Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-29
KANE VERSUS ABEL.

Tor plaintiff. I've for defendant, Is IN Illus
;ration. Nor did j. happen IN ti2s Garden
Of Eden, as might be supposed from tho
sound OF Inc aemes, but NJ Mountain
county, which the inhabitants suppose to
be much finer place than the other.
Down in Mountain county, settled by
Irish mainly from Ulster, with sprink-
ling from Connaught, the original man
ners and customs Of the settlers are not
only maintained by their descendants, but
the Gaelic spirit Of clannishness exists in
full force The old families have kept up
the old stock by intermarriages, and the
only things changed were the names,
which We're either corrupted or dropped
their prefixes Thus the McMahons be-
came the Mayhorns; the O'kanes the
kanes; the McAdams, the Adams; the
MacMiilens and the MacAbells, the Mil
lens and the Abelis. But their Highland
Celtic habits filtered through the Irish
sieve, were preserved in their vigor. Be-
tween the two leading families, the kanes
and the Abells, there had been a bitter
feud from the beginning. AS the rest of
the people were connected in one way or
other, they took their sides, and, as they
said. 'stUd by the k'neXion." Pretty far
they carried it, too. One fellow. who was
putting the Abells, was asked what con-
nection he was. well, - said he, mot
so very cloast, but Clarke Abel he gave
me q bull pup" If Kane married with
an Abel, or vice versa, the woman in the
case was adopted in her husbands family
but cut off from her own. But single
quarrel and simple incident changed
the current of affairs and brought about
truce which may be considered peace,
leaving both parties Ill possession Of the
UT posSidetis.
AS the eldest son in straight line from
the original Patrick, who had come to
this country from Ireland and had settled
here under land grant of / 200 acres,
Peter Kane was the recognized head of
the family. he was a good looking, child
less widower. 81 years of age, very well
10 do and looked up TO by his tribe, with
whom his word was potential. He was a
famous bear hunter and kept up stock
of ours, valuable for battling with bruin,
but worthless for any other purpose.
Clarke Abell who held a similar position
among the Abells, was over 80 years old,
tall, athletic and AS straight as u gun bar
rel He did not look a day over 80, with
his iron gray hair and smooth face where
the wrinkles had concentrated about she
corner of the eyes. These two, though
living within three miles Of each other
their possessions joining-rarely spoke
when they met, and then in monosylla-
bles, eking out the conversation by gest-
Ure. =.
1t happened that Kane had seen bear
signs one frosty morning in November
and laid on the dogs. Bruin heard the
Of fol- b>ytS n
forelock, made his way over a gap, and
then down a dry branch hollow. I'm
avoiding Scylla, he fell upon Charybdis,"
and so on; for old Abel happened to be
in his field, his rifle, constant compan-
ion, with him, when he saw. the bear
doing some tall walking in his direction.
He shot the brute, and. with the assist
ance OF his sons, had skinned him when
kaDe's dogs, followed by Kane, came up.
A demand was mace for the bear, which
was denied. There was no fighting the
matter there-three to one was too great
odds-so Kane and his dogs went about
their business. But the matter ranked.
A well known pettifogger Of the section,
John Adam, heard of it and offered his
services. The end of it was that Kane
brought suit before country justice OF
the peace. and, after various misadvent-
ureS, the case was heard. In was an
action in detinue, and Judgment was
given for $50. Abel secured the services
of Cecil Eve, bright young lawyer,
lately admitted to the bar, and the case
was removed 70 the county court, held by
four justices. Adam was not a regular
practitioner but the eonnty court was
sort Of free snd easy tribunal. with roll
OF its own, and Adam was licensed by
custom. He brought suit for damages
''for that the party aforesaid had detained
the bar
1t was some months after the event
when the county court entered on its half
yearly session. In the meanwhile a little
incident occurred. Of the Romeo and
Juliet pattern, which complicated matters.
Abelis only unmarried daughter was
good looking young woman of -, and, like
her kinsfolk, ''hated that Pete Kane like
pizen" But one day she CHANGED TO visit
neighbor at some distance, and on her
return met with a wandering 4-year-old
buck. II was ut a season of the year
when the animal, usually SO timid, is
both bold and aggressive. He charged at
Kitty who deXterouSly lodged behind
tulip tree-poplar they miscal it there
ana so evadeG the thrust OF his anuers.
But he WAS persistent and kept her so con-
stantly shifting her position that she be-
came exhausted. She was just about to
drop, which would have insured her death,
when the crack of a rifle and the dropping
of the buck dead, saved her. The next
moment she heard the voice OF Pete Kane.
''You amt hurt, air you, Miss Kitty
''No. thank you, Mr.. Kane, but power
FIJI skeert.
No wonder that the service rendered
should make Kitty -egard Peter with
favor. and give him a romantic interest in
the pretty girl whom his timely presence
has preserved from a cruel death. Ignor
ing the buck, Peter walked on with Kitty,
escorting her 10 within sight of her
fathers house, and then returning 10
"u"u'-e, ~h'cA. IN spite OF his doss sno
ms nired people, seemed more lonely than
ever.
They met by chance the usual way,
again and again, and the cid story, ever
old and ever new. was told and listened
10. Peter neglected the suit be had
brought IN one court, 10 prosecute suit
in anoth her. ana when tie great case Of
Kane versus Ahell came up before the
county court. Kane was absent bent on q
final verdict in another suit, one of moro
Importance, with jury Of one biased in
his favor.
The fame OF this cause. the importance
OF the points involved and the antagolisu