The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-02-22
&c, WILL BE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED

! and the grave. 'Oh these duels,' thought
he, are horrible things In the first place
one is tortured To death with the most fright
ful presentmeuts his watch stops, and the
candle goes out secondly, you mus, be
shot TO death with ugly bullets and have
surgeons sticking their abominable lancets
in your tsnderest parts; and thirdly, you
must go to that undiscovered country, just
when you do not wish to go, and in a man
ner not at all propitious to happy recep-
ton when you get there As these
thoughts crowded his mind, Landsmore
had great notion TO run away; but where
to hide his shame and his grief, was more
than his confused bit of BRAN could deter
mine. ...
The morning arrived, aud so did Lands
nore's second, who told him, with great
nonchalance, that the hour was come.
Will would have suffered the amputation of
his much-loved leg, If that would have sat
isiied his friend. He pleaded sickness, and
told his second that he was too i'll, and he
feared the fog would give him the ague.
He was assured that in all probability shot
or two would cure him of the ague, with a
slight innuendo about the anti-aguish
warmth of certain lower regions. His friend
at length forced him to the gig, and drove
off rapidly.
! lis Jenkins much of shot = asked
Landsmore, while his teeth cbatered like
the window of a stage-conch.
'Tolerably good, Sir said the second,
lightly. lie is n dead shot five ou: of six
times, at a target on a barn door
nd
! of proceeding. Ii is unchrisuan and bar
barous,' said Landsmore.
Curse your scruples here, take u
dram, my dear fellow. and silence them,'
said the cold-blooded second, laughing, and
extending pocket-ilask.
Landsmore emptied the contents, as they
came in sight of the fatal ground. Jenkins
and second were there, laughing, as if the
affair was the merest sport in the world
The ground, ten PAGES, wis measured off,
aad the pistols presented to the antagonists.
'Mr. Jenkins said Landsmorc, ac-
knowledge -
mo quarters to trcachery y interrupted
Jenkins. Come, take it like n man, Sir
Landsmore was coniounded; ; all hope
passed from him; the word fire ! was CIV
en-, and he pulled the trigger. He raised
bis head the mnzzle of his antagonists
weapon was looking murder in his eye.
He hinched-who could help it 7 Again he
looked; the frightful pistol was still pointed
at him. Jenkins stepped toward him, and
told him to ruE, or die. Forgctfnl OF his
honor, 'Landsmore o5eyed the instinct OF
self preservation, and started. Jenkins fol-
lowed, and discharged his pistol in the i'm
mediate vicinity Landsmore's ear. Ofwcnt
his hat, and down went his body. There
was one shuddcr of fearfully wild feeling,
and his senses were sealed in forgetfulss-
but not exactly IN death.
Landsmore soon revived, smelt rat, and
felt the full efficacy Of the joke TO which he
had been the victim. lie left the field Of
honor, covered with dirt aud shame, instead
Of immortal glory.
The affair was told with considerable EN-
bellishment about town. The lady was
blamed, Jenkins was applauded, and Lands
more was laughed at, most unmercnfully.
To add to his misfortune, the lady would
have nothing to do with one at whom the
boys in the street poked their fun. Poor
fellow lie was ostracised by public opn-
ion, and left the place in disgust, wishing
that his right arm had been perforated, for
then he would not have been the victim OF
duel, IN which nothing but powder aud
smoke were used. I'D.
Mr.. jenkins forthwith became very pop
ular: he was smiled on by the ladies, who,
in consideration of his gallantry, did not
laugh at him, though his hair was as risky,
and as far from being black, as a squirrels
tail. ... D.