Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1901-10-31

ONE afternoon. some 20 years ago.
" ! was the companion Of Dr
Burdick while he was making some
family calls. 10 was la central Ken
tucky and an eNquisitcly lovely day
In the early autumn season A. Nc
drove over one of the smooth
and white tumpikes. observed a
narrow aud curious lane which inter
sected the turnpike % right angles.
II wasn't wide enough 10 admit "a male
peacock when IL wanted 60 strut.
The lane was crooked and almost hid.
den from view by tangled masses 81
clderberry bushes. Two farmhouse
stood in the distance and they were
OF the better class for that region.
Apple. peach and pear trees were
loaded down with fruit. and great
shocks OF wheat and corn were
standing in the sunlight as emblcms
Of peace and prosperity These with
the clean Woodland pasture and 1.-THE
lmbcd horses readily Indicated that
We were boo the far-famed blue grass
region.
\ boy aud girl. the boy eight or
nine years OF age. the girl year
younger. came out OF the mouth OF
the gIgSag lane where they had been
chasing ground-squirrels, and the
doctor spoke 90 them In a jolly way
and Familiarity.
Hello sammy" and "Howdy Su-
dep
"Ilowdy. doe" the girl responded
"Nou going mp to we-al's house7"
Il am going by there, Sudic, aud
YOU may ride with us II you wish"
The girl looked towards her play
mate. and. instructed 10y some ma
sonic sign known 20 childhood, She
replied NO. ihankee, sir. sammy
IL going 90 sec me home"
well. bye-byc."
"Goo'hy"
n we drove the doctor remarked.
Those youngsters viii probably get
padded"
For what2" | asked.
you observe that lane they came
from. didn't you?"
YES. and / intended 10 ask what IL
meant"
1T means that these two farmers
are bitter enemies. The boy. sam, Is
the son 81 Tom higgins, whose house
W. passed just yonder, and the girl 10
the daughter Of Dick Rutherford. this
Is his place just ahead Of Ms. The d.
Vidipg line between their farms lies
inside Of those two zig-zag fences,
and the men hate each other so that
they'd rather die than Join in n part
ncrship line. hence each has built on
his own and thus We have such an
cycSore as that. Country people,
knowing the cause ~ such n double
fence. call 10 The Devils lane
"Of course when such cnmitics cN-
ist between the heads OF the fami-
lies 10 cstranges the entire connection
on both sides. and from these OFTEN
spring the terrible aud widespread
Kentucky feuds that YOU hear aud
read so much about
In this case Tom Riggan and Dick
Rutherford had been the best of
friends until two years ago, at hog
killing time. when they fell out over
guessing at the weight OF "A fat pork
err. Their guesscs were about 80
pounds apart, and as the hog was
found TO weigh just halfway between,
out 81 that sprang a misunderstand-
ing. harsh words followed and the
breach has grown wider with years
Between the two houses there is an
enmity ms strong as that between
the Capulets and Montagues, in Shake
sprarc's Romeo and Juliet The
women folks on the opposite sides
toss their heads and don't speak 10
each other. The servants frequently
fight and the two heads avoid each
other lest they do something rash
4 few days ago | rode with the
doctor along the turnpike, where the !
foregoing conversation had occurred !
two decades ago. The Devils Lane
was gone. Where IL had been was the /
center of long avenue of stately |
Lombardy poplars with alternating F.
apple trees, and at the head of the .
alameda stood great, hospitable- |
looking mansion having wide por-
tico i'm front. whose roof was sup I
ported 10y huge and white Cornthian |
columns. / could see no sign, in |
either direction, OF the former homes |
of the higgins and RutherfordS.