The Holbrook news., 1911-01-06
Sturman=H Hancher
 vs. Hymen
By STACY E. BAKER
Copyright, i9lo. by IAasociatel Iiterary Press.)

vent the respective scions of the fam
 flies from falling in love with each other.
 Mabel, the pride of the Sturman
 seniors, was a girl whom any youth
 with red blood in his veins would be
 proud to call sweetheart She was as
 pretty as the break of June morn
 Ing Her eyes were jet black and
 long-lashed. She was tall. gracefully
 slim, and walked with the virile
 spring of youth. Tom Hancher was fortunate
 Tom knew this. but the peppery
 soul of Father Hancher. inflamed years ago against Sturman. Sr., re- fused to discriminate between the old grocer and his daughter.
 But you don't know the girl" Tom protested, when the old gentleman had included the maid in his frenzied summing up of the faults of the head of Mabers family.
 She is her fathers daughter" growled Hancher. T don't need to know more. The blood is bad
 So. once again. the confession that trembled on the lips of the youth was stilled It would have been a most unfortunate time to explain to this irritable parent that his most hated enemy's daughter was to be- come his sons wife.
 The hatred of Sturman for Han cher. and vice versa, extended back over a dozen years. Both were gro cers in the thriving town of Tings- boro. Both had been fast friends Un- fortunately, both had lived in the same ward, and had aspired, at the same time, to the common council. Some one has said that politics makes strange bed fellows. It also under mines strong friendships. After three weeks of mudslinging electioneering. Sturman won the coveted laurels by a majority of one vote.
 Sturman and Hancher were friends no longer Hancher moved out of the ward. Their grocery shops were now at opposite ends of the city.
 Tom Hancher, only son, was now his fathers partner. Mabel Sturman. only daughter, was now her fathers bookkeeper. The evenings. however, belonged solely to the young people. and they met frequently at the homes of mutual aequaintances with their embttered parents being not whit the wiser.
 Father Is so set" complained the youth. But never mind. dear, have enough money of my own; and we will be married first, and tell about it afterward. If the governor has the nerve to object-after seeing you-you know he doesn't even know you by sight-I'll pass up his old grocery, and start one of my own"
 All this brought the gratified red to the pretty cheeks of Mabel Sur man. and the light in her eyes was nice to see as she turned to the ar dent Thomas.
 All in due time. Tom." she soothed. There. is no great hurry, you know. Why, you are only 22. boy. and am not yet 2O."
 The plan of waiting did not appeal l to the impetuous young lover. He l would like to have to go to Sturman ! to ask him for his daughters hand, | but knowledge of the temper of the | lean, wiry. East-end grocer told him what would happen if he did this.
 Time dragged on. Patience, that i pearl among virtues, paled. on the | love-lorn pair, but still the girl would | not consent to secret marriage. Something might happen.
 Something did happen,
 Sturman bought an automobiles | big red touring car. at once the pride and envy of the neighborhood. Han cher heard of this. Not to be out shone and outdone by his ancient rival, ne invested in the goods of a company; a yellow car. The two, although not very prof. cient, drove their own machines
 For awhile they kept to their own [ particular neck-or-the-woods, but a fate one day impishly to each of them that he in- 7ade the others territory. and awe lim with his aptness in the control of his machine.
 hour. they started. but by different -outes- Patiently, lean Sturman up and down in front 1t Hancher's store; consistently, fat drove his yellow monstrosity past the Sturman grocery-and all to 10 purpose. Sturman could not catch light of Hancher; Hancher could not iazzle the eyes of his rival. Puzzled clerks watched the manifestations . The Sturman store stood on a cor ler Hancher, turning his machine .l0sA t0 the c1rh and with hia hack Q the walk. failed to notice a tipsy nan with a number Of long iron rods ,ver his wavering shoulder. The lat CT staggered around the corner, and he rods. suddenly turning toward the Itreet, struck the unseeing Hancher ,n the side of his head, precipitating Jim to the pavement, half uncon- 'cious. Instantly crowd gathered. Is is usual with crowds, none seemed inclined to render the luckless one