Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-11-12
OF the Old School.

Of the Old School
They fought on the Curragh of Kildare. in
the presence of FIVE hundred spectators. = = :
Il was glorious morning N September,
the sun shining strong, but the air rather cold.
Bsteman, who was the first man that ever
| put pistol into my hand, asked me to go
with him to the ground, merely, as he said,
that might see the sport.
They were old strangers. prime shots, and
game to the back bone. OF the two, howey-
er, Klgobbin was the most famed for the
pistol; and had never gone out without knock
ing down, or at lesat winging his man. They
well knew each others powers, and that
made them less disposed to an accommoda-
ton, which might be attributed to wrong
motives. Besides, from the nature of the
quarrel, as it was taken up by the appellant,
it could not but have serious result to one,
rboth of the parties.
The knight was a rough, rather coarse
suddy complexioned man, about forty, with
scar under his eye. which he got in scuffle
with cavalry officer, in the pump room at
Bath, Beau Batcman, as he was called, from
his peculiar style of dress, was a tall, hand
some fellow, evidently younger than his an
tagonist, full Of gaiety, and remarkable for
Characteristic of our countrymen.
eagerly observed his countenance when
We met in the morning, but all was calm and
steady, his eagle eye as bright and brisk as
ever; he was even more laxative and jocu-
lar than usual He had been particularly at
tentive to his dress, which was always in the
extreme of the fashion, and, in short, he
manifested in his whole demeanor such a
perfect sing froid, that, had it not been for
slight tremor of the upper lip, when turning
aside to me, he told me, ~ case d accident, to
give his pistols to his nephew chum of
mine in college, (who, blythe by, was after
wards the first man | wounded with these
very pistols;) had it not been, say, for this
slight tremor, and pressure of the hand
with which he accompanied his directions,
nobody would have supposed that he was
about to present himself as a target to the
best SHOT in Ireland
On arriving at the ground, we saw the
knight and his party in conversation, and a
number of persons scattered about at dis
lance.
Bltenan, politely lifting his hat, said,
GOOD morning. gentlcmen-i hope we have
not kept you Waiting" French answered
"Dy no means, we were before our hme."--
hl5obhin, in rather ungracious way, repli-
ed to has adversary's salutation, '.Sir, your
most ObediGnt" The Others shook him cor
tdly by the hand, for his jocular manners
mad made HIM a general favorite.
The seconds were now about to measure
nc dlstance-nine PAGES, when kilgobbin re-
marked that we were in the view of some
cabins on the right This seemed an odd OBJ
lecton, as there was no interruption to be APP
p'eahnded rom such a quarter, and many Of
Geir inhabitants were gathering round to see
me sport. He suggested, however, that we
should remove about quarter of a mile fur
mar, to a fine level turf, on the banks of
lond called Browns hole, from the name of a
1901 who thought fit TO junpin. 4,fes
!, AS we proceeded, occasionally observed
ue Knights countenance, and thought he
APPEARED to be flushed, eager, and somewhat
restless; looking round frequently with an
unqalet eye, and paying only sort of GAVIN
'ng attention to what was said to him.
All this time Batema was as gay and a.
sreeable as ever, cracking his jokes, and
sometimes pleasantly pointing them at the
su&y AR of his adversary, declaring che saw
no reason why old friends should not shoot
Sch other in good humor, when their honor
4''Dslred that they should resort to such a
:, By the time we had reached the spot and
aie gloand was measured out, the spectators
Nad become SO numerous, that 1t Yves necessa-
~ TO appoint tsSe geaslemen to keep the hines,
as 1t were, and warn the lockers on out of
he range Of the bullets.
hhgobbin, perceived, had, during the ar
rangement, so man9syred, as TO get at ,isat
she which would enable him to stand with
ms back TO the sun. Every thing was now
nearly ready, the pistols loaded, the fiints ex-
ailhed, and the seconds settling apart the
, Gruer of proceeding; when, to my surprise,
we knight took Of his coat and gave it TO his
servant se to hold, then barring bis right arm up
s ~ .le elbow, and stepping few PAGES to the
t fme Oh the pond, Deliberately plunged il into
.,G Gater, and held II there. tst
yiDd food Cod" exclaimed Dt4 .cv. 'swhst q
i've spirit lilat di---'r So
20 1t we ,layed.p
- ielt,. | assure you," replied
.e"r of disaPprobat ON
faD ,Ia, ana uiuI..-~- knight,
Lo,, through the whole party, inU
~ nssef, was not influenced, though he serlp-
ned by the manifestation Of ieehns