The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1836-06-08
THE DUEL.

cool, caiculdting, tAuiuuS nihi"S ,
not in madness, not in despair, when the
heart tossed OH a surge of passion, strikes,
and repents next moment, but the coolly
looking at the spot where the heart lies; the
putting the dagger there calculatlngly and
then, instead of pressing it home fiercely,
tbrusting it into the warm flesh, inch by
inch. rill the hot blood spurts over the fin
gers, and clots on the garments-this, what
js this ? Oh ! call il not murder-murder is
a thing of earth-earthly passions do it,
But this-go to the pit where the damned
shrek, and howl-select the most fiendish,
scheme of the prince of fends-then, and
then only, shall you have parallel. IL
was once my lot, to be secondary actor,
in a case Of honorable butchery;' and one
50 black in itself, heart.rendcring in conse-
quences. that il is Craven into my brain as
with stamp of fire. God of Heaven! when
l think of it, even at this distance Of time
when see my friend stiff, ghastly, and
stretched OH the wet sands-when / hear
the groans, which l heard there-when
see innocence, beauty, confidlng affection,
hanging over the yet warm corpse, and
pouring forth tears, as if crushed from the
bottom of heart loaded with the agony of
ages-and then see the same creature the
inmate of mad-house, and hear the moans
and rawlings for the dead ohject-and with
the peculiar characteristic of such insanity,
accusing the loved one of coldness, ngrati-
tude, unfaithfulness, and the Iike,-l say
agan, ages could not wipe out the recollec-
ton.
You are aware, that in the southern states,
especially in the extreme south, men are
guided more by their passions than at the
NORTH that there, duellng is little cared
for,-that courageous is he who has shot
his man,-that those only are towards, who
pale at blood, human blood, blood shed by
their own hands.-In no part of the south is
this custom more prevalent, tllan at Nathez,
on the Mississippi. New Orleans will not
compare with ii, or would not in the year
1886, The period of my story, and when |
was n resident of that place. New Orleans,
bad rs tits, possessing greater means OF indul-
gencc, with its wealth To support theatres,
gambling houses, assemblage of ofinhabiants,
Spanish, French, English and Americans
malgamated, with all these, it is not so
bad as Nathez and for this reason--ihat
there are those, and in great numbers there,
belonging to the nothern and better regula-
ted states, from whom, an imperceptibe,
indeed, yet nevertheless great influence is
sent into that community, and the people
with more wickedness perhaps, have more
conscience than any other Of the extreme
southern cities,
Natchez, it will be remembered, is on the
eastern side of the Mississippi, and on one
of the bends of that magnificent river, with
drawn little from its banks, and sloping
handsomely down to its flowing waters.
Above and below the immediate town, are
many eligible and pleasant sites for country
seos, should that part of the country ever
possess wealth and taste enough to think of
building them, But at the period of my
story. there was nothing fthe kind.-Dark
pine groves, and impenetrable thickcts of
beech aud sycamore with their lofty bran
ches intertwlned i'm many wild convulu-
ton; made high and thick canopy for the
wearied traveller; while the beautiful flow
ers of the region, among which was the
splendid magnolia, gave the forest the fresh
ness and fragrance of n lady's flower gar
den. From morn till night, the woods were
alive with music, and over all, was that
sweet harmonist of nature, the American
mocking bird, with its rising, and falling,
evervarying modulations-now screaming
like the startled vulture of the clifis-and |
now sinking away with witching alterna-
ton of SOFT plaintivc, heart-moying min
strelsy. sufficient, it would seem, to charm .
rocks and forest trees. He who built
Thebes, would have thrown away his in
strument in dispair, could he heard but one
note of this wildwood melodist.
l said there were no country seats there.
/ mistake. There was one bright spot,
about twelve miles from Natchez, which
though it had small pretensions to tho sur
passing beauty of some of the fine super
structures oil these northern rivers never
theless, for that day and place, it was cer-
tainly, an elegant and hospitable mansion.
That it was hospitable, many man, yet
living, can testify-ior many were the tray
ellers, visiting in that region, who spent
days there, and enjoyed the rich hospitality
and urbane attentions of its warm-souled,
accomplished proprietor. This man,
Charles Glenning, was certainly as gentle
manly person rs ever knew. He was
at the north-had spent his early
days tkere-but for the sake of business, to
which he betook him on leaving College he
went to the south, carrying with him as
bright bud of feminine loveincss, as ever
God suffered to bloom in this uncongenial
ugly world. l cannot paint her--there's
no telling how beautiful she was. 1t wasn't
beauty of feature neither was it beauty of
yet, it was beauty of high and
ardent cast, which made you feel you were !
h. e,.ir,t tI,n