The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1824-05-27
@isreiianv.
From the American Monthly Magazine.
TIE DUELLIST.
Hurt honor in an evil--cursed hour.
Drove me IN nurJer

Drove me TO murder
My honest--swee, peace Of mind--sll--alIs
Are bsrtered for name, CoLMAs, in.
Some months ego, paid visi, 10 tho seat
Of my friend Horny Howard, whom had noe
seen Tor seversi years and during the shore
time that spen, with him, many pleasing
hour was psssed in recalling the fecolIectiou
OF departed days, and IN conjusing up the ocI
cusrences of other pears. Circumstsuces
which had then recently trsnspis ed, introduce
ed IN the courss of conversation, tho subject
oi Duellng, ADD o. the relation, which my
friend then gave mey.vss OF very interesting
nature / take the libes,y 10 repsai Lin delail.
" " was cnce" said he " on the eve oil be-
coming a pariicips.ot In this depios able prsc-
tice. An sequsintance had challenged me on
some trfliug occasion, end being then young,
thovghticss and spirited, j dee med ! could
not ss man Of honor refuse the call. / had
accordingly So, down in the heigh, of my so1
ger, TO write % scce ptsnee, when tho letter
which now hold was btough, me by . ser,
want. i, was cent 10 me by friend, who had
been bite'ly taught 10 the school OF cxpcri,
enco, and who having casually heard OF my
quarrel, considcred il q duty 20 pseven, what
might have been the fatal ,eonseouences.->.
To u owe the change Of my views--my
pesce--my hoppiness--perhsps my life
! shall therefore read It 20 you wihou, fur.
ther preface" sANt
heard, my young friend, tha, you hsve
received q challenge, and have further IN.
dsrsiood, that your intention 10 10 accept IL.
Permit me 10 request, before tho die 10 cast,
that you will pause ooe moment, and listen TO
tho story of one, who like you was once hap
py, and might slill have been 90 had the voice
Ct friendly sdmopi,ion been sounded before
him. How miserable he Aas been, how
wrerched he now 10, tongue csnnot tell. s,s
"It is not my intention 10 enter into argue
mon, with you on the subject. Objections 70
duelling have been often repeated, and yous
own good sense will suggeN them ell
shall merely offer you sscttai Of my sorrows
aod 'ufiariogs, and leave you toJesi for your.
self. @-AA
"Cns Of my earliest friends and associates,
wss Albert Hording. We had known each
olhcf from infsncy-we had cooned our tasks,
and played our games, and shared our griev-
sncss together--and we had grown up like
Two twin.rees, that cling closer - they cd.
vancsd IN size. Msny 10 tho hour Of unslioy.
ed bliss that winged It's unobserved nighs over
W, In that sweet season OF innocence, when
our sports had no pleasure, uaiess they were
mutusliy partsken. Would thst ] had sunk
into death as that blessed period, for then
should have been spsfed the pain Of that
dreadful reverse, which ! have since expert.
euced! But ] must not dwell upon that pes
Rod; for !, makes my heart ache, and my
eyes fearful, whenever l look back into the
past, and soc those happy days, like bright
constellation, shining through the dsfkness OF
succeeding years. Suffice II 10 ssy,!ihst our
childhood passed ssrensIy swsy, amidst shs
interchange Of more than irsternsi sffectionss
Till q, length the lspse Of eighteen years gave
us tho signal OF spprosch to manhood. We
now both entered into the world--but II wac
not capable Of changing our hearts {: we had
not indeed tho opportunity Of meeting 90 fss-
quently % We had before done, but our friend
chip remained unbsoken. ,At length, howsy-
er, en- incident occurred, which vss destined
to mar our peace forever. fss,
81 had casually discovered that Albert vac
s,tsched to en- srhisble young lady In our Vie
cini,y, with whom also hsd some scquao-
tancs bu, I did not then know that bis sffec-
lions were 90 deeply engaged, - l Afterwards
had reason 10 believe they wese. ] UNDER
took to rally him on ibe subject, and o. 6rst
he bore with mo calmly end patiently. 1 wss
pursued my fsiIlery with little mercy. Still
he continued 10 tsks my impertinence in
good part. urged the seige, until Of length
I fairly ran down his good nssure, and he lost
his equsnini,y, denounciog mo in round
terms % On sbsolute fool" I told him that
wss On expression ! hid not expected from
him, bot still continued 10 tesze him, snd
isfs iiule unssid ihst could make him snd tho
object Of his attentions appear ridiculous. All
this wss done IN spirit Of good humoi on
my part, but l ought 10 have known that u
was t,ifling too much with % easy and plant
temper. One bitter word led 20 another, I'LL
we both became isifly iritsted, and forgot
what We owed 10 esch other % fellow cfea'
tnses end ss friends. Avsgue end has'y in
sinus,ion sgsinu my character, which he
threw on, in the beigh, Of bis suger, ] con'idi
cred % en- unps'd s'donsble offence. told bini
es,eelv ,hat he shouid feoeot the Wol de b e