The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-03-09
OUR TWO SQUARES.
The story of u Long Feud.
CHAPTER |.

CHAPTER |.
II was IL Christmas morning; genuine, old
fashioned Christmas, sharp and clear and cold.
The meadows were covered, far and wide with
crisp white SHOW, and the hedge rows sparkled
with crystal frost work. The rustic mOnu-
mcnts in the village church-yard assumed
forms of Quaint Indebtedness under their tleccy
covering, AMI the ancient yew trees, dark and
gloomy in summer when all else was gay,
seemed now like fairy fountains springing up
ward in the winter sunshine
Within the church was gathered well nigh
he whole population Of our Cornish chapel,
and with tender coqucncc our good old vicar,
bowed with age and intirmity, but still earnest,
still eloquent, once more preached the message
of peace and good will Not an eye wandered
among the earnest upturncd faces not II sound
broke the quiet hush of wrapt attention as he
spoke his concluding words;
"And now, my brethrcn-nay, rather my
children, Tor my journey has been long, and
most of those who started with me have gone
one by one TO their rcst-ior well nigh forty
wears have ] laborcd among you, and the time
IS at hand when l. too, shall rest and when
you will hear my voice no more. 1t is but Il
little while and the silver cord must be looscd
ard the golden bowl be broken God has been
very good to me; yet one gift more, one only,
would ask of him. that, ere 90 to my home,
every soul in this my little flock shall have
hiOtted out all memory of previous icud or an
Gent grievance, and shall with love and tcl-
iOwship to all mankind be able to join in the
Christmas song Of the angels ION earth
peace, good will among men"
All knew for whom these last words were
especially intended, for the fcud between my
uncle, Richard Po.whelc and the only other
large landowner in the parish, Sir Philip Ire
tusIS was a matter almost of county history.
Il had originated many years back, when both
were young men fresh from oxford. At
school and college they had been bosom friends,
nay, almost brothers, but $50 the story ram both
young men had been fascinated by tho wiles
II the same village beauty A violent quarrel
arose, and in moment of passionate excite
nent on both sides TrefuSis struck Polwhele
with his riding viii across the face. POlwhele
raised his hand to return the blow, but checked
himself or ii would have gone hard with Ire
fusis, for he was slight and understood, while
POlwhelc's strength and daring were proverb-
ial throughout the whole country side.
Fyou value your life" he said, controlling
himself with mighty effort, get out of my
sight"
Trciuss read Alright the warning of the
white face and flashing eyes, and, already
drcadng the consequences of the rash act, fed
hat day alone in the woods, and four and
tTeny hours afterwards was stricken with
brain fever Ere he had completely recovered
mis- rival had fled the country, and the coquet
fish cause of their troubles had married rus
tic swain whom she secretly had much prefer
ID 20 either Of her aristOcratic and fond adj
mircrs
Thirty years had since passed by. during the
greater part of which Trefusis had renamed
abroad, visiting his native place only at rare
.nteryals.-Thrce years back however, he final
y returned, "A widowcr with one daughter, now
aged nineteen, and had now taken up his abode
once more at the family mansion Trccaria Park
Richard Polwhele had also married and was
ieit wldower, with five chldren-IIoward
Mary, Alice, Percy and Dorothy, of ages rang
.ng downward from TWENTY-FIVE to seven. Tn.
cie Dick would readily have let bygones be bv.
cones, but he waited for Trcf;isis To make the
frst overture-Possibly Sir Philip had SINH.
Jar feeling AZ any rate neither would make
he first advance, and the result was that "the
TWO squires," rs they were called. met and re.
NAMED ON terms Of naughty GOODNESS. No
communication took place between the two
houses though il was whispered that Cousin
Howard and pretty Edith Trefusis. who had
met more than once on neutral ground, were
not disposed to keep up the family ieud for
another generation.
Such being the state Of things, the earnest
appeal of our good old vicar was not Difficult,
Of application, and many eyes were turned up
on the two Squires TO see in what spirit they
received this public admonitiOn. There was 4
ouch of heightened color upon Uncle Dick.
handsome face as he stepped forth into In,
churcbyard, the very model Of a gallant Eng
hshman, dispensing hearty hand shakes ant
kindly Christmas greetings TO friend ans