The St. Johns herald., 1901-04-20

the woods with her young friends hunt
 ing for chestnuts, and on her return
 was greted with the sad tidings that
 from home. A search throughout the
 place was at once begun. Evening
 came on, however, and no yellow kitten
 put in an appearance. Mabel became much distressed, as she was sure that
 an evil fate had at last overtaken her
 pet She begged to be allowed to send
 over to the Prices, and see if the wan
 derer, scOrning old opinions, had found
 her way there, but her parents would
 not consider such a proposition, so for
 that night the household was minus the
 kitten.
 The next day was spent in looking for
 the loved though lost, and many of the
 village boys joined in the hunt, but
 with no result
 Toward sunset Mabel decided to walk through the woods that skirted the vil- lage, thinking possibly her little prodi- gal might be somewhere about, and down shady path she went. She fan cied ere long that she heard a moan-a
 very sad, kittenly moan it was-and soon discovered up in a tree, tangled most prcmiscuously in creeping yines
 the yellow kitten, unable to free her self. In vain Mabel called and tried to entice her from her perilous position; only piteous little meOws were the re-
 ( -l,1 bod aIr still better, if she could climb the tree, something might be done, but the years spent at boarding school had robbed her of all her childish accomplishments.
 In the midst of her dilemma. help was forthcoming she little dreamed of. Through the bushes she heard the sound of approaching footsteps and a cheerful whistle. Soon the author of these pleasant noises was in view. It was Charlie Price, the family enemy, and, to boot, a splendid young athlete! Mabel forgot the traditions of three generations of bitterness and called out to her playmate of former days: "Charlie-Mr. Price, 1 mean-can you help me? See my poor yellow kitten; she cannot get down." pointing, as she treasure.
 With pleasure, Miss Mabel! Beg pardon, Miss Campbell. Poor little beastie-she is caught in the vine." And with that he sprung up the tree with the agility of a squirrel or circus rider, and at some peril of broken limbs | rescued the kitten and placed her in the Outstretched arms of her young mis- tress.
 Then it was the most natural thing in | the world for our hero to walk home with our heroine, andstill more natural | the next day when they by chance met | in the same woods, to. stop. and speak of | the lost one. Thus, in spite of the fam fly feud, the intimacy ripened between the young branches.
 It was useless for Mabel's parents to protest; indeed, nothing short of com- mand would have stopped this new and | delightful friendship, and Charlie bold ly announced to his paternal that he was tired of keeping up such an anti quated fuss; let the grandfathers fight out their own battles in whatever world they were now residing, but he, for bis part would no longer encourage hatred, malice and all uncharitable- ness
 Ere the winter had advanced Charlie Price was known throughout PineYille to be Mabel Campbell's steady com pany," and although Miss Priscilla, at the head of the Price family, and old MT. Jonas Campbell, Mabel's great un- cle, the chief of the Campbell tribe, de clared in unmeasured language their opinion of the doings of their young rel atives, it was useless, and, in fact, hnr- ried up matters. Then the two m0th-' CTS, who secretly bore no malice, eX- calls, and actually Mrs. Camp bell was overheard to say that Mrs: Prices sausage receipt was the best in the village, while Mrs. Price made no denial of having borrowed Mrs. Camp bells knit quilt as a guide for the one she was making to exhibit at the coun- ty fair in the spring.
 From that the fathers of the two met and discussed poli- tics, and not boundary lines over the fence. By this time, as may well be imagined, the wedding prep arations were well under way. At the of Charlie his new house was to be built directly over the part of tho orOund thot botb CouphoJIc o1d Prices claimed, and this was universal ( lr regarded as the most amicable set