Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-03-21
One Kentucky Feud.
~ GEN 7. oLeNwoop.

wrong with nurson all OF a sudden.
For several years he had prospered
and saved money and been happy and
eonteuted. In fact, ever since he
came down from the hills and went
TO work theoretically, eourageously.
persistently, he had been on the win
ming side OF the game, Often, as he
lay under the big tree in the door
yard, smoking his pipe in peace and
content. he thought of. the hard, pre-
earious life in the hills. where there
was little legitimate work 10 do and
little-yery, very little money for any
and all purposes, And he thought.
with real pity. OF the many stalwart
young men idling away their time, get
ting food by hunting or fishing, taking
desperate chances. perhaps, in the
stills to get just money enough to
clothe themselves.
Many of them were as willing TO
work as he. and would brave any dan
ger to possess the modest little ac'
count Burson had in the savings bank.
But hereditary environment is hard
to break. and II takes brave man 20
abandon the Hill country. with its
wild, free life and go down into the
unknown plains. where all is fiat and
monotonous, and where people live
In houses instead Of cabins. and wear
billed shirts" OF Sunday.
Burson. however. possessing an an.
usually adventurous nature, had bold.
ly broken away from the traditions of
his fathers and invaded this unknown
country. And, as has been stated, he
had prospered and been contented
and happy in his new life.
But while the current Of his life
flowed on in all serenity. the clouds
were gathering and the Fates were
preparing TO shock him.
The first manifestation of forthcom-
love with Widow Griggs, who kept the
boarding house where Burson lived
when he was not on job which Inc
volved his living with the farmer for
whom he worked. II took Burson a
long time TO find out that he loved
the widow. At first, he simply expert
enced deep content to go home and
watch Mrs. Griggs' CHEEKY. smiling
face as she hustled about her house
hold duties, and to note her grace of
form and motion. Then he began to
experience strange flutterings within
his breast when his eyes met hers, or
when she spoke to him, or when her
ankle peeped out from beneath her
dress as she trotted around the corner
of the table.
All of these manifestations dis
turbed Burson inwardly and he began
/ to take counsel with himself as to
what it all meant, for he was some
thing of a philosopher, was Burson
and when his inner consciousness be.
came perturbed he wanted to know
right away, what it was all about
the consuming of scandalous quaint
ties of tobacco, and many sleepless
nights, Burson finally discovered that
1t was love, and that the fair widow
was the cause of his perturbation.
Then came the greatest struggle OF
all Burson's life Should he give W
his liberty and attempt to assume
new and strange sponsibilities
This self-analysis was soon swept
away, however, before the rising tide
| of his passion, and the sole burning
| question became "Will she have me?'
With true manly instinct he put il
! to the test, not so gracefully, perhaps
| as a Beau Brummel but with the di
rectness and force of the hill man.
With equal directness-tempered
! however, by kindness engenderet
from the honest love-light she saw il
his clear eyes, she told him his sui
was impossible; that she was married
and her husband still lived; that con
| ditions she did not care to go into hat
separated them, and that her husband
had gone back to the hills. while She
had remained there with the little boy
but that he was about to return
when her happiness would be com
| plete.
Then the sunshine faded from Bur
sons life and the future looked lik,
| the Arizona desert Without tryins
to hide his hurt, he turned and walked
away with dry eyes but fearful heart
And as the little woman watched hin
go so dejectedly away the tear,
sprang to her eyes and dimmed thei
brightness.
This was the first blow, but it wa
only the beginning.
Burson, stumbling along, not know
ing whittier his vagrant steps carried
him, and caring less, found himself
after time, before the village pos
Office, and mechanically he entere,
and asked for his mail
There was but one letter--an omin
ous-looking affair, in brown envel
ope. Anyway it was something t
divert his thoughts from the grea
calamity which had befalen him