Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 May 1914 — The Last Shot In a Feud [ARTICLE]

The Last Shot In a Feud

By F. A. MITCHEL

A girl about seventeen years old, in calico dress, sunbonnet and cowhide boots, was walking through a wood in Kentucky on her way to a spring for water when, making a short cut in a bend in the path, she came upon a man asleep. He was young, but there was ,tl hunted look on his face that made him look older. There was a feud of long standing between the Griggses and the Backuses, and a few days before Abel Griggs had been shot and killed by Josh Backus. Since the killing all the Griggses had been looking for Josh in order to cut another notch on their rifles to make up for the latest Backus notch, said notches denoting the number killed. The girl was Mahulda Griggs, and she looked down on Josh Backus. He had been driven by a cordon of Griggs’ men, who were closing in on him, to the wood near Malm Ida’s home. Hl knew there was no escape for him and had thrown himself on the grass in despair. Having been long without food or Sleep he had fallen into a slumber. He awoke with a start and saw Ma huida looking down on him. Each knew who the other was, though they had never met before. Josh sat up and, handing his gun stock foremost to Mahulda, said huskily: ’ ' “You’re a Griggs, 1 reckon, and I might as well own up that Tm Josh Backus as killed Abel Griggs. I'm sure to bo taken and shot. I'd rut her be killed by you than any. of the Griggs meh, and I’ll be obleeged to you if you'll put a bullet into me where it will kill me quickest." The girl took the gun. “Reckon I ort to, kill ypu,” she said, “seein’ you killed one o’ the best of us Griggs people.’’ “Put the ball thar,” said the other, rising to his feet and tapping his heart with his finger. "What did yo’ kill Abel fo’?” ’’To match the killin' of Jim Backus.” “Reckon you’ll be killed to match tlie killin’ o’ Abel, and then another Griggs ’ll be killed to match the killin’ o’ yo’.” “That's the way of it. Come, do the shootin'. Like enough, - some one’ll come along.” “1 don’t want to kill yo’,” said the girl, bringing the gun to her shoulder. “It’s the best thing yo’ kin do fo’ me.” She aimed at him, then lowered the gun.” “I inought hide yo’.” j i “Hide me! You, a Griggs, hide a Backus!” “Reckon." i “Es your people would find it out they'd kill yo’ fo’ doin' of it " ; r “Sartin." “Well, wh.-tl yo* goin’ to do?” “Hide yo', I reckon." lie stepped up to her. tool: her hand in his and looked intently into her eyes, where he s,:w a struggle between pity and self siferifi'v on I lie <>ne hand end revenge and possible death for-herself on ilk* other. And he saw, too, tlie moment when the decision came. She took off her-sunbonnet and handedrit to him, then divCstcd herself of her dress, which she also gave to him. He understood and put them on. When lie was iit her outer garments she put ou his woolen shirt, trousers and hat.

."TO’ go flown the path to the spring,” she said.. “It’s on the edge o’ the clearin’ what yo’ Rin see across, Es yo’ don’t see nary one go over. Es yo’re in danger I’ll show myself till yo’ git cl’ar of ’em.” “But they’ll shoot yo' so me.” “Reckon not. Es they do they'll have to hit me.” “Mayn't I have a kiss befo’ 1 go?” he asked with a trembling voice. “Reckon." She received the kiss passively; then they parted to go in different directions, the man taking the bucket, the girl the gun. When he reached the spring he filled the bucket, at the same time casting his eye over the clearing. He knew that one of the cordon of Griggses was not far away; but, seeing no one, he started across. He hadn’t gone far before he heard a voice: "Hello thar! Yo’ Mahuldy! Whar yo’ goin'?" ’ He kept on without replying. Pres ently he heard tlie same voice say, "Mahuldy, es that’s yo’, yo’ come yore or I’U shoot at yo’!”

Backus kept on without reply. Thea suddenly he saw a sun flash on a rifle barrel, and for a moment he hesitated. Then came the rifle’s crack, but no bullet came near him. He shuddered, for he believed that Mahulda had shown herself and had received the fire. Hearing no further sound, he ran t« the wood beyond the clearing. The Griggses, who had tired supposedly at Backus and seen him fall, ran up to him There lay Mahulda. pale and bleeding. >• Quite likely the bullet that hit her saved her lire. Her own people could not kill her, and the sacrifice she had made tilled their hearts with compassion. When she recovered a meeting was called among the Griggses, and Mahulda was sent to tlie Rackuses with a proposition to end the feud. There she met Abel Backus, who had little difficulty—in persuading his people to agree so drop the killing. Some months later a mingling of Griggses and Back Uses celebrated the wedding of Josh Backus and Mahulda Griggs, f