The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-07

ed to heron the subject of family quar-
rels, their folly and absurdity, and tn
sweets of peace and goodwill.
"Now there is that absurd feud o
ours" he added. 1.-The Greers Away
have been q fighting race, / imagine
They enjoy battle. suppose | hav'
the combative element somewhere abou
me too, but every generation is bound tt
be an improvement on the last II 1t can
and mean to make it the business of my
life to bring about more Christian STATE
of things"
"That is a good and blessed resolve fol
Easter-day," said Mrs. Ashe, looking al
him with kindly eyes full of approba
ton.
Poor Philip! 1t is easy to resolve, but
the us inertia is strong, and it was less
easy to accomplish his purpose. He
made divers efforts during the long vaca-
ton to convince his mother of the impro-
priety of disputes, and the desirability o1
reconciliations where there had been dis.
putes. She agreed with him in theory,
but always it ended with: "But we
amt called on to have anything to dc
with those Hollow Greers, so far as I can
see. 'Tisn't as if we wished to act in
juriously to them in any way; we don't;
and we never have; but they're there
and we're here, and we'd better stay so.
1t don't seem quite respectful to your
father, either, to be extending the right
hand of fellowship to folks he couldn't
abide the mention of. It's like going
against his convictions; and, besides, /
don't see any good to be gained by it."
As for the girls, they thought Phil
downright absurd to be making such a
fuss about nothing. How did he know
that the other Greers wanted to be re-
conciled?
He didn't. That was the worst of it..
What between mother and sisters and
his own doubts, thepoor fellows courage
might have failed many time had it
not been for that unconsciously given
talisman of peace, Azalea's Easter lily.
Over it's dry and odorless petals Philip
vowed perseverance. He kept the lily
in his pocketbook as a sort Of fetch,
and fortified by frequent glances at it his
waning resolution.
In September he made the Ashes
another visit, during which he walked
over to the Hollow and introduced
! himself to his kinsfolk, who were more
kin than kind. His reception was civil
enough from Mrs. Greer, who had really
no feeling on the subject, and Azalea was
shyly cordial; but the accidental men
tion of his visit afterward reused "old
Tom" to such q paroxysm of helpless
fury that on his second call Mrs. Greer,
with many apologies, begged him not to
come again. 1T seemed to hurt her
husband to have him in the house." she
said. Philips only consolation in this
defeat was the panied blush on Azalea's
cheek, and the pleading expression of
her brown eyes, lifted for one moment
to his face as they parted. -.
Il know I could make her like me, !"
he said that night to the lily, "if I could
have chance. But what hard work it
is to get chancem
Only the faint heart, however, need be
hopless of winning, and Philip Greer
was not faint-hearted. 1t took time !:
there were many discouragements, many
misgivings; but he persisted bravely,
and one by one obstacles gave way and
difficulties smoothed themselves out.
Perhaps Mrs. Ashe suspected his secret /;
she certainly helped him greatly by fire.
quent invitations to Hollow End and by
bringing him and Azalea together.
These meetings had their natural result,
and by the time that old Tom Greer died,
in the early winter. there was no impedi-
ment remaining, so far as Azalea and
her mother were concerned. To con-
vince Mrs. Samuel Greer and her daugh-
ters was more difficult; but here again
Mrs. Ashe played q part in aid of true
love. She invited Philips sisters over
for visit; they met Azalea as though
by accident, took a fancy to her, and
being hearty, good-humored girls, felt
their prejudices give way Mt once under
the effect Of her gentleness and charm.
"She was really dear little thing,
they told their mother. "It was great
pity her father treated papa so. He
must have been hateful old man, but
AzaIea was quite different. And. after
all, she was their cousin. And mightn't
they ask her over some day to spend a
week? Mrs. Greer objected family,
but was overruled in the end; and
Azalea once recognized and admitted as
a factor in the existing state of things,
the rest was easy enough. Rather long
engagement followed, but in Easter
week, two years from the date of their
wst meeting, Philip obtained the desire
of his heart, and the long feud between
the Greer families finally terminated at
the wedding, which took place in the
little church where he and Azalea had
first met.-Harper'S Bazaar.