The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1901-03-13
The Feud Of the FerguSOns,
BY KATE NJ CIEARY,


HILL" announced Mrs. Ferguson. well,
IL don't believe something's gone
wrong with the gear!" She was peer
ing eagerly between the sittng-room
curtains of warm red chenille. Come
here, an see, Lossie-ycur eyes are
younger'n mine"
But the girl sitting listlessly by the
little open stove did not stir nor
speak. Her bright bit of knitting had
fallen neglected on her lap. Upon IL
her slender brown hands lay clasped
IN the idleness OF indifference.
Seems like you don't take interest
in nothin since you been up to Cart
VILE to visit" went on her mother ir-
ritably. She sent a sharp glance In the
direction of her daughter. Then she
turned again to the window. Its
broke or something" she enunciated
with brisk recurrence Of curiosity.
THE mans comm this way. He's
leading the horse. He's comm straight
here!"
1t was a comfortable, common little
room that wherein mother and daugh-
ter sat. The rag carpet had mellowed
to dull tones and tints so subdued as
to suggest the wonderful weaves of the
Orient. There was glass lamp on the
crocheted mat of green wool which
ornamented the round walnut center
table. The couple Of wooden rockers
had crazy-work cushions and head
rests. On the shelf which did duty for
a mantel was a clock, china dog, and
two frost-white glass vases decorated
with scarlet roses. The yellow light
of the winter afternoon came In be-
tween the chenille curtains, and gave
to the oval cheek of the girl by the
hearth an almost peach-like translu-
cence. Except for that skin OF child
like fairness and the lustrousness OF
her long gray eyes, Lessie Ferguson
could hardly have been called pretty
girl. Her face in repose was sober
almost sombre. But when she was
pleased, gay, animated she quite took
the palm from the other girls in that
part of the county. Just now her face
reflected her mood, which was that OF
downright melancholy.
Mrs. Ferguson, still sentinel at the
window, kept issuing bulletins. Hes
got far as the rye patch now. First
thought t was Ellis Dix. but 1t amt.
Ellis don't come here much since you
got to putin on airs after gittin' back
from Cartville This one is taller'n
Ellis-he's got moustache too. He
don't belong in these parts. You go
to the back door, Lessie. I'm skeered
of the wind in my face with the neu-
ralgy l got. Find out where he's from.
You can tell him where's the tool
chest in the barn IL he wants to fix
his harness. There-he's knockin'!"
Mrs. Ferguson looked frowningly
after the slow-moving form of her
daughter.
Il wish I'd never let her go visitin'
to Cartville! she was muttering to
herself in accents Of annoyance.
"Praps IL l hadn't told her she
shouldn't have had anything to say to
that Rene Ferguson she'd never have
thought of lookin' at him. Like as not
t was just the contrairiness of girl
that made her take up with him. An
then, to come home and throw over
Ellis Dix like he wasn't worth wipin'
her shoes on-him with the likliest
bunch of steers OF any man in the
township! Sayin' she'd marry Rene
or no one. An now mopln' away
like the life was throwed after her
We've had trouble enough with them
Fergusons of Cartville. If they was
blood relations instead Of only hap
penin' to be folks of the same name
their family and our'n couldn't have
got on worse all these years we been
dealin' up to Cartville!"
Lessie, opening the back door, saw
silhouetted against the white expanse
of the snowy prairies, big, burly fig
ure in great-coat and slouch hat.
IF you need the tool box" she be.
gan with perfunctory politeness
you'll find 1t in the right-hand-'
She broke off with little gasp-hel
heart plunging.
"Lessie!" said the stranger my
girl-Lessie!"
Then the slim little form in the blue
gold-braided gown was swallowed uI
in the fervent grasp Of two powerful
rough-coated arms.
e"Oh, Rene!" Her voice was sweet
tremulous. ooh, Rene-how dared
you?"
He kissed the loving reproach on hel
lips to silence.
For you!" he answered "I'ys
driven over from Cartville to see your
father. I'm going to ask him for you
And II he refuses" The masterfu
look that came into his blue eyes wal
q good thing to see
"But-Rene! Father has gone tt
Iowa. And even when he is at hom,
he has nothing to say If mothers
around"
But he's been keeping up the feut
between the families all these years
and"
Mono! Its been mother. Fathe
has only fired the bullets she made.
you can once get mother to favor yol
hush, here she isl"
Lands sakes. know now who tha
young man is." The voice OF Mrs
Ferguson Drecaded her like n herald