Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-11-29
COUPLING PINS.
A Story of Thanksgiving.

The wind had changed, and driver
the little gray clouds into an ominous
leaden mass.
Miss Emerson, the teacher, now
boarding round at the Starr farm
looked at the, first flakes as she would
have looked at any other personal enc
mics, had they come floating down t.
darken the clear skies of her promised
day of delight.
1t was seldom Miss Emerson gave
herself pleasure; and now that she
had bargained with haggling Mrs
Starr for a little turkey, nicely roast
ed, a mince pie, glass of plum jan
and a loaf of bread to donate to the
big feast to be given the Sharpsburs
benevolent institution, ycleped 1.-The
Widows Rest" on this Thanksgiving
day, she wished the little gray clouds
had kept to their first inclination tc
scatter before the shining sun.
Augusta King was going. She was
a cousin-in-law who kept, and enjoyed
keeping, the stalwart Starr boys in a
oIalC VI lCuu. kCllC w dS blSS, UtduIll III
vain, and somethA of an heiress.
Miss Emerson had, with amusement
not unmiXed with indignation, silently
watched this little comedy-pastoral
1.-THE Rivals" Her quick sympathies
went out to Giles Starr, the elder
brother, a tall, splendid youth, with
the torso of a gladiator that held the
heart of a woman. For the daring
lawless, handsome younger brother she
instinctively reserved her dislike, turn
ing on the faucet of the fountain OF
wOrded disfavOr at every aggressive
attention offered her by Valentine
Starr.
carried by both brothers to the snowy
platform, where, when it was properly
Signaled, the local accommodation
to Sharpsburgh, which lay thirty miles
to the north, stopped to take on pas
sengers. The railroad officials had pre-
pared for the days extra traffic by
adding four passenger coaches to the
usual complement that, once a day
piled between Madison and Sharps
burgh on the rather rusty little mar.
row-gauge.
1t CHANGED that when, at Walls sig,
nal: the train stopped, the engineer
put at fault by the unusual lengths of
his following, slowed up only as the
last-and empty-car drew alongside
the platform. With "a gay laugh al
their utter isolation, Augusta, when
aboard, began talking to Val, who sat
beside her, in low, confidential tones,
and laughing in loud, maddening
roulades, the better to incense pool
Giles, who, worm of the dust that he
was, turned, at last, and began a con,
versational attack upon Miss Emerson
He even sat down opposite her, with
his back to his brother and Augusta
and made a successful pretense of hav-
ing forgotten their existence.
Miss Emerson's pity for the worm
whose squirming she alone saw, drove
her headlong into channels of argu,
mentative harangue, where the waves
were strong and the waters frightfully
deep. To her qualification and sur
prise, Giles plunged after her and
swan as a swimmer does who knows
his strength and joys in the exhil
arating sport.
She had never talked to him in just
this way, and to hold her own in the
under-toW through which his mascu
line mind buffeted it's way with mas
terly ease brought the pink to bel
cheeks and the light to her eyes.
Again the train stopped, and Mrs
Bassett and her daughter, Matilda
numbered into the second coach ahead
Augusta, observing her, and wishing
to summarily punish Giles for his
daring INSTRUMENTATION, loudly declar
ed her intention of going to Matilda
Bidding Val follow with her-basket
Miss King, with a sharp glance O
swapping black eyes that was lost upoI
Giles, founced up the aisle and out O.
| the coach.
/ From the Bassett farm to the mex
probable stopping place was a stretcl
of nearly ten miles; beyond this farms
and villages began to thicken, ant
slowing up would be the order of tn,
| day.
AS if ignorant of Augustus deser
ton, Giles took up the thread of con
! versation where it had dropped, AM
began so brave a winding of it upol
so manifestly pitiable a reel Of goo,
intention that Miss Emerson figura
lively reached forth and took it from
! him.
In her kindly hands, and in the ligh
of her sparkling, generous mood, tn
| gossamer thread shone and glistene,
and changed color. He listened wit
ears deafening themselves to the sar
casm of a strident voice, and looked a
her with eyes from whose lenses fade,
! the image of a saucy, buxom beauty
| Miss Emerson wound on and Oh
Once over Giles square shoulder sh
saw Walls face peering in at then
from the outside platform. A demoni
acal grin warped his handsome feat
ures, which disappeared an instan
later, and theD-