The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-06-26
'THE FEUD E.

.THE FEUD EHDED.
Old Jake Miller and old Rad Blank
ership were two of the most promi-
nent citizens of Magoffn county,
eastern Kentucky. Old Jake was
more prominent than popular. He
was money lender. For the sec,
ton of the country where he lived
he constituted the financial center.
Poor men who We're compelled Ito
make the most Of little money
could get it from old Jake. but the
conditions would make them wrlthe
and groan much before they could be
brought to submit to them. \ 25 per
cent interest was always eNacted, and
it must be secured by cruel cut
throat mortgage.
Strange to say, he posed as a great
philanthropist and would often declare
in the most public manner that he
didn't know what would become
of the country if it wasn't for him.
As it was, he often assisted poor fel-
lows to pay the taxes Of their little
homes for a year Or two, and later, to
save all further complication, had
them assessed in his own name. He
was mighty rich, but he didn't feel
himself too good to mlngle with his
unfortunate fellows.
Often at Thompson's store he would
sit, the center of worshiping group,
and tell in a condescending manner
how he had made every dollar he
had hisself," and that early in his ca
reer he had worked for a bit day"
less than half what he now paid
good hands. His boast, conjoined
with sundry and copious drafts Of
fierce, white 'moonshine, )" would
tend to temporarily blow up the en-
bers of hope IN the dull brains of the
hattered, sycophantic listeners. Each
would resolve to emulate the great
man, and the resolutions would last as
long as the Frightening effects OF the
dramS.
Old Rad Blankership was popular as
well as prominent. There were num-
bers of men who would lay off their
coats and roll up their sleeves to defend
old Rad against tongue of SANDER.
He was a man for whom numbers
would willingly get up ''at the hour
of midnight" and expose themselves
without a thought of compensation.
He was a whole souled, bully, good
ole feller." In brief, he was the lead
ing smoonshiner" of the section. By
his kind heart he had won enough
friends to enable him to laugh in scorn
at all attempts of the deputy marshals
to capture him or destroy his property.
Thar never wuz better ole man,
said Tom Latimer, with affection in his
tones. II never 60 ter him fer a
drink, money or no money, without
gettin it. spent $50 at his still last
week, and when l went ter leave,
all broke up and busted, he give me a
big gourdful ter drink afore started
an a quart bottle full besides to take
home. I am goin back ag'in jist as
soon as my next pension check comes.
He knows how ter treat a man white,
he does"
It is needless to state that old Jake
and old Rad got about all the money
that filtered into that section. They
were therefore enabled to live in ex-
cellent style and educate their chill
6ren. Old Rad had a daughter, Fran
ces, whose beauty gave JOY to the eyes
and despair to the hearts of all the
young men of the county. From the
time She was IA young pumpkins be-
gan to array themselves IN the most
striking rural fnery-all for her sake.
To attract her eye new boots with bril-
liant yellow or red tops were worn.
Well oil heads were set off with new
white hats, the crowns encircled by
yellow cords. For her sake crowds
would collect at the meeting house
doors when she'd go in or out, and
many. many ''smart things" would
be said by said crowds that she might
hear and by hearing admire. Many
threats would be made by said pump
kins to the effect that each intended at
no distant date to back up to her.
and 'see her home" But all action
in the matter was postponed from day
to day and from year to year. The
little beauty was not of their kind.
This they instinctively understood.
They knew when they would look at
the matter in the proper light that it
YVES ridiculous idea that either
could ever hope to win her. Every
curve of the face and figure, every
movement, every word, every tone
and every look-all proclaimed her
superiority to the herd of uncouth, IL
literate youngsters around her.
''She is er material borned lady, Jlst
as same as the highfalootinist kinds
down in the blue grass kentry," said
old Tom Burke, speaking to a group
of young fellows at his house one day.
"An sich fellers as sprouts up in these
ere hills and hollers amt got no use
fer her. None Nv ye wouldn't know
what to do with sech er gal even sayln
ye cud git her.
One Sunday when Frances was
about II she went to church down
on Bee Branch, about mile from her
home. By some occult means known
only to love in its verdant, violent
stages the young fellers' all knew
that she would be at that particular
church house that day, and large
concourse gathered to ogle, 'act W"
and sigh.
When Parson Buckham was about
entering on his three hour discourse,
with hating preliminaries in the way
of rolling up sleeves, coughing, water
slipping, etc., young man entered the
door whose appearance almost created
CONSERVATION. He was tall, grace
full, exceedingly handsome in the face
and was dressed in fashionable clothes.
The entrance of bear and cubs would
hardly have created greater staring
curiosity and dismay. Young men
who had been punching. slapping,
jerking, laughing and shooting quick
glances at Frances to see how she was
admiring their intellectual antics all
"A