The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-07-21
THE MURRAYVILLE FEUD.

calico suDbonnets tilted back off their
| rosy, sunburned faces; and how Jane,
in moment of malicious mischief,
| had suddenly said:
''Mariany, ye'd better put yer bon
net back on yer head; yer hair'll git
| burnt redder'n what it is now"
And every citizen OF Murrayvilla
was fully cognizant of the fact that
| Mariana Perkins had very properly
| resented such al intimation by cutting
reference to Miss Phillips muddy
complexion, which no amount of sun
could damage, inasmuch as it could
not be darker or uglier. These little
| pleasantries terminated IN a hand Ito
| hand encounter, which resulted III
two faces being more or less damaged
| by scratches, and III the utter wreck
| Of the two calico sGnbonnets, after
| which the two comOatants went home
both shedding cOplous tears, one go
ing up one side of the country lane,
while the other took the remaining
J side.
There WAS wild commotion in the
Phillips and Perkins mansions on that
memorable night. The two little farms
adioined, and the houses were almost
| within ca l. For the better convent
ence of the ladies. their husbands had
set neat little gate in the dividing
fence, and had cleared out a path be
tween the two houses, and that path
had been kept as we'll tramped as the
trail that went down the lane to the
/ ~. # ln
Did Mrs. Phillips discover that her
coffee was out just as she was begin
ming supper, away sped one of the
children with tea cup, the mother
calling after 1t:
Tell Miss Perkins | only want Jest
enough for supper, an I'll pay it
back in the mornin'; an don't ye fall
down an break the cup, nOww
Did Mrs. Perkins meal give out"
before 'grindin' day" how confidently
she came tripping over, not even
taking off her kitchen apron, and
saying, as she handed her neighbor
the little tin bucket:
Can you let me have little meal
till Saturday, Miss Phillips I'd "A
tried to work along without it, but ali
Of them young chickens is jest
thin to eat"
| And SO there had been warm friend
ship between the families Phillips and
| Perkins, for the masculine Phillips
often leaned over the fence for half
hours talk with neighbor Perkins
about the staying qualities of "Ber
muddy" and the desirabi1lty of Berk
shires as good, all-round hogs A.
for the children Of the two families,
they were scarcely ever apart, except
when they were asleep
| And row had come the grand ca
tastrophe and there was war where
peace had reigned SO long
Pm gOin' to See Miss Phillips the
first thing in the mornin'' cried Mrs.
Perkins wrathfully. Il know we'll
enough she amt a goin' to have no
sech COINS on as this. If she SERVES
that girl right she'll give her good
| thrashin'~
jest wait till | get to see Miss
Perkins, Mrs. Phillips was saving
about the same time. Nobody needn't
to tell me that Matildy Perkins is 90
in to stand this. When it comes that
my children can't go to school without
bein' fought in the public streets, |
| think things is a-comin' to a pretty
pass"
And so it happened that Mrs
Phillips left her breakfast dishes
| sta Il Cd ln
aud, with the little speech she was
going to make all mapped out in her
mind, started down the little path,
and at the gate met Mrs. Perkins
| Just starting out on similar mission.
"Im awful glad to see ye" CRED
| Mrs. Perkins, in tones that betrayed
more agitation than genuine pleasure
| i don't know whether Janeis told ye
bout little difficulty her an Mariany
had yester evenin', or. if she did,
| maybe she didn't tell 1t straight"
"lll let you know my children don't
lie, Matildy Perkins, cried the lady
beyond the gate, her face reddening.
You may raise your young ans that
a way, bat Id scOrn to DO sech a thing
myself"
Very well, very well, Miss Phil
| lips" retorted the lady who was taken
at this unfair advantage; Il reckin.
then, if James sech e. sngei, an al
| ways tells the truth, she told ye bout
calm my Mariany red headedw
We'll the land alive, Miss Perkins,
cried Mrs. Phillips, with most irri-
tating laugh; what do you calI ler
yourselft YoQ amt color blind nor
nothin, hope. If Mariany amt got
red hair, then there amt none. I'll
street without seein' a white horse
so'mers"
I Now everybody knows that no hu-
man being could have endured such
a remark as that Mrs. Perkins, turn
ing pale, stared her whilom friend
and neghbol straight in the face, and
e1clained loftily,
Miss Phillips, you'll oblige me by
sendin' home that high cheer You
boIryed for you baby; an that buck
ct o flour; an my bottle O parrygo-
ric; an il You ever set your foot in
my yard agin, I'll-Fll set the dogs
on yer'
! With which vindictive utterance
turned and started home; followed by
AIRS, Phillips parting shot.
You needn't be skeered, Matildy
Perkins, I've associated with respect
able people, 'cept nov an then when
| got fooled in onen
And then the war was on.
1t became generally known in few
days, that there WAS bitter enmity
between the erstwhile loving friends
and neigbbors. The rumor created
an unusual stir in that section, where
the houses lay far apart and there
was ordinarily little visiting done
Now all the good sisters and thrifty
e housewives dropped their work anG