Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1849-12-08

square, presented cooked pistol a. his heart
with one hard. ard bclabored him Immediately
with eowhide which be grasPed in the other.
Resistance at the moment was altogether oot OF
the question, for the slightest motion would have
been the signal for immediate death. He though;
Of Emma and her sweet babe, and bore the cas-.
LEGATION IN silence.
A6er this, clients deserted his Office, and gea-
tlemen refused to recognize him or return bis sa-
lu'e in the thoroughiare Of business, or during
his morning strOlls over the hills. Had bis
touch been contagion, or his breath pesti,ence,
he could not have been more carefully Stunned.
Another week passed, and the degraded law
yer was in a state Of mind bordering on insanity;
and yet all the while he concealed the mental tor.
ture from his atfectionaie wife. One evening, IN
more than common bitter and gloomy mood,
as he walked through the public square, he was
again accosted by Mike johnson with his cock,
ed pistol in one hand and upted cowhide in the
other. The assault was the more aggrayatlng.
as the place was ,hronged with spectators.
Coward and william |" exclaimed johnson,
"did not tell you that would cowhide you ev>
cry week, until whipped the courage OF man
and gentleman into your Yankee hide 2"
II am moi coward" retoried Thomas, in
hollow tone, so unealthly fierce and wild that il
caused every nearer 10 start Atthe instant, his
lips were yd, and cenched between his teeth
till the blood ran. His eyes were red as mad
dogs and the muscles Of his face quivered but
his body and limbs seemed to have the rigidity
OF marble.
ale will fight now" rung in an eager whis-
per through the excited crowd, as they saw the
terrible tokens of the fend aroused--the fend
which turks ut different depths, in all human ma.
ture.
"If you are not coward, why will you not
fight p asked the duellst, somewhat struck, IN
spite of his thorough desperation, hardened IN
the hot gore Of dozen murders.
81 will fight, you wish it, was the loud lin
gng answer
"Ihen you accept my challenge
81 do. Will any one present be so good as
to act as my second r inquired the lawyer ad-
dressing the SPECTATORS.
For minute or two no one spoke, so great
was the dread of the arch duellist Mike john
son.
Evil no ono in such mass Of generous men
be my second :" repeated the lawyer, in loud
er tone.
81 will, said shrill, tumpetliko voice, on
the outskirts of the crowd. and tall, command.
ing form, with bravery written on his brow, and
the eagles eye beneath il, made bis way to the
centre of the scene contention, and stood close
fronting Johnson, with smiling glance, before
which the latter, for an instant, quailed.
The question "who is he who is he p cir
culatcd among the lockers on. Bot no one
could answer; no one had ever seen him be-
fore, aud Jet everybody would have then sworn
to his courage, so bold yet tranquil was his bear
ing.
who ave you2' inquired the duellst, recoy.
ering bis presence Of mind,
"a stranger from Texas"
"But who will vouch for your responsibility 7"
81 can give you vouchers sufficient" replied
the stranger, fiowniDg till his brows looked
lrightful and then STOPPING forwards, he wills,
pered something IN Johnsons ear, audible flone
to him
Il am satisfied" said the duellist aloud, and
trembling perceptibly. "Col. Morton, will you
serve as my friend p
The individual last addressed gave his assent.
"Now, Let US adjourn to some private room TO
arrange the preiminaries," remarked the stran-
ger and the principals and seconds left the
crowd, then increasing every minute, and excl
led nearly 10 madness by the thick crowdng e.
vents of the hour.
The meeting took place the following night, in
a dark room, with the door locked, and the two
seconds on the outside. The principals wele
placed in opposite corners of the apartment
which was twenty feet square, and each was
armed with large bowie knile--nothng more.
1t was midnight--a night without moon or stars.
Black pitchy clouds enveloped the sky, and a
slight sitting mist rendered the shadows &c the
earth more intense. Hence the room where
the duel was aboutio begin was wrapped in ray
less darkness. The combatants could not even
see the blades Of their own knives.
AT first, they both stopped and stealtby united
and took off their shoes, so as to make the least
possible noise in walking over the floor The
same thought had struck them at the same time
Ito manGuvre for the underground.
homas moved in a circle, softly as cat, a
round the apartment, till be got within few feet
of the corner where his enemy had first been
placed, and then paused TO listen. For four or
five seconds he could hear nothing in the grave
like silence bu' the quick beats Of his own busy
heart. Presently. however, there crept into his
ear scarce audible soundas ofsurpressed breath.
ing, in The corner Of the room which he had pre-
vously left; and then be knew that bis fee was
trying the same stratagem. The ruse was re-
peatd thrice. with like result. At length
Thomas concluded TO stand perfectly still and a.
wait Johnson's approach. MolionIcss now him.
sell, and all ear, soon be could distinguish soft
rustling noise, like the dropping Of fakes OF wool,
circling around the floor, and gradually advancing
towards him.
At last, when the sound appeared within about
three feet Of the lawyers position, he suddenly
made bounding olunge with his knife, aimed in
the dark air, where he supposed the bosom of his
Zoe to be. His blade struck against that Of the
other, and few sparks Of fire rolled al the fierce
collision, and fell expiring on the floor.
And then for an instant, the seconos without
the door heard sharp ringing OF stee La groan,a
fall. and all again was silent as the tomhi--