The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-01-05
OUR TWO SQUIRES.
The Story of a Long Feud.
CHAPTER l.

ChAPIEh L.
1t was Christmas morning; a genuine
old-fashioned Christmas, sharp and
clear and cold The meadows were
covered, far and wide, with crisp white
snow, and the Indigenous sparkled with
crystal frost-work. The rustic monu-
ments in the village chuchyard as
sumed forms of quaint indefiniteness
under their tleecy covering, and the an
cient 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 the
whole population of our Cornish chapel,
and with tender eloquence our good old
vicar, bowed with age and infirmity,
but still earnest, still eloquent, once
more preached the message of peace
and goodwill. Not an eye wandered
among the earnest upturned faces, not
a sound broke the quiet hush of rapt at
tention as he spoke his concluding words:
"And now, my brethren-nay, rath-
er my children, for my journey has
been long, and most of those who started
with me have gone one by one to their
rest-for well-nigh forty years have l
labored among you, and the time is at
hand when |, too, shall rest, and when
you will hear my voice no more. 1t is
but little while, and the silver cord
must be loosed and 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 long
in
shall have blotted out all memory of
former feud or ancient grievance, and
shall, with love and fellowship to all
mankind, be able to Join in the Christ
mas song of the angels: On earth peace,
goodwill among mem"
All knew for whom these last words
were especially intended, for the feud
between my uncle, Richard Polwhele,
and the only other large landowner in
the parish, Sir Philip Trefusis, was a
matter almost of county history. 1t 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 ESQ
the story RAM both young men had been
fascinated by the wiles of the same vii
lage beauty. Neither would yield to
the other. Aviolent quarrel arose, and
in moment of passionate excitement
on both sides Trefusis struck Polwhele
with his riding-whip across the face.
Polwhele raised his hand to return the
blow, but checked himself, or it would
have gone hard with Trefusis, for he
was slight and understood, while Pol
wheels strength and daring were pro,
verbal throughout the countryside.
eff you value your hte," he said,
controlling himself by mighty effort,
''get out of my sight"
Trefusis read Alright the warning OF
the white face and flashing eyes, and
already dreading the consequences OF
his rash act, fled away. Richard Pol.
whele spent the rest of that day alone
in the woods, and four and-twenty
hours afterward was stricken with
brain fever. Ere he had completely re-
covered his rival had left the country
and the coquettish cause of their quar-
rel had married rustic swain whom she
secretly much preferred to either of hel
aristocratic admirers. Thirty years haC
since passed by, during the greater par
of which Trefusis had remained abroad
visiting his native place only at rare in
tervals. Three years back, however
he had finally returned, widower will
one daughter, now aged nineteen, anC
had taken up his abode once more a
the family mansion, Trecarra Park
Richard Polwhele had also married
and was left widower, with five chill
dren-Howard, Mary, Alice, Percy an,
Dorothy, of ages ranging downward
from twenty-five to seven. Uncle Dicl
would readily have let bygones be by
cones, but he waited for Trefusis t
make the first overture. Possibly 81
Philip had similar feeling. At an
rate, neither would make the first adj
vance, and the result was that 1.-the tw
Squires,' as they were called, met an,
remained on terms of naughty GOODNESS
No communication took place between
the two houses, though it was Whispers
that Cousin Howard and pretty Edit
Trefusis, who had met more than one
on neutral ground, were not disposed t