Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-03-12
A Kentucky Feud.
FAILURE TO RESPECT THE OLD SAYING,
NEVER KICK A SLEEPING Doo."

FAILURE TO RESPECT THE OLD SAYING,
NEVER KICK SLEEPING Doo."
"There Is an old saying" remarked Col
lector D. w. McClung to Cincinnati Com.
mercial Gazette man, (which is to this ef-
feet: Never kick a sleeping dog Now,
that reminds me of a story once told by o
Kentucky friend of mine, the circumstances
In connection with which led TO the origin
of feud between two back county families,
the relics of which still survive, although
the history dates back fully thirty years. A
stalwart young farmer was engaged to be
married to the daughter of well.to- do
neiehbor living about five miles away. The
course Of true love ran smoothly among all
parties, the only objector being the family
dog of the house of the bride. He did not
hesitate to show bis disapproval Of the pro-
ceediugs by suarling at the young suitor
upon each and every visit Well, Que day
the young man got lonesome, so he mount
ed up on the hurricane deck of his horse and
rode ont to see his girl. The house in which
she lived was one of the old fashioned,
double hswed log dwellings,, but one room
deep and having a front and back door exi
acrly opposite. Both were open, as it war
a drowsy sort of day in the middle of sum
mer.
''The old man was seated in chair COS =
fortably tilted back against the jsmb of ,e
door, so that the light fell over his shoS Ter
upon his newspaper. In ihe mddleI The
room stood the table, laid for dinner. In
the middle of the front yard and right
across the path. the old house dog-lay
stretched out in the full enjoyment Of
nap. Our hero rode up to the gate, dis
mounted, tied his horse, and entered. AS
he advanced he noticed the object of his
II ,1l l.. koC
of his boot.
'The results of the assault did not enter
into his mind. Reaching the recumbent
form of the enemy he dealt out kick with
his heavy cowhide boot that resoHnded in
the house. The dog leaped to his feet, took
one dszed look at the awful boot, which was
again ready, turned tall and disappeared in
the house like shot. He few past the old
man; right under the table he went, aud
here met disaster. The table cloth was un-
duly long. and on the side leading to the
back door, for which the dog was making
with race horse speed, there was hole.
1.-THE dog did not stop to measure it, bat
it fitted around his neck with the precision
of dress collar, and the result was that he
took the cloth with him, while all the
dishes settled with a heart reuding crash
upon the floor. The visitor heard the
crdSn, huu, tuiuiuSs 1cu lor buo suso onu
his horse. Cutting the strap, he vaulted
to his seat and gave the animal the rein
and his spurs. Away he flew down the
road. Away few the dog across the fields
back of the house, with the tablecloth
waving defiantly in the wind.
z ssThe old man had risen to his feet with
electric suddenness when he saw the do
struction. and turned to note the cause
He saw the fleeing lover, and reaching for
his ready rifle sent bullet whizzing after
him without effect. The young man rode
to the house of mutual friend, quite two
miles away, before he drew rein, and there
narrated the circumstance
"The listener laughed immoderately, de-
spite the serious nature of the episode and
its possible sequel. and then explained
Said he: ''That dog beat you here about
five minutes, and is now under the house
with the table cloth. he won't come out,
either Well, the upshot Of it all was
that the mach was broken off. Both peo-
pie married eight or ten years later into
other families. The difference was never
recopciled, and it was only by the exercise
of constant watchfuluess on the part Of
mutual friends that bloodshed was pre-
vented on Numerous occasions. Such was
the beginning of one Kentucky feud, and
all because the old proverb was despised."