The Washington herald., 1916-02-05
DAILY SHORT STORY.
A Feud and Its Finish.
By CATHERINE CRANMER.
fcuprrirht. 1as.l

siduly dDanuon my plans. put IL
does seem such a dreadful waste to
spend ones whole life in CRANKY. That's
why want to get out and be in touch
with the big things that are happen
ing" Virgie's voice was caressing, even
II her words were a bit abrupt.
But dislike the thought of your hav-
ing an office Just as a man would and
depending upon that for your very living.
Be careful, dear, that this career of yours
does not careen before 1t gets well
launched" Miss Carlisle followed this
remark by careful scrutiny of the tiny
stitches In the monogram she had en-
broidered on Virgies rough linen art
lists apron.
"Oh. I know how your aristocratic
ear Is shocked by the mere words com
mercial artist and you think 1t as much
! paradox for art to lend itself to COM
mercial uses as for a girl OF the Carlisle
family to adopt anything other than the
conventional social career which has
been followed by the Carlisle women
from Colonial days down to now"
Exactly SO, my dear, and it would
make me very happy If I could make
you see 1t So"
Can't be DONE" laughed virgie, shak-
ing her head. Come, though, let's not
create a family feud over It. BY the
way Aunt Virginia, tell me the cause
| Of that old feud between our family and
the Pollards.'
Now what made you think of that?"
asked Miss Carlisle, in puzzled surprise
THE news that Stanley Pollard Ill
has bought back the old family place,
| and. according to the gossips. is over
there now instructing his tenant and siz-
ing up his bargain"
Bargain, indeedm shifted Miss Carlisle
"a rundown farm with a tumble-down
house of pre-Revolutionary origin"
But tell me, Auntie, what was the
cause of that quarrel?'
'Oh. a mere matter OF a disputed
boundary line between lands in the
first place, and from that there grew
! disputes over other things. Old Mr..
! Pollard was adamant once he made up
! his mind, and you may be sure that
Grandfather Carlisle would not bulge
| from his position when he felt 1t to be
| right"
"Oh. really. wasn't it too funnyT"
Virgie laughed.
| Funny? How can you say such a
thing?" Miss Carlisle was stern.
Don't you see that II was a clear
case of two adamant bodies vainIy
trying to make a dent in each other? ?
| I've no doubt II they had united their
| efforts instead they would have
! achieved wealth and fame which
! would have made 1t unnecessary for
the great-grandson of one to buy back
the old home on time payments and
the great-granddaughter of the other
! to work for her living"
/ "All your idealistic notions would
/ have been sadly out of place in that
! quarrel which led to so much bitter
ness" said Miss Carlisle, with a firm
shake OF her head.
That's what was needed to temper
the heat of the quarrel. auntie; for
when we come to understand people
/ who have any sort of caliber we find
so much in them to like that we want
| to cooperate with them instead of
! quarreling. Why. last week. when 1
went up to the office building to in
spect the office I'd rented. l got out
of the elevator and went down the
! corridor to the corner room facing the
river" Virgie planted her elbows on
the sewing table. and leaned far
across toward her aunt in her eager
ness to make her get the full import
| of her story.
After I had left orders for my ofice
walls to be tinted bun" she continued.
Imagine my rage when I walked into
| that room and saw workmen doing those
walls in a bilious yellow. A tall young
man who stood there as IL he had all
sorts of authority scarcely deigned TO
1 notice me, but l swept into the room.
! eAClalHlnB. stop WORK at once unIll
I've seen the manager! These walls are
! to be bun, not yellow The young mans
eyes bazed bit, but he said. quite icily:
| Pardon me II I'm surprised at your
! criticism OF my taste; but II really isn't
my taste. for all l specified was that the
Office was to be cleaned and ready for oc-
cupan,y by noon today. I'm going up
| now TO give that manager a round be-
cause 1t isn't ready.
while I stood there accommodating rage
enough to blow up a battleship one of
| the decorators turned and drily remark
| ed: Both of ye seem to be on a false
trail for this office happens to be used
by an old gentleman for his law library,
| and them's his books there under that
| tarpaulin." Virgie paused to laugh at
her aunts Mortified expression.
| That workman's coolness seemed to
be a sort OF wet blanket on our anger" :"
she continued, land when we turned and
| looked at the number on the door 1t was
| 1913 instead of 1913, which 1 had rented
or 1943, which the man had rented. We
had both got off at the wrong floor and
as each of the nineteen floors in the
| building had identically the same ar
! rangement, had met in the corner office.
When we found there was really no
| foundation for a quarrel we apologized
and laughed so what started out to be
! a feud ended as farce, which Is what
all feuds become sooner or later, I'm
| thinking.
| A maid entered the room and presented
a visitors card to Miss Carlisle, whose
| lips frightened into disapproval as she
read the name of Stanley Gordon Pol
lard" The maid stood awaiting in
| structions, but without word Miss
Carlisle rose and walked past her and
| down the stairs.
As she approached the drawing room
| doorway, her head went slightly higher
and she glded into the room with a
stoical expression on her rather pretty
face, with its setting of soft, white hair
| The young man who rose at her entrance
smilingly advanced a step toward her
and then paused. looking at her expect.
antly.
Mr.. Pollard?' she began icily but Mr.
Pollard twice removed from the family
feud was coming nearer, with boyishly
frank smile on his honest face. How
like his handsome father she found him
although like him except for the alb.
sence of the slight hauteur which had
become more pronounced when Virginia
Tor tiSln hnI raftt ~