Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-07-04

| leats oil this nature proved himself worthy The
| name OF a first rate shot. His amour propre
was reused by the presence of Jack whom
the attendant, in presenting him with the pis-
tol, had quietly said was almost as good a
shot as himself; but at each shot, instead of
receiving from Jack the tribute of praise
which he deserved, he heard Jack, i'm reply To
the ordinations of establishment which pro-
ceeded from all the gallery, say, No doubt,
tha' Is very great shot, but the result woul,!
he very different. I've notion, if he had "A
live man for his buu.' This incessan, call
ing IN question of his powers as duellst. for
Jack had repeated his observation three times,
at first astonished the Hireur,' and ended by
annoying him; and, at length, turning round
10 Jack, and looking at him with an air halt
testing and half threatening, Forgive me. MIR.
Englisllman, but it appears to me ,ha, three
times you have made an observation t;spar-
aging to my courage. will you be kind enough
To give 1ie some explanation of the meaning
oil your words p
'hly Words answered our friend, do not,
n think, require auy explanation they are
plain enough in my opinion
perhaps then sir, you will be good enough
to repeat them, in order that | may Judge the
meaning which they will bear, and The object
with which they have been spokeni' was the
reply of the Frencllman.
u said, answered Jack, with the most perfect
sang .froid, 'when | saw you hit the BULBS
eye at each shot. that neither your hand nor
your eye would be SO steady, if your pistol
were pointed against the breast of a man in
the place of u wooden partition'
'And why, may ask ?
because, answered Jack, it seems to me
that at the moment Of pulling the trigger and
firing at a man, the mind would be seized with
a kind Of emotion likely to unsteady The hand
and consequently, the aim.'
you have tough, many duels p asked the
Frcnchman.
'Not one said Jack.
'Ah!. rejoined the other, with slight sheer.
'then am not surprised iha, you suppose the
possibility of man being afraid under such
circumstances
'Forgive me- said Jack, 'you misunderstood
me, lancy that al the moment when one man
is about to Kill another, he may tremble from
some other emotion than that of iear.'
Sir! nsUer trembe,' said the shot.
Possibly replied Jack, with the same COM
posture; 'slll am not at all convinced, that
at twenty five PAGES, that is, at The distance al
which you hi' the bulls eye each tlme-
wei! at twenty-five PAGES p interrupted
The other.
You would miss your man. was the cool
reply.
Sir, assure you should not answered
the Frenchman.
'Forgive me il doubt your word,' said Jack
Il GU mean, then, to give me The lie ?
u merely assert the fact,' replied our friend
"A Fact. however, which think Won would
scarcely like to establIsh,' said The .fireur.'
why not 2 said Jack, looking steadily at
his antagonist.
BY proxy, perhapsi'
by proxy, or in my own person; care
not which, said Jack
y warn you, you would be somewhat RASH
mot at ALL said Jack, for merely say
what think and, consequently, my conyic-
lion is that should risk but lil,e.'
Let lis understand each other,' said the
Frenchman; you repeat To me a second time,
that at twenty-five PAGES | should miss my
man.
" on are mistaken, MONSIEUR said Jack: iii
appears To me that this is the fifth time tina, |
have said it,
'Parbleu.' said the Frenchman, now tho
roughly eXaspe:ated, sthis is TOO much YOU
want Ia insult me-
'Ihink as you like, monsieur,' said Jack.
Good? said the other. your honor, sro
'Nhy NOT now q said Jack.
the place. said the other
| we are but five steps from the Bots de Bou
logne,' replied Jack.
| Your arms, sir =
'lhe pistol, OF course was Jacks answer,
we are not about To fig hi duel but 10 decide
point upon which, we are at ISSUE
The two young men entered their cabrloIets
each accompanied bv a friend, and drove TO-
wards the Bots de Boulogne Arrived al the
appointed place, the seconds wished TO ar
range the matter. This, however. was very
d'fhcnli; Jacks adversary required an apollo
gy, whilst Jack maintained that he ou ed him
none, unless he himself was either killed or
wounded; for unless tins happened he iJack)
would not have been proved wrong. The
seconds spent quarter of All hour i'm the al
tempt To elect a reconciliation, but i'm vain
They then wished To place the antagonists nj
thirty PAGES from each other; to this jack
would not consent, observing that the pou,
III question could not be correctly decided. if
any difference were made between the distance
now to be fixed, and the distance (which
! his antagonist had hii the BULBS eve in the
gallery. IL was then proposed that louis
should be thrown up IN order to decide who
was TO shoot first; this Jack declared was TO-
tally unnecessary, that the righ; To the frs,
shot naturally belonged to his adversary; and
although the trencman was anxious that
Jack should take advantage Of this one chance.
he was firm, and carried his point. The
'garcon,' Of the shooting gallery had followed.
and was ready To- charge The pistols. which he
dio WIN TIE same measure, the same kind of