Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1845-11-13


you forever sacrifice my happiness by CIV
ing your heart to one who is altogether I'M
worthy of your love? Oh, Julia! can you
violate that VOW which is registered IN hea-
ven by an angels holy hand?'
She gazed for moment upon him with
sorrowful countenance, then melted into
passionate flood of tears, and hastily fled
from the apartment.
Henry FreeIand recovered-and as he
stood one day gazing upon the exquisite
form Of Julia, he exclaimed mentally, 'She
shall be mine, or Pll perish in the attempt
- Scarcely had the words died upon his
| lips, ere a servant entered and handed a
letter to the unsuspecting merchant. Sup
posing it to be business letter, he leisure
ly opened it, when to his utter astonlsh-
ment and dismay he read the following:
SIR The die is cast, and the prize of
beauty is mine. Think not triumph when
assure you that it is useless for you to
attempt to reverse the DEGREES of fate. The
charming, the beautiful Julia SummerVllIe
in three days will be mine.
Yours, sc. ALBERT MAITLAND
The merchant walked his contingencies
floor in an agony of despair for few mo-
ments, then turning to his desk, he wrote
the following answer and challenge to NOR
tai combat:
SIR: Your unfeeling and insolent Ian
guage merits, and is met, by the most sove-
reign contempt. |, therefore, challenge you
to meet me at the time and place, and with
the weapon of death, which it falls to your
province to choose. ~
Your rival, HENRY IRELAND
This note was read over and over again,
then sealed and delivered into the hands of
his friend, George Newman, to whom he
communicated its contents.
will you,' said George, 'be so rash as
to meet man who is dead shot, and who
has made the art of duelling the study of
his life? Certain death awaits the man that
stands before him.
q care not returned the enraged mer-
chant; 'am tamely to bear the cold insults
of villain, who has basely snatched from
my arms the object most loved on earth,
and blasted my happiness forever? No,
there are wrongs which are beyond human
endurance, and there are pangs shat would
sooner perish than endure
BE it SO, then,' returned George, q will
deliver the message, and may no mischief
grow out Of the impropriety.'
The very morning Of the day on which
the marriage of Albert Maitland and Julia
SummervlIe was to take place, was fixed
for the hostile meeting of the two enragcd
rivals All the preceding night Henry Free
land walked the. floor, philosophizing on the
power of that passion, which the charms Of
woman implauts in the heart of man. The
persuasive eloquence of woman, said he to
! himself, was the cause of the fall Of all man
kind, and the charms of the beautiful Helen
of Greece caused Troy to fall, and the proud
palaces of Priam, with the lofty towers OF
IIan, to lie level with the dust. And now,
soliIoquized he, shall soon, perhaps be a
victim of the love of woman.
While he was thus musing, the day dawn
ed, and the sun never rose upon loVeller
June morning, perhaps to rise no more to
him, but to GO down upon his grave. The
reflection was sad one, and brought tears
into his eyes, as he thought of the happy
moments he had spent in the presence of
the fair, but Eaithless Julia; yet his was not
a mind to finch from its purpose, or to be
melted by sympathetic feelings.
Henry Freeland attired himself as usual;
partook of light breakfast; and, after max
ing his will, prepared to meet his antagonist.
The party arrived at the celebrated duelling
ground at Bladensburg about eleven o'clock;
and, after the usual preliminaries, the ground
was measured off: The pistol was the wea-
pom chosen, and six PAGES the distance
Attempts were made by the seconds to bring
matters to an amicable conclusion, but they
proved futile, and it was at length agreed,
as both parties were uncompromising, that
the dispute should be decided by the duello.
Lots were cast for the privilege of the first
fire, and won by Henry, who raised his pis-
tol and fired, but missed. 1t was now the
right of Albert Maitland to advance half way
and take deliberate aim, for such was the
agreement made by the seconds. Certain
death now seemed to be the fate Of the mer-
chant. but to the establishment of all, he fired
and missed Another attempt at reconcile
alton was made, but the terms were hum-
liating and displeasing to both, and after
much alteration, it was agreed that the
antagonists should have another fire. The
face of Maitland had become as pale as
death; trembling seized him; and as the
word was given to fire, the pistol fell from