San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-08-05

In the year 1888 Gerald Clement
and Julius Mangum lived on ad
joining plantations in Perry cOun
ty, Alabama. They were we'll edu
Gated, refined, clever gentlemen, al
we'll as rich. They had been or
most friendly and intimate terms
for many years, but in the veal
1886 these friendly relations Were
suddenly interrupted and broken
of. This unlooked-for event was
both a surprise and shock to their
neighbors and friends, but when
they approached Gerald Clemens
and Julius Mangum and rendered
their good offices to effect a recon.
,ciliation, they were politely but de-
Icisively informed that the breach
was incapable of being bridged
over and that the subject was dis
tasteful to them.
To all inquiries as to the origin
of the falling out and split be.
tween the former friends, both
Gerald Clemens and Julius Man
gum positively refused to talk and
CURLY declared they would not
either discuss their private affairs,
or :brook anybody's prying into
them, or gossiping about them.
When curiosity is banked in it's
effort to discover a thing, it RACES
with increased intensity and re-
solves itself into a detective, and
prowls, watches and eavesdrops.
The ladies in the neighborhood at
tempted to pump the cause Of the
falling out and split from Mrs.
Clemens and Mrs. Mangum, but
they had their labor for nothing,
as Mrs. Clemens and Mrs. Mangum
were unpumpable. They were
bitter and hostile; but they would
throw no light on the cause Of the
breach between their families,
Worthy Mrs. Gossip and that ex-
cellent and world.renowned lady,
Mrs. Grundy, pumped the Negro
slaves Of the two families on all
occasions, but were unable
to extract from them the
least thing tending to clear
the mystery; but not to be outdone
and outwitted, Mrs. Gossip and
Mrs. Grundy whispered it about
that Mrs. Clemen, and Mrs. Man
gum had caused the split between
the two families. The hostile feel.
ing between the families was most
embarrassing to the neighborhood
some Of the neighbors espoused the
side of Gerald Clemens, while
others stood up for Julius Man
gum, and in this way the neigh
borhood was soon divided into the
Clemens faction, and the Mangum
faction. When this sort of thing
occurs in neighborhood in the
country, it sewers social ties anC
friendly relations, and digs a gul
between families which had al
ways cotton along in a friendl!
manner previous to the split be
tween the Clemens and Mangun
families. The partizans OF tn
two families carried the spirit o
faction into the schools, churche
and festive gatherings, and mad
life in the neighborhood almos
uncomfortable to quiet and peace
able men and women.
But in lS4S a most unexpecte,
event happened. 1t provoked n
end Of speculation and comment
1t was a regular nine Gays wonde
to the neighborhood; it was a be
nanza to Mrs. Gossip and Mrs Grun
dy. They enjoyed feast Of tattl
and gossip, and visited every hous
in the neighborhood for the eH
press purpose Of discussing thi
same unexpected event and rega
ing everybody with their surmise
guesses and comments.
This most unexpected event wa
the announcement that Geral
Clemens, Jr., would marry Mis-
Gertrude Mangum on Septembt
Ii, lS4S. People wondered ho'
they could have possibly seen an
talked with each other enough
have fallen in love with each othe
much less carried on a courtshi
and contracted an engagement t
marry. Well, they had loved eac
other in CHILDHOOD, as often happen
and this love had grown with thei
growth and strengthened wit
their strength, despite the subs'
quent antagonism and hostility {
their families. Love has ways p,
culiar to itself and defies barr
bolts and all obstacles.
Mrs. Mangum had, at the fir
mention OF this marriage, oppose
most violently, but finally yielde
a sullen and ungracious consen