Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1845-09-18

uagge 1t nigh lead me TO the ID. When
therefore met him next morning, l told
him with that sort of stoiclsm,
Which be it wisdom, GOODNESS or deep
pride,
Is gall and NORWOOD to an enemy,
that had considered the subject, and that
still adhered to the plan had named to
him. lie had obviously anticipated my
answer, for he Immediately upon my in
forming him of my determination, put
into my hand money sufficient TO pay my
expenses to New Orleans, and draft upon
the Louisiana Banks for three hundred dol
lars. thanked him and went to my room
to assist my mother in packing my things,
She nsed every argument and persuasion
to induce me after having visited the
north, to return and study Law as my
Father wished. partly promised her l
would. had barely packed my things,
before the stage drove up. | babe my
friends, with the exception of my Father
who was on his plantation at the time, a
hastv adieu and was soon out Of sight Of
my native place. The third day Of my
Journey arrived at New Orleans.
found in that city several Of my COL
lege classmates. To celebrate the occa
sion Of our meeting so unexpectecIywe went
TO coffee-h house and had what is technl-
cally termed bust We met there sew
eral young men, one fwhom upon some
suppose afiront gave me slap in The lace,
and then handed me his address. This
you know according TO the duel's admit
ted OF no other mode Of settlement, but
that of single combat. Telling him that
he should hear from me in the morning,
together with my friends | left the House.
Accordingly in the morning, | despatch
ed challenge to the young gentleman who
had so grossly insulted me, TWAS accep-
ted. The terms-plstols at ten PAGES
hour Of meeting 5 o'clock in the evening
Of the same day. ! spent the inlermedi-
ate time in preparing letters to my friends
which in the event of my being killed,
would give some notice Of my death, AT
the hour of meeting, went upon the
ground with my friends. The other party
with his friends had already arrived The
distance was measured and we took our
station. At the first fire, both balls took
effect received q slight flesh wound,
while my adversary was more seriously in
jured-my ball having passed through his
shoulder This affair fastened my depart
ure from New Orleans, for on the follow
ing mornng it was rumored that the wound
my adversary had received was likely to
prove mortal. Though ! knew that in
case of his death no legal proceedings
would be instituted against me, still ]
wished TO flee fiom the scene where | had
been the instrument of the death of a fell
low-being. went to the levee and en-
gagged my passage to Pittsburgh. Just as
the boat was pushing off from the landing,
] was told that the young man was better
and doubtless would recover. | learned
subsequently that he did, So my hands
are not stained with human blood
The exciting scenes in which | had been
engaged after they had passed away, left
me in state of pitable melancholy. But
the trip up the river, the broad savanas
that stretched ou: on either shore as far as
the eye could reach, the magnificent resi-
dences Of their owners, the neat white cab
ms Of their negroes, the groves of Orange
trees, in fact everything that met my eye
tended to divert my feelings from the mel
ancholy current in which they had began
to run. fel, a buoyancy of spirit during
my journey up the Mississippi, which no
other trip ever had the power to bestow.-
Many say there is sameness in the scene
~ upon this river that soon destroys the
zest, with which we first gaze upon it,
Blu, it was not so with me. never tire of
the beautiful Let others desire ar occa-
sonal view of rocks and mountains, but
prefer gazing continually upon the beauties
of the plain. In ten days from leaving N |
Orleans. arrived in Philadelphia. My
purse had suffered considerable dimuni-
ton by the short time spent in New Or.
leans. But thinking that my poetry when
published would meet with a ready sale,
that circumstance did not induce me to
change my spendthrift habits. I hired
room in retired part of the city and be.
gan my labor of book-making. But was
in too unsettled state of mind to be able
TO write. | threw aside my goose-quil in
disgust. And for about month | spent