very-unladylike said
Kate, in a shocked voice. STOPPING to pick
up something from the floor.
''Unladylikew cried Tom, excitedly. 81
tell you. Kate, that was something worth
while. Very different from your lawn
tennis practice. When a woman puts he1
strength to such a use-and such strain
as it must have been, by Jove! Why,
Kate, l doubt if you could so much as
walk to town and back. But when WON.
an saves two or three hundred lives at
one stroke! My goodness, Kate !
What have you been doing to your foot?"
For Mrs. Middleton had unconsciously
pushed the wounded foot into sight, and
its load Of bandages, piled up by Bird.
gets clumsy fingers, and finished with q
red flannel swathing, was indeed calcu-
lated to strike terror to the beholder.
I-I took little walk to-day" replied
Kate, guiltily, trying to hide the foot
again beneath the hem of her dress.
''But don't let US talk about that Tom.
I'm sorry I seemed queer and cold when
you came in. I wasn't feeling we'll, and
you-you looked so. It made me shiver."
Like many people who are dauntless in
the presence of real danger, Kate had all
her life been shy of praise. If she could
have kept the knowledge Of her escapade
as the mentally termed it, from her hus.
band, she would gladly have done it. But,
stupid as he was in some ways, obtuse as
he was, he was not to be put off in this
| way. He was already on his knees be&
side her, cutting threads, removing pins
and undoing cloths, in spite of her pro-.
tests, until he disclosed little foot, pur.
pie with bruises, and with an ugly gaping
cut on one side.
mo wonder you are not yourself to-.
night. A little waikiki I should say so.
Kate, what have you been up to now:''
II had on my slippers" confessed tbs
| culprit, "and-there wasn't time to change
them. Let it alone, Tom. It'll be al,
right to- morrow"
"a little walkv" persisted Tom
"Great Caesar, Kate, you are not to BIZ
trusted alone any moro than a two-year.
| old babe: I'll never dare to go off ano
leave you again"
''If hadn't taken my little walk, you
you-mightn't have had the chance y:
| cried poor Kate, cornered at last.
my SOUL" cried Tom, light dawnine
| upon him at last. sit was you!"
think he kissed the little lame, bruised
feet. l am afraid he did a great many
| foolish things, and humbled himself
most lamentably to show his love for his
brave young wife, his pride IN her, ani
| his contrition.
There was purse made up by the pas.
sengers on the overland train that fatefu
| day, to reward the plucky woman who ha6
| saved them from such frightful disaster
but they were never able to find her out
| The station-master and Jack Spencer
kept their secret we'll. The only sub
scriptlon that ever reached its destina.
| ton was Tom Middleton's. His wifi
some times wears very ugly bracelet SET
with couple Of very large and ponderou
| gold coins. When people question he1
about it she replies that it is medal Ton
| once awarded her for race she Won. L
is generally understood that she refers K
| some rowing match or horseback ride, FOL
there are boats on the pond now, saddle.
| horses in Toms stable, and tennis.
court on the lawn. But even as she an.
| swers Kate sees again the railroad train
with its precious living freight thunder.
ing on to destruction, and woman, bare.
headed, wild-eyed, with draggled dres.
and bleeding feet, racing desperately
across a rough country, in mad effort to
avert the impending danger.-Flort
Haines Loughead, in Argo naut
Kalamazoo Celery.
Where is the best celery raised?"
remarked Washington market man
the other day. I'm Kalamazoo. 1t is
not yet certain why it is So but it ha:
oS II Il