Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-11-14

, AiOi nidS Az 1ue ulueFS, looking,
We're surprised to see the slender form
OF a girl standing fearless and erect
before them.
My men," she said, Il have come
TO ask favor Of you. l ask it as
Well for your own Sakes as for ours
want you to go quietly back to your
homes. There has been enough blood.
shed on either side. Thank Coo" with
Shudder, mo one is killed. Rut
murder might easily have been COM
mItted; and how could you have gone
! nome to youl wives and families with
murderer and robber written Oh your
faces? You are not bad men. Whe1.
L look into your countenancnS can
see that l am as safe out here as if
L We're in the house" C'HuITa h ~
, said voice from the crowd.) Thank
YOU she went on; L knew l was not
mistaken. Well, then, take ny ad-
vice; go home. Tomorrow your griev-
ances will probably seem less intol-
cradle than they do today. N any
case your employers will then be pre-
pared to discuss them. But remem-
Der this: All discussion ON so grave
a subject, and one involving such a
variety of different interests. should
only be considered in a calm and, rea-
sonable spirit, without heat on either
side. Therefore, as you are only
harming your cause by staying here,
once more l ask you-wiE you return
quietly to your homes?"
There was silence as she finished
speaking; then. suddenly a roar Of
admiration burst from the crowd.
These rough men, who spent the
greater portion of their lives under
ground, toiling in the bowels of the
earth. were-as the girl had truly
said-not bad men. They possessed
a certain rude chivalry which rem
dered them capable Of approaching
sense and courage in woman. The
girls fearlessness and trust appealed
to all that was best in their nature.
A white haired old patriarch advanced
from the rank, and. raising Mays
hand to his lips. kissed it with a gal
lantry which many a fine gentleman
might have copied with advantage.
AYE, aye" he said: I'VE will do
as you wish. There's sense in that
little head of yourn, and kindness
and good feeling in your heart. We
will not go ag'in you, my dear" SO
saying, he made an awkward bow,
and without another word the whole
party of invaders turned tail, bearing
ing their wounded away. Mays vic
tory was complete. She heaved a sigh
If relief. She had acted on 4 sudden
impulse, and could hardly account for
it. Now that the danger was past,
she felt timid and afraid that she had
taken too much upon herself It was
pleasant to find her companions en-
tertained no such thought, but, on
the contrary. greeted her like a hero
inc. But more consoling than all was
the viceiike grasp in which Captain
Legendre held her hand and the ring
of approval in his deep voice as he
said: you have set us all an example
of courage, Miss Foster. Lucky is the
man who marries such wife She
Is d ueIpludle indeed.
She colored red with pleasure and
retired to her room
Early the next morning the soldiers
arrived. and as shooting was not
deemed wise under the circumstances,
that afternoon the party broke up.
Violet made herself most agreeable to
the officers, and was escorted to the
station by two Of them. Captain Lee
gendre hardly spoke a word TO her
eve shall meet again shortly, no
doubt" said Violet at parting.
mo doubt" he responded awkward
ly. But, as the days went by, he did
not experience the smallest desire to
see her again. On the other hand, he
found his mind haunted by the men,
DRY of May Foster.
II can't think what l was about"
he unused, ''to prefer Violet 1t only
shows what fools we men are. AS
for Miss Pomaroy, when one comes to
analyZe her apart from her good
looks, she is nothing but mass of
Millinery" At last he could stand it
no longer, and wrote very renitent.
apologize letter, saying that he had
made a mistake in his feelings, and
begged her to forgive any annoyance
he might have caused her Believe
me-" he wrote, eve were not in the
least suited to one another 1t was
all my fault, for being so stupid as
to fancy we were"
To this letter he received 70 reply.
much to his discontinue. For until
Violet set him free, he hardly knew
whether to consider himself an en-
gagged man or not And his loss of lib
erty chafed him in a peculiar fashion.
The truth was, ever since the night
of the miners strike his thoughts had
been full Of May Foster; he could
orable man he could not speak until
think of no one else; but as an hon
he knew he was not considered a
captive. For three months he fretted
necessarily. He wrote again to VI
let-whO was now in Scotiand-with
the same result. The situation was
full Of difficulty, and he hardly knew
how to proceed. He felt bound hand
and foot. One day he suddenly re-
gained his freedom in the most I'M
expected manner. On looking over
the Morning Post, he perceived the
following adveT CiSement: "a marriage
has been arranged between Miss ViO-