Tri-weekly journal., 1847-09-30

several duels, and at the latter place they were
of such frequent occurrence, that it was usual
to say ON saluting an acquaintance in the NOR
ning-'Well, who is the victim to-day-was
the Englishman killed, or did the American
take the bulletP
In the case now referred to, six or seven En-
glsh Lieutenants had studied, for the week
that my friend had been in Gibralter, how to
get him into quarrel. They settled on the
plan at last, and lost no time in putting it in
to execution.
Lieut.. -- was sitting in the public
room of the coffee house, quietly drinking his
wine and reading a newspaper. One of the
English officers, who was reckoned an excell-
ent shot, commenced walking up and down the
room, passing and repassing the American
Lieutenant, upon whose toes he at length trod.
Lieut.. -- looked up; the Englishman
bowed and beg your pardon, sir, an accident
Lieut.. -- bowed, and went on his with
his paper. The Englishman again passed,
again trod on the Americans toes, and again
apologized, beg your pardon, sir, an accident
Lieut.. --- bowed and resumed his paper.
The Englishman allowed five minutes to pass,
and then for the third time committed the Of
fence, repeating with a hooking smile the ap-
ologetic words, beg your pardon, sir. an acct
dent
Lieut.. --- calmly laid aside his paper,
arose, and taking the Englishman by the ears,
deliberately discharged a considerable quanti-
ty of tobacco juice, with respectfully sized
quid, full into his face, saying with jeering
laugh, Il beg your pardon, sir, an accident
This settled the business, or rather put it in
Che train of settlement. The Englishman chal-
lenged the American on the spot; he accepted,
claiming all the rights of the challenged party
choice OF weapons, time, and place. This
was of course conceded, and Lieut.. --
g named pistols the weapons--that room the
= place, and the time-the moment he could
/ find countryman to act as his second On
4 this Grand, he encountered me at the door, and
returned after an absence of exactly seven min
utes. The Englishmen had, however, become
accustomed TO Yankee punctuality in little
f matters of this kind; and expressed no surprise
= at the suddenness of his temperance. ~
I, 1t was arranged that the parties should sit at
, the opposite ends of table about twenty feet
d long; which was in the centre of the ROOM
S was to give the signal-'are you ready? Fire
u l-one-two-three'- parties TO fire be-
4, tween the count; their pistols 10 remain on
:. the table until the call--'Are you readyp
glanced at my principal as | was about To
give the signal, and was struck with the ca
preston of his countenance. His lips were
. ''rgHtry compressed; his brow was shut down
y ut may use the term) over his ewes. which
,f were fixed like those of MN in fit.
y Are you readyr exclaimed.
Is The parties took up their pistols.
'Fire-one-two'
= There was single explosion. The English
|, man sprung from his chair and fell heavily on
the floor, his pistol going off as he came to the
ground. The ball from the pistol of my friend
! had entered his antagonists eye and lodged in
his brain' instantly depriving him of life
'Gentlemen,' said the survivor, addressing
. the English officers with calmness that ap-
: peared unnatural and neutrality-suspicious.
you and not myself must answer for that mans
death. 1t was you who set him on-you have
followed me for a whole week with insults.
which was at last compelled to notice Are
. you satisfied, gentlemen, or would you like to
', avenge the death you have caused? and as hs
- uttered these last words. he surveyed the group
: of Englishmen with an expression Of counter
ance SO contemptuous, that was, as indeed he
designed it TO be, an insult to each and every
one of the persons addressed, one of whom i'm
d mediately took it up and challenged the insul-
: ter.
1t was in vain that protested and appealed
q to my friend and his antagonist to put stop
Il to this wholesale murder. Lieut.. -
said to me quietly-'Captain, if you do not
: wish to act as my second, oblige me by leaving
: i can get along without assistance
It The pistols were again loaded; the second
Englishman took the seat in which the first
- had been killed and again stood up and gave
the signal
>" Are you dy?-Fire-one-tico'
The explosion followed the utterance of the
i word tlvo, and the Englishman was dead-shot
in the same place.
IL II