The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-26


 between his shoulders. Ten days later the man who could not see the humor of the practical joke was found in somewhat similar position with some- what similar hole between his shoulders In the course of time the origin of the feud was forgotten, but for years the two families continued to exchange shots when occasion offered, and the aggregate results of the practical Joke grew to enormous and ghastly proportions.
 A mountalneer who is marked" some times goes into his house and there re- mains for an indefinite period, or until a friend succeeds in anlbushing the man who is looking for him. From the time that Dr, B. D. Cox was assassinated until the Kentucky militia occupied Jack son to restore order and protect the court during an investigation by a special grand jury, Police Judge Cardwell, brotherJn-law of Dr. Cox, remained in his store day and night holding court there when sessions were necessary, and never showing his face at the window. The store was opposite that of the Hargis brothers, leaders of the opposing clan.
 A feudist who wished to get a shot at man who had immured himself in his home took COW bell under his arm and slipped into the mans garden one dark night. He then gently swayed the bell until he heard the intended vlcLIms' wife walken him and ask him to go and drive the COW out of the truck petoh. As the man opened the door the "eow' arose and fired both barrels of 0 shot gun. The ruse was effective, and the story Is told in the mountains for Its fine flavor of humor, the tragedy being entirely subordinated to the comedy in the mountain mind.
 Two mountaineers fought with fists in cornfeld. The results lacked finallty and the men repaired to their homes for their shooting Irons. The man who owned a rife knew that his antagonist had shotgun. Desiring to get long range shot he hurried down the road toward the other mans home, but before ne got to the bend of the road that offered op- portunities for his workmanship, he was surprised by a load of buckshot fired from the crotch of tree. The other man had realized the ineffectiveness of his weapon at rife range and had taken pre- cautions accordingly. The man who showed the superior generalship has since enjoyed life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
 When the French -Eversole feud was at it's height the leader of the French clan wired to the governor of Kentucky that he had the Eversoles cornered in a church at Hazard, and requested the loan of a cannon from the state arsenal to clean them out. Apparently he could not un- derstand the governors lack of interest in the cause. When the militia went into the mountains to protect the peace ofn- cers, some fifty indictments against the French clan were returned, but ali'bi wit neSses were as thick as locusts In Egypt and no important results followed.
 When feud is raging in @ mountain town it is difficult to get anyone to serve as a peace officer, and the positions of town marshal and coroner are often va- cant. The inhabitants not connected with feuds are often almost as much in fear of bullets as the feudsts themselves. The mountaineer, like the cowboy, Is fond of hearing the music of his firearms and careless as to which way he points his gun Shooting at lanterns carried ns signals of peace is sometimes indulged In for the mere sport of seeing the vlc- tim of the joke take to his heels. In Jackson. during the Hargis- -Cockriil feud, a number of neutral business mon car rted their lanterns on the ends or poles so that bullets aimed at them would not pass too close to their feet.
 The contempt of the mountain assassin Tor the law was illustrated when tno Kentucky militia went into Clay county to quen strife between the Howard and Baker clans. Tom Baker was arrested and put under guard. To allow him to be punished by the law did not meet with the ideas of equity residing in the breasts of the members of the How ard clan. Baker appeared for a mo- ment at the door of tent between two militianen. The instant he appeared tho I. .tr, uHa of mi oQ WAS heard and the doomed cltnsman pitched forward on his face. Two com panies of militia under Col. Roger Will Hams, friend of President Roosevelt who has seen fighting in the Black Hills. charged the direction from which the shot came, but no clue was ever found and no arrest was ever mace.
 omorrow-Minature Painting in America