, 1878-05-24
Our Two SquireS.
The SronY or \ LONG FEuD
CHAPTER l.

It was Christmas morning; genuine
s,d. fashioned Christmas, sharp anu clear
and cold. Tne meadows we're covered.
hr and wide, with crisp White snow, and
she hedgeroSs sparklcd with crystal frost
work. The rustic monuments in the vii
age churchyard assumed forms OF quaint
mdefniteness under their tleecy covering,
md the ancient yew trees, dark and
gloomy 10 summer when all else was gay,
seemed now like fairy fountains spring
mg upward in the winter sunshine.
Within the church was gathered we'll
aigh the whole population of our Corn
sh chapel, and with tender eloquence
our good old vicar, bowed with age and
in6rmity, but still earnest, still eloquent,
once more preached the message of peace
md goodwill. Not an eye wandered
among the earnest upturned faces; not a
sound broke the quiet hush Of wrapt at
.ention as he spoke his concluding words.
sand now, my brethren hay, rather
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 / labored
smong you, and the time is at hand when
L too, shall rest, and when you will hear
my voice no more. 1t is but little
while, and the silver cord must be looscd
and the golden bowl be broken. God
has been very good to me; yet one gift
more, one only, would l ask of Him, that,
ore go to my long home, every soul in
this my little flock shall have blotted out
all memory of foimer feud or ancient
grievance, and shall, with love and fel-
lowship to all mankind, be able to join
in the Christmas song of the angels On
earth peace, good will among men,"
All knew for whom these last words
were especially intended, for the feud be-
tween my uncle, Richard Polwhele, and
the only other large landowner in the
parish, Sir Philip Trefusis, was matter
almost Of country history. 1t had origi-
mated 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
ran) both young men had been fascinat-
ed by the wiles of the same village beauty.
Neither would yield to the other. a vio-
lent quarrel arose, and In moment of
passionate excitement on both sides TGe-
flsis struck PolNhele 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 under
sized, while Polwhele's strength and dar-
ing were proverbial throughout the coun-
try side. "lf you value your life," he
said, controlling himself by a mighty eff
fort, "get out of my sight"
Tretusis read Alright the warning Of the
white face and flashing eyes, and, already
dreading the consequences of the rash act,
fed away. Richard Polwhele 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 recovered his rival had left
the country, and the coquettish cause of
their trouble had married a rustic swain
whom she secretly much preferred to
either Of her aristocratic admirers. Thirty
years had since passed by, during the
greater part of which Tretusis had re-
nained abroad, visiting his native place
only at rare intervals. Three years back,
however,he had finally returned, widow
or with one daughter, now aged nineteen,
and had taken up his abode once more at
the family mansion, Trecarra Park. Rich
ard Polwhele had also married, and was
left widower with five children-How.
ard, Mary, Alice, Percy and Dorothy, of
ages ranging downward from twenty-five
10 seven. Uncle Dick would readily have
let bygones be bygones, but he waited
for Trefusis to make the first overture.
Possibly Sir Philip had a similar feeling.
At any rate neither would make the first
advance, and the result was that "the two
Squires," as they were called, met and
remained on terms Of naughty GOODNESS.
No communication took place between
the two houses, though it was whispered
Mat Cousin Howard and pretty Edith
Trefusis, who had met more than once on
Aeutral ground, were not disposed to
keep up the family feud for another gen.
GRAFTON.
Such being the state of things, the
earnest appeal Of our good old vicar was
not difficult Of application; and mani eyes
were turned upon the twoSquires to see in
what spirit they received this public ad.
nonition. There was touch of height
sned color upon Uncle Dicks handsome
lace as ne stepped forth into the church.
yard, the very model of a gallant English
gentleman, dispensing hearty hand. shakes
and kindly Christmas greetings to friend
and neighbor. Close behind him came
Dir Philip Trefusis, his daughter hang
ING on his arm. At the Lyc6. gate Uncle