Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-10-31
The END OF THE FEUD.
BY JOHN P. sJoLANDER.

BY JOHN P. sJoLANDER.
As far back as the oldest resident could
remember there had been feud between
the Jasons aud the Spratts 1t had never
been deadly one, but it had been very
bitter for all that, and had caused great
deal Of ill-feeling, not between the two
families alone, but among many others
who through alliance with either had
been dragged into the quarrel.
There were people, too, in and about
Tomsburg who took special delight, it
seemed, in keeping the two families con-
stantly in hot water by carrying tales be-
tween the two houses. Often these tales
were dimsy fabrications, woven from the
imaginations Of the tellers, which could
have been readily detected as fiction by
people less prejudiced against one an
other than the Jasons and the Spratts;
but as it was the busy-bodies and mis-
chief-makers had an open and free field
wherein to exercise heir more or less in
genious art of story telling.
At the time of the ending Of the feud
Sim Jason was the representative of one
side and JAY Spratt of the other. They
were both young men, unmarried, and
intelligent in everything save the one
subject Of the family feud, an exception
not to be wondered at, since they had
imbibed prejudice against each other
with their mothers milk.
But time, the resistless, that under
mines empires and causes them to tumble
in a night, brings changes everywhere
Sooner or later everything succumbs and
is no more. The Tomsburg feud ended
in a night, and that, too, when 1t
seemed to have grown more bitter and
more deadly than it had ever been be-
fore.
Tomsburg is situated on the shore OF
one of the many bays on the Texas coast,
where nine out of ten of the inhabitants
own a sailing craft of some kind, the
greater number being whatare commonly
called cat-boats, on which they make
weekly trips to the adjacent cities, carry
ing the products of their gardens and
fields
Sim Jason owned one Of these boats, a
trim little craft, and one of the swiftest
that plowed the waters Of the bay. The
little vessel had been named the "Annie"
after his sister. Like every other boat
man, Sim was touchy on the subject of
being beaten by any other craft, but his
particular sore spot was banter from
the Spratt adherents that Jays boat, the
"Lily." could outsail him under any and
all conditions.
The Oily" like the "Annie," had
been named for the sister Of its owner. 1t
wac a new boat, understood to have been
built expressly to beat the Jason boat.
Boast and banter ran high in conse-
Quence, and high words were exchanged
daily between the hackers of the two
crafts.
One evening Jay and Sim met down
by the shore, where they had come to
look after their boats. Both men were
accompanied by friends.
:If I owned an old tub like that ono
yonder," said Jay spratt to his compan-
ions, pointing to the 'Annic' and speak
ing IN tones loud enough to be heard by
the Jason crowd, "rd leave her to the
mercy of the wind and weather, and let
her take care of herself"
''That tub, rs you call her, can outsail
that box of yours" retorted Sim, stop
ping and looking around de6antly.
81 don't believe it.
II didn't ask you to take my word for
it, Jay Spratt. But if you have the
spupk of kitten, can prove it to you
this very night"
"Howi" asked Jay, affecting sur
prise.
''Pll sail you a race to Reddish light
house and back. From the looks Of the
sky we are likely to have all sorts Of
weather-winds, aud calms and squalls
and our boats will have an equal chance. "
Jay considered few moments. The
sky looked threatening, and the night
would be dark. The distance was
twenty miles, and to 60 out on the bay
with every indication for stormy night
was risky business; but Jay knew h>
must either accept the banter or back