The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-08-13
A FAMILY FEUD
Which Resulted in Cruel and
Fatal Revenge.

CHANGED to be spending the day at a farm
house on the Missouri. They were lying
on their backs in the shade Of some
trees on the banks of the yellowish river.
"Do you see those two little mounds
covered with grass and scarcely distin-
guishable?" said one to the other.
eyes; what are they, graves5'
ssThey are, and thereby hangs history
Of the territorial days Of Nebraska
'sThe Tolmy and Richardson families
lived in this neighborhood and owned
adjoining farms or ranches, and were
on terms Of the most neighborly char
acter. When their children grew up the
young people Of the two families were
dependent upon each other for society.
They varied the dull routine of rural life
with dances and picnics and such inno-
cent sports as suggested themselves to
their rustic fancy, and though the boys
and girls lacked the accomplishments
which adorn tho young people of the
present generation, they had their full
share-the girls Of beauty and the boys
of that dash which makes even rustics
acceptable in female society.
Julia Richardson, now in her 18th year,
was a sparkling brunette, and could
round up a herd Of cattle with any of the
boys. Jim Tolmy was a dashing cow
boy of 20, who could jump his horse over
a four rail fence and pick up a silver
dollar off the grass while his steed was
going at the rate of fifteen miles an hour.
The two, James and Julia, had been
equestrian rivals since childhood, Julia
insisting that she was the better horse
man, so to say, of the two.
Thus the children grew to a certain
age when their manner to each other
changed, when Julia no longer talked
defantly to James and challenged him
to daring deeds of craftsmanship, and
when James felt shorn Of all his dash
and bravery and was awkward, absent
and timid in the presence Of Julia. To-
gether and alone they were silent and
uncomfortable. 1t was only in company
that James seemed to rally, and when
Julia, thinking nobody was watching,
would lift her dark eyes from under
their sweeping lashes and look with
glowing admiration onher old playmate.
But there is no use to dwell on the ar
dent though Pickering omens Of love.
It is sufficient to say that James and
Julia loved. Love is a passion which,
however much and long it smolders,
finds expression at last, and the longer
it smolders the more abrupt and palmer
will be the avowal. The avowal anne
James was accepted and the young
couple were happy. Their parents con-
sented, but thought it better to defer the
union for q year. When they were told
of this determination James said: do
you know ! think my sister Belle and
your brother Tom will get ahead Of us
If we don't hurry up?' ''Tom!" she ex-
claimed; "why, the gawk is ashamed to
look at a girl"
"Never you mind, I see them often to-
gether." Thus the lovers confidedin each
other, and the young and old of both
families were happy in expectancy. But
though a year would not be long in
passing, as Julia said, still a year often
brings many changes, especially in
affairs of the heart. Twenty miles away
lived the Castleton family, where James
in hunting for stray stock had often
called. Mabel Castleton was a beautiful
girl, well born, accomplished and affa-
ble-a different type of beauty from
Julia Richardson. She was fair and tall.
The mustangs had been straying away
very much Of late in that direction from
the Tolmy ranch. Of course James
would go in pursuit Of them and call to
inquire about the fair Mabel. In those
frequent visits he and Mabel became at
tached to each other, when, faithless to
his engagement and forgetful of the
pretty Julia, he induced her to elope
with him, and the first known Of the
affair was hat they were married.
Jnlia Richardson's feelings may be
better imagined than described. She
was sighted, she wa betrayed and jeal-
GUS rage fired her. The whole Richard
son family felt outraged, and the Toll
mys, to do them justice, were scarcely
less painfully shocked. The false lover,
knowing that such would be the result,
kept discreetly out of the way for weeks,
when, s~upposing both families to have
cooled down, he visited his parents.
When Tom Richardson heard of his ar
rival he rode over quietly toward the
Tolmy residence with a rifle at his sad
die horn. As he approached he observed
James and his sister together, and he
hesitated how to act.
Tolmy retreated inside, but soon re-
appeared, also with a rifle. Seeing this,
Richardson raised his rife. The act was
repeated by Tolmy. Both fired stimuli
taneous1y and Belle dropped dead,
pierced with the bullet intended for her
brother. Frantic and appalled, at hav-
ing killed his ~fianeee, Richardson gal.
Hoped away, filed with remorse and
despair. The Tollnys now, from being
apologists for their relative, became ag-
gressors and avengers, and the Castle.
tons, though Mabel's marriage was none
of their contriving, took sides with their
prothe--ln-law. The feud was now be-
gun.
Returning from the interment of Belle
the Tolmys and Castletons had, or pre-
tended to have, occasion to pass the
Richardson residence. They apprehend-
ing some such course had barricaded the
house and watched for the approach Of
the cavalcade. A desperate fight ensued,
and among the first to fall was old Mr..
Tolmy and two of tho Castleton boys,