Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-03-13
THE ENDING OF A FEUD.

The feud between the Kentuck
families of Reynolds and Garth ha
its origin some time previous to th
great civil war; but that strife {
section against section, State agains
State, and brother against brother
added fuel to its fire and sintensit
to its bitterness.
When the war broke out, tn
Reynolds family ranged themselve
on the side of the Rebels, and tn
Garths, probably for no better reasol
than opposition to their old enc
mics, espoused the Union cause.
1t is not to be supposed that eithe
of the families cared much, if any
thing, for the principles involvet
in the contest, the Reynolds trib
seeing in the struggle a pretext TO
devoting themselves to the destruc
ton of the Garths, and the Gartl
tribe finding in the war an excus,
for the determination of the Reyn
Olds. Thus it happened that NJ
member of either family was regu
larIy enrolled in any army, but al
the Reynolds and all the Garths
/
ends by engaging in a style of war
fare which was generally regarded
as illegitimate. They called them.
selves guerrillas and partisans, but
other people gave them the desig-
nation of buShWhackers.
They carried on the business OF
bushWhacking to their mutual ex-
termination, if not to their entire
satisfaction. So thoroughly was
| the work of the bullet and the rope
done, that there were left of the two
tribes at the close of the war only
Phil Reynolds on the one side, and
John Garth and his daughter Lottie
| on the other.
1t was then supposed that one or
the other of the two male survivors
would terminate the feud by COM
pleting the determination of one
family or the other, but the general
expectation was disappointed.
John Garth, finding himself OBJ
noxious in the neighborhood be-
cause of his alleged Union senti-
ments, quilted Kentucky, and
crossed the river to take up his
abode in Indiana.
John Garth made an end of his
exile within year. His property
was going to waste, his old neigh
borhOOd had settled down to con-
dition of reasonable quietude and
federation, and he returned to his
farm, accompanied by his daughter
Lottie, then a tall and handsome
girl of eighteen.
1t was then believed that the feud
would be at last fought out to fatal
termination, but no immediate con-
fiict occurred between the surviv-
ors of the hostile families.
Phil Reynolds and John Garth
both went armed, but that was the
custom of the country, and the care
with which they avoided one an
other exceeded the eagerness with
which they had sought meeting
during their bushWhacking days.
At last, as Reynolds was return
ing from the mill, he met Garth in
a narrow path on the side of hill,
and a glance at their faces was
enough TO show that the fatal hour
had come.
Neither was willing to make way
for the other, and the first words
that broke from their lips were
those of abuse and recrimination.
After a little of this wOrdy warfare
they drew their pistols and opened
fire.
When all the chambers of their
reyolYers had been discharged, the
result of the action thus far was
seen to have been fatal to Reynolds
mule and Garth's horse, while the
two men were slightly wounded.
They renewed the fight on foot,
clinching and wrestling for the mas
terry.
Then Garth slipped and fell, his
antagonist falling upon him.
With yell of triumph Reynolds
drew his knife and prepared to wipe
out all scores with death stroke.
At that moment Lottie Garth
came riding up the hill, and with
one glance she took in the details of
the scene and realized her fathers
danger.
Without pausing to dism0unt, she
implored Reynolds to spare the life
of the PROSTATE man.
Her fearful eyes, her Outstretched
arms and her agonizing accents
might have melted heart of stone,
but they could not change Phil
Reynolds heart of fire.
He only saw in her appearance
another cause for triumph, chance
to inflict another pang upon his
hated adversary.
With one sure and powerful
-, IL III l,sc fn
the heart of the man beneath him,
and John Garth's fighting days
were ended. .
Lottie Garth shook and bent in
her saddle like sapling in a strong
wind, and it seemed as if she would
fall from her horse; but she recov-
cred herself, and fiercely faced the
murderer as he rose from his bloody
work.
"Phil Reynolds" she said, and
her voice rang out on the mountain
air as clear as a silver bell, "you
have murdered my father, though
/ begged you to spare his life. AS
sure as God lets me live, 1 will kill
you for this deed ~
Reynolds was fairly cowed for
moment. Perhaps he felt the enor-
nifty of his crime; perhaps the
words and tone of the orphan girl
cut him to the quick.
He made no reply, but picked up
his pistol, and hastily began to load
it, as If he meant to complete the
work of exterminating the Garths-
and at the same time to get rid of
witness. But Lottie turned and
galloped away, and was soon out of
his reach or sight.
Lottie Garth did not expect that
the slayer of her 1ather would be
punished by law, and he was not.
He was arrested and held to bail,
but was never brought to trial.
The feeling was that such feud
must have such an ending, and that
it was a matter of little consequence
whether Reynolds killed Garth or
Garth killed Reynolds, though there
was more sympathy with the latter
than the former, on political grounds.
The girl gave her testimony at
the inquest, saw that her father was
properly buried, and then bade fare
well to her few friends in the negh-
bOrhood, after putting the Garth
farm in the hands of an agent to be
disposed of. 1t was understood that
she had returned to Indiana.
1t was some six months after the