The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-03-30
BILL AND NAN.

lily flags draw the crimson tide from
each other. When the war of the
rebellion came up, the two houses,
for a wonder, espoused the same
cause, but this in no wise tended to
mitigate their enmity toward each
other. The war had not been long
in progress-the second battle of
Manassas had just about allowed its
cannons to cool, when George Balmon
met Henry Grayson in a duel. Both
fell dead. When the news of this en-
counter and its fatal result reached
home, the old Balmons and Graysons
met in fresh outbreak. Several of
them were killed, the slain being so
aqnallx divided that the comparative
strength of the warlike families re-
mained practically unchanged. When
peace was declared and the ragged
| fragments of the confederacy sought
settlement in civil, or ostensibly civil,
pursuits to await the coming of recon-
struction, the Balmons and the Gray
sons "fell out" anew, summoned
their forces, fought, slaughtered lib
orally and finally wound up the san
culinary ball, without showing to the
community that either side had gain
ed a victory that would be likely to
be emblazoned on a shield and hand
ed down as coat of arms. By this
time, mind you, the Balmons and
Graysons were getting to be pretty
scarce" In fact, Ned Balmon and
Tope Grayson were the only heads of
families. Balmon had a son just en-,
tering the plow-boy age, and Gray
son had daughter who was walking
ing gracefully in that time of fawn
like springiness when a girl can be-
gin to make a spinning-wheel sing
"Old Hundred. +" These two chill
dren, Bill and Nan, met one day and
fought. Nan clawed Bill woefully,
and Bill, either from gallant impulses,
or a tender feeling which he cherish
ed for himself, took to his heels.
The next time they met, Bill gave
her two-thirds of the road, in defer
ence to her right of conquest. After
this, when Bill and Nan passed each
other the distance was gradually re-
duced until they at length met face
to face.
"What do you want to crowd me
fer 7" Bill asked in tore bespeaking
great injury.
"Ain't crowdin' you," Nan re-
piled. Needn't think I'm going to
climb the fence every time see you"
"Don't think nuthin' of the kind,
but look here, Nan, whut's the use of
us tearin' each others clothes ?"
"None, fur 1 amt got no clothes
to spare, myself"
''Nuther have I. These jeens
britches is the best I've got, an
these amt no great shakes"
81 should say not. See this dress i?
Only every day one I've got, and my
Sunday coat wouldn't set the creek
afre, let me tell you."
"Nan, we understand each other
pretty well, an to tell you the truth,
blame if I don't sorter love you, any
how"
"Well, now, I'm not slouchy in
my feelings toward you, let me tell
you," and refusing to yield any more
of the road, Bill put his arm around
her. All, how they improved their
chances of meeting now. How they
stole away and went fishing together,
and how, when hickory nuts were
ripe, they roamed through the woods.
They sweetly kept the secret oftheir
love from their parents, but at last
they were discovered. Bill was Sc
verely thrashed and Nan was sentenc-
ed to long term at carding bats,
which all women who understand
this kind of work will agree, was
quite severe enough for any one con-
victed of witchcraft.
The fathers of the youthful and
maidenful couple were so incensed
that they were determined to bring
about an efectual end to the unholy
affair, as they termed it. Neither Of
them had ever been ardent advocates
of education, yet they individually
decided to send their degenerated Off
spring to college. Old Balmon sold
piece of land with view of defray-
ing Bilrs expenses at a distant insti-
tuition of learning, and old Grayson
acted pretty much In the same way.
Each thought that ignorance was the
cause of the affection which had
sprung up between Bill and Nan, and
neither of them doubted that educa-
ton would remove the cause.
At separate schools, the where
abouts Of which was unknown to
each other, they improved each gilt
tering hour, and at the end of five
years, Nan returned home an accom-
plished young lady. She did not
speak of Bill, and the heart of her
aged father beat high with thankful
ness. Two years afterwards Bill re-
turned. He did not refer to Nan,
and his father congratulated himself
and thought well of his deep schemes
result.
One day Bill and Nan met in the
woods. Their greetings were digni-
fed.
"And now," said Bill, "after such
a long separation, we find ourselves
in the old woods. 1t does not seem,
Miss Grayson, that leaf has
changed"
"Time passes lightly over great
trees" the lady responded. 'Years
from now, when we are gray, this
old oak will wave its fresh and bud
ding branches in the softly signing
air of spring"
''Yes, and yet the great trees at
last fall" pointing to log. "The
footsteps Of the racing years fall light
ly on their bark, but at last the sap
dies and the wind blows the grand
tree to the ground; but methinks
there is a tree whose branches will