Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-28
BY CALVIN JOHNSTON.

enthroned. upon a pyramid of old DOCKS
which completely filled one corners of his
| law office. This Office. located on the
| top floor of the most venerable business
| pile in Barlow, was amply furnished
with three chairs and a small soft coal
stove. The wall was adorned with a
stained engraving OF Stephen A. Douglas.
and a rusty sign creaking in the hall
draft announced to all who could read
in that dusky prison light that a coun-
selor at law awaited clients within.
Gen. Wampum was. used to waiting,
and did not permit himself to fret over
the dilatory habits Of the clients in
question. On this particular day. how
ever, he was a busy man. glancins over
book after book of the litter In the cor
ner with many low mutters Of d:sparage-
ment. At last one battered volume caught
his attention and held him spellbound
for the better part of an hour. at which
time a football echoed down the hall, and
his crony Blivens. the groceryman, en-
tered without ceremony.
"Well. old hawk of the Constitution"
exclaimed this gentleman, opening his
eyes to the widest extent in the glimmering
light. there must be high crimes and
treasons to defend to set you examining
| a roomful Of authorities. Why, con,
book leaves with his stick. you have
already entered into the spirit of your
case and torn the statutes into tatters.
A pause ensued. during which Wam-
in fact. he feared that the latter had
come to assume the part of peacemaker
between himself and Maj. Brownlow
Clay. These two old comrades-in- arms
after a violent alteration. during which
only the quick and determined inter-
cession of Blivens had prevented on .ex-
change of blows. But as Blivens did not
now advert to the subject Wampum
condescended to explain his present occu-
patton.
IF you will examine any OF these vol
umes,' he said. rising. you will see that
they are works of fiction. and the only
case / have been engaged with Is the
one of collecting debt from the estate
of my late friend. Prof. Dinwiddie. As
Dinwiddie could leave no moneyed estate
for reasons of purely private and
personal nature-he left me his library
so you've been reading through this
mountain of trash in hope of hnding
something good enough to sell for the
amount of the debit"
Sir" exclaimed Wampum. sharply. Il
wish to have Dinwiddie rest eased of
that debt. Now l have found one story
which amply satisfies it. and as for part
ing with this particular volume-under-
stand. sir. that i treasure it In memory
of that honest man."
Bliyens took volume and glanced
through 1T with great pang or appre-
hension; then he looked al the little old
general who stood by with squared
shoulders. grim and uncompromising.
so you found your moneys worth IN
this sordid, cold-blooded story Of feud-
lists" remarked Blivens casually.
You will note that the climax is a
dramatic and highly satisfactory duel.
replied the other.
Bliyens nodded, cursing the fate which
had placed this tale of vengeance In the
hand of his friend at a moment when the
latter's excitable passions were demand
ing vengeance for supposed insult.
This feud story reminds me- began
Blivens absently turning the leaves.
BE seated interrupted Wampum cor
daily interested at last. and having en-
couraged the little stove to herculean ef-
forts. composed himself before the glow
ing firebox to listen Blivens related the
following incidents between long puffs
at his cheroot.
Old Wiilowhelds was really a town
built in the midst OF a forest; such
leafy. grass-grown place that the in
habtants always reminded me of birds
who call from the yards at morning and
watch one another with round eyes and
heads askew the rest of the day. Most
of the country around was-occupied by
two families who seemed to have sprung
from the very subsoil along with the vfr-
gin forest. and their Leading members.
Frank Dupre ana Lee fenTOSc IlVeQ On
neighboring plantations near the town.
Naturally there was some rivalry be-
tween these clans in politics and society,
but it seemed that passions ever rose
very high in that mellow, blooming eli
mate. SO, upon the morning Of Easter
Sunday, 1889. q shiftless fellow. named
Jim Moonlight WHO lay browsing on the
courthouse la wn. was disturbed at hear
ing angry voices down one of the shady
alleys.
all thn nd
fiercer and jim putting up. his pencil
and paper with which he was noting
down some poetry. as shiftless fellows do
IN springtime. started around the court
house corner pretty mad at having his
mind distracted from an ode to the saints.
Coming through the maple groves be-
yond the corner he saw two young men
dressed in frock coats and beaver hats
one leading a child by the hand. These
young men were Frank Dupre and Lee
Penrose. who stood now facing each
other closely, their cheeks very white
and sudden stiffness upon them.
Was that you two gentlemen quar-
reling?' asked Jim, surprised and Just.
then the children began whimpering.
It's r fine example you set this little
walking up drew the children aside to
comfort EN-, and also to say what he
thought of their fathers.
But these two men seemed to have
FASCINATED edch Otner, ana without a
shift Of the eye stepped back: one Of
en- laughed in a hooking way and there
was a fusillade of pistol shots. bullet
going wild knocked Jim over with
broken shoulder and when he staggered
upright there lay those wild young blades,
one dead. the other dying. with the chill
dren wailing high above the Easter
bells and stains of blood in the soil of
old Wilowfields, where people had lived
like birds in nest. And nobody ever
did Know what the quarrel was about. .
That was no way to behave before
those children said Jim. then and there
after. They have given me crippled
arm without ever a chance to shoot back,
and VOW some day to get square with
all the tribe Of Penrose and Dupre.''
Now. all at once it seemed that a
bloody chasm had opened in the grass
at the feet Of these families. who glared
across at each other. debating ven
geance, with all the county at their
backs. But before their wounded feel
ings had time to rankIe the war drew
EN- into the ranks, and the few men
who survived had enough of bloodshed,
with Appomattox past.
But 1t doesn't need men to carry on
feud, and the widows of the two
each other. even when the invader was
at hand. and the whole country crum-
bling into wreckage under the Quake of
cannon. Jim Moonlight announced that
he suspended his feud against the two
families for the present, and. not being
able to enlist with a crooked shoulder.
learned to shoot left anded and did
fine elegies on Yankee soldiers to the
home paper, but said that he could have
written much better poetry with his right
hand.