Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-12

THIS interesting question. the answer has
generally been: o. k.
But the recent case of modern
Romeo and Juliet points TO an exactly
opposite conclusion.
Eve Mortimer and Clarence Pell. Jr..
seemed 10 have all the advantages of
their classic prototypes 0ove, looks.
money and social POSITION without the
one great disadvantage OF family feud.
Their families were closer together
than the hands Of clock at midnight.
SO, by all rights they should have gotten
married and lived happily ever after.
But did they No They got married
and started feud Of their own. as bitter
as anything the Capulets and Montagues
could show.
The resulting dismay in their parents
households was even greater than the
rejoicing had been when back in 1886
the engagement Of Eve, descendant of
John Jay, first Chief Justice Of the U. S.
Supreme Court. and Clarence, sprung
from a long line ofprosPerous bankers.
was announced
The two families lived side by side in
fashionable Tuxedo Park N Y, and the
devotion of the young couples fathers.
Clarence, Sr. and Stanley Grafton Morti-
mer was proverbial
The latter were considered about the
best racquets players you could find any
where Racqucts should not be confused
with rackets, the only thing in common
between the two being the fact that both
originated among criminals.
Racquets is a game employing hard.
fast ball long-handled bats for the play
ers. and a four-walled court Historians
say il started in England among the in
mates of debtors prisons who were ac-
customed 10 while away the leaden hours
by knocking a ball against the walls.
Anyhow, during the same era that Al
Capone ruled the rackets Cookie Pell.
father Of Clarence. Jr., and Stan Morti-
mer ruled the racquets. Cookie was the
better of the two. but whenever he hap
pened 10 have a bad year Stan Mortimer v
in there taking over the honors. Where'
YOU turned. there was Cookie batting tn
out TO Stan. or vice versa and in betwC
times they we're teaming up TO cop the
tional Doubles Championship
In the lower class brand of rackets,
rivalry like that might have led to the 81
den determination of one party or the 9th
but higher up such things are regulated
a code of sportsmanship which makes riva
one of the soundcst bases Of friendship.
And now here were young Eve g
Garry, Jr., strengthening the tie by gett
married! With tears in their eyes, the era
full fathers congratulated bride and gro
and then retired to the punch bowl to to
their favorte sport.
Any decent novelist would have ended
tale right there amid the clinking of glass
but, alas, life blundcrs on where novel;
fear TO tread After four or five quiet yea
during which they became the parents OF
second, tiny Eve, and still another Claren
the home of the younger Pells began to sh
signs Of splitting at the seams.
The causes of the feud that developed
tween Garry and Eve are somewhat obscu
On the basis Of what happened later, he
ever, it is%possible to guess that they
some connection with a young man nan
Lewis Cass Ledyard, Bird.
Mr. Ledyard moved in the same privileI
circles as the younger Pels and boasted
equally imposing background including a
luxe education at Groton Harvard and Y
Law School His grandfather was the {
tinguished lawyer of the same name, v