Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-08-25

|
the pistol. The challenge was Immediately
accepted, and Dick Barsiow, Esq, named
as the challenged party's second, with
whom Bill arranged the meeting for the
next morning. In the interim Bill took
every precaution to ensure the presence of
his principa He invited him to practice
up stairs in his ssconcern," and when he
perpetrated bad shot, Bill would, by way
of steadying his nerves, inform him that
"Li li-little Miller is an aw-aw-awful close
shot !"
Bright and eaily next morning, Mr.. Hop
per and his principal started down to a
neck of woods about two miles below the
town, and to keep his hand steady
the Hon. w. had taken the precaution
to bring along a capacious flask Of the same
kind invigorating liquid contained in the
dark bottle under bis seconds counter.-
Before they reached the ground, the good
liquor the antagonists skill, and the cold
ness of the atmosphere combined, made
him look, through the grey of the morning,
a very blue spectacle. When they arrived
at ''Snake Bottom," they found young Mil
Ter and his second, Richard Barstow, Esq,
awaiting their approach. The Hon. W.
bowed TO them, and it was with great eff
fort he regained his perpendicular. To
keep the position when he did regain it,
he very properly leaned up against sap
! ing. The distance was duly measured,
the seconds tossed up for places, and Bar
stow and Hopper, after a whispered inter-
change of suggestions in regard to the sig
/ nal. Wiaked themselves into proper un-
derStanding of how it was to be done, and
proceeded 10 load the weapons. This pre-
limnary having been duly performed, they
placed their principals in position, and
yielded up 10 their keeping the deadly meg
| sengers. H. .. CD st.
When BarStow commenced with "one,"
of went both pistols, and down went the
/ Hon. Wilton Young Miller having taken
one glance at his PROSTATE form, the next
instant turned his back upon the party, and
to use western saying, "struck bee line
for fall timber!"
The affair took wing, and in an incredi-
| bly, short time it was known in every cabin
in the settlement. OF course, the widow
! heard it, and five minutes after the body
arrived IN town, she was rushing along in
that ''iamly'' carriage, which had black
Bob for its ornamental driver, in search Of
Dr. Vinos, Grabbed old practitioner. DR..
Y. was one Of those medical martyrs, who
in their zeal to protect the profession from
| innovation, not only s,arve themselves, but
/ kill their patients. He had stuck to the
regulars until bis devotion had stuck him
into the bog Of poverty, and forced him to
become "regular" emigrant, and for the
previous ten years he had, regular as the
! spring came. moved his store of science and
gallipots, until at length he had reached
the outskirts of civilization. He was as
proud and as obstinate as ever, and this
quality in his composition had recommend
| ed him to the widow-she was one Of those
who believed there was seldom much smoke
without fire, and by the same rule, that
where there was much pretension there
must be some skill.
SIS he badly shot, Doctor!" exclaimed
the widow, arrived with the Doctor, sis
the unhappy stranger deads Speak do
relieve us from this erpense." .... '
"Well, he is badly shot, Madam,'' an
swered the Doctor, after an examination,
and looking keenly into her eye, as if he
wished to read whether there was any mis-
| chief in her soul. -t. .
Sand tctqr is he shot :" enquired she,
with such unaffected distress that the doc
tors angry brow cleared, and he really smi-
( led as he answered:
':He IS shot in the neck Madam"
''Then death is in his juggling veinl"
screamed Widow Waggles She was about
to go off into Mysteries, when the doctor
rather surlily remarked,
"No danger of his dying, Madam, the
only pistol that has wounded him, has been
pocket pistol charged with brandy-the
brute is drunk, madam" ......
The "murder was out;" and burst of
laughter followed which nearly shook the
building. The widow retired worse than
ever shocked at this last practical joke OF
VIM. Hopper, T. e-eSq'S., and every other
anxious member of the anxious crowd in
the hotel, and said "they knew ii was all a
trick Of BHPs."
When convinced that he had not shot
the Hon. W., little Isaac almost she'd tears
of Joy, and when Emily Smelling, set her
eyes on him, she was so glad 10 get him
back alive, that she sobbed and bo-hoo'd
right out. y
The next morning the Hon. IVaton
awoke perfectly sober, and very mucn
ashamed of himself for wasting so much
valuable time, in indulging in the .rivoli-
ties of fashion. He opened his large trunk,
and was soon busy as a bee, posting bills
around the town, giving notice OF the
hourly expected arrival, and consequent
concert of a band Of Sable Hrrmonists.--
The distinguished stranger was neither
more nor less than their director, advertiser,
bill poster . Sc. Ua ~ q
The widow made black Bob take off his
livery, and ever after refused to second
"frst family" distinctions Indeed, it be-
came dangerous to talk in her presence
about distinguished strangers" enl
Widow Waggles, we mourn to record,
has since been gathered to her final rest,
and the innkeeper's wife, now the head Of