The northwestern bulletin., 1923-06-30
An Old New
England Feud
By H. IRVING KING


and Capron q feud existed. 1t had
originated from dispute over a
boundary line fence and q strayed cow
a hundred years or so before and had
been carefully treasured as a family
Inheritance by the descendants or the
original disputants. Both families
were wealthy and prominent in the
community. and the acres which sur
rounded their ancestral mansions were
contiguous.
When John Capron, the last Of the
name, died, his widow, who had, Of
course, taken over the Capron feud
when she took the Capron name, was
strict In her injunctions to her ten
year-old daughter, Louise, that she
should never have anything to do with
the twelve-year-old boy next door,
Clinton Vaughan, son and heir Of
Judge Marshall Vaughan, and threat
ened to discharge any servant who
connived at even q speaking acquaint-
ance between the children. Neverthe-
less, in spite Of this prohibition, or,
perhaps, because Of It, the two chill
dren took occasional chances Of being
together, stealing away into the woods,
where they met in secluded glen to
play at being Indians and daring"
each other with regard to climbing
trees. They had some tumuituous
childish quarrels. too, As was fitting
for a Capron and a Vaughan, on
which occasions Clinton would say,
"Your great-grandfather stole my
great-grandfather's cow"
Louise would retort, 'Your great
grandfather stole my great-grand-
fathers woodlot. So there" They
may have missed q generation or two,
but the statements were substantially
correct as the feudists understood the
case. When missed and reclaimed
from these secret meetings the chill
dren were invariably punished and
sent to bed without supper by indig-
nant parents, which procedure only
served to set Clinton and Louise plot
ting and planning for another meeting.
When Louise was twelve the Widow
Capron closed the old house and de-
parted with her daughter for wider
fields than were afforded by the staid
New England community. Years
passed, and then one day the old Ca
prom mansion was opened again and
the aged widow and her daughter re-
turned to the long deserted place. 1t
was rumored that Mrs. Capron had
dissipated the considerable fortune
her husband had left her In extrava-
CANT living and European travel; that
the old house and It's attached acres
were all that was left, and that only
because II had been left to Louise In
trust, to become hers at her twenty
fifth birthday or upon her marriage.
Meantime old Judge Vaughan had
died widower and his SON Clinton, q
rising young lawyer, reigned In his
stead. Several times there had been
rumors Of LouiSe's marriage, once to
a great foreign snobleman, but she re-
turned to her childhood home still
single and a most charming and beau
tiful young lady. Clinton Vaughan,
also, was still unmarried. Neighbors
whispered that It would be romantic
II the heiress Of the Caprons and the
heir Of the Vaughans should wed and
end the ancient feud. But there was
grim old Mrs. Capron, standing like a
rock. Arm upon the base Of family ira
dltions; and by the terms Of her hus-
bands will II Louise married without
her mothers consent the property
passed to distant relatives. Soon after
the return Of the Caprons Louise and
Clinton met In the street Of the little
village.
1t was Louise who broke the ice by
advancing with outstretched hand and
saying, 'T believe you are Clinton
Vaughan. Had you not been pointed
out to me I doubt II I should have
known you, 50 many years have
passed since We met. And am Louise
Capron. Do you remember how we
used to steal away to play Indianr
"And climb treesT replied Clinton.
"Rememberf I should say I did"
"And the stolen cowr' said Louise.
"And the purlolned woodlotr re-
piled Clinton. And they laughed and
chatted, Just a. II there were no such
thing as family feud.
II would ask you to call and talk
over old times" said Louise a. they
parted. "Only-isn't II too absurd (!
Mother is still sitting up nights with
that fatal COW and that caiamitous
woodlot."
They met rather frequently after
that and even went horseback riding
together once or twice. II suppose
we ought to be sent to bed without
our supper tonight, a. we used to be"
laughed Louise upon their return from
the first Of these equestrian expedi-
tions. Old Mrs. Capron knew Of these
meetings-there were servants and
neighbors to tell Aer-but she held
her peace--at which Louise, who real
lied that her mother must know. was
puzzled.
Then, one day, the old lady suddenly
said, Louise, tell that Vaughan fell
low to CALI want to talk to him."
Had the two big chimneys of the old
house tumbled down together, Louise