The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-20
EVENING STORY
The GaIly Feud.

Inc NHetlAy
(By Izola Forrester)
Bruce Farraday had been away from
home for so long that he had actually
underestimate the manners and Gus
! toms of Halsey Gap, not forgotten
them, but merely underestimate their
| vital Importance, if one would remain
an inhabitant of the Gap in peace and
security with one neighbors.
! He had been home from Rudemier
college about four days. The family
| had given him to understand that they
expected all things of him, and espe-
cially that he should run for repre-
sentative the next autumn. There had
been a Farraday in the state legisla-
ture from the Gap section ever since
West Virginia had walked her own
path in statehood. Since the death of
Bruce's father fifteen years before, the
Gal1y family had controlled the seat.
| Bart Gally had gone up for two terms
and Wallace had followed in his foot
steps. Small wonder that every MEM
Der of the Farraday family had wait
ed with bated breath, so to spealA and
postponed hopes of the day of Bruce's
return as head of the family.
He rode down the mountain road to
THE little village after mail, loving every
foot of the way. 1t had been years
since he had walked that road to
school. When he came to the old
familiar crossroads, with its cairn of
rock supporting an old sign post, he
| drew rein.
The whole valley lay below him
with the wondrous beauty of spring
| time encircling it, with the lifting
| crests of the mountains yelled in early
| morning mists. Back in the woods,
| bird called to its nesting mate. Bruce
glanced up the other road. Many a
| time he had loitered there waiting for
Nancy Gally to come along on her way
| to school. What had they cared for
feuds in those days. She was 6, he
barely 10. Resting now in his saddle,
! while the Captain cropped the sweet
clover and sorrel by the roadside, he
| remembered the day of their great
quarreled He had called her redhead
| on the way home from school, because
| she had walked with her cousin Wal
lace instead of him. There had been
| a fight and Wallace, a Strapplng,
| black browed youth of Is, had beaten
| him before her eyes. He had risen
| from the road, dirty and bleeding, and
had thrown out his challenge to the
| future. Oddly enough. now, Wallace
was his opponent in politics.
The sound of horses hoofs canter-
ing along the old timber road, reused
him from reverie. 1t was Nance. She
| rode her sorrel mare like boy, her
short curls flying in the morning
| breeze. AS she rode, she was singing
| Dixie at the top of her lungs, until
she caught sight of the silent horse
man, and stopped short.
| Bruce raised his cap in neighborly
greeting, noting approvingly the vivid
| beauty of her young face and spark
ling eyes.
Good morning, Miss Nance" he
said. ''It seems like old times to be
waiting here for you. You're looking
| mighty WE'LL
She tossed her head in quick resent
Il reckon you can keep your com
pliments to home, Bruce Farraday:
| We amt askin' anythin' from any OF
you in the complimentary line
She rode on, never looking behind
The color rose DULY in Bruce's face
as if she had slapped him, and his lips
set tightly 1t was that afternoon that
he gave Matt Crawford, local boss of
the Democratic caucus permission to
use his name for nomination at the
coming elections
you've got to step lively and look
both ways at once" said sister Belle,
! when the campaign was in full swing.
| but goodness, Bruce, it does seeln
splendid to have a Farraday fighting
for his own again. If you let that
snake wallace Gally win. I'll never
speak to you again. Nance is hold
ing her head so high her neck's stiff.
I heard it said down in the village
that she'd promised Wallace she'd
marry him, if he beat you election
time
Bruce looked at her oddly.
'sI don't see what she's got against
me- he said.
Belle laughed, shortly.
you don't? Well. you're Farra-
day for one thing. and for another
you called her red head, and the
name stuck to her. She'll never for
give you for either one"
You know it seems 50 queer"
| Bruce said, ito come back here and
find all these foolish backwoods no
tions holding the people like laws. OF
course, I want to win the election. but
7 haven't anything special against
| wallace, except that he did me UP
once in a boy fight and I would like
a few fair rounds with him sometime
on the quiet
means" Belle returned. There are
only PA votes in the section, and
| nearly every able-bodied man in the
| lot depends on WORK through the win
ter up in the Gally lumber camps. If
they don't vote for Ga1ly, they lose
their chance"
The next day there was a confer
ence between Bruce and Matt Craw
ford Briefly, Bruce outlined his plan
of action. On the Farra day prop
| erty there was a large old mica mine.
unworked since the death of his ia
Their Ever since his arrival he had
secretly been probing its possibilities,
and felt fairly sure of his ground.
Matt" he said, Il know a chap
with capital. VINO went TO Ruuemler
with me. He'll back the old mica
mines when l say so. Let's open
them now, and hire all the available
men Get them on one-year con-
/ tracts, with option of renewal
| Matt grinned appreciatively.
L think I'm looking at our next
representative he said.
The mine was success. Boys and
men from all districts thru the val
! ley and mountains focked to work in
stead of remaining idle thru the sum-
mer and autumn. waiting for the
GaIly mills to open. In vain did Wal
lace ta Ike the stump, and tell them
it was only a political subterfuge that !
would not last. The old mine was