The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1850-04-04

but little effort to get the enraSeu cap
tain to do so. The excitement tins
fracas caused, absorbed all the talk and
attention of the people at Jefferson for
that day and nj ght. was sitting IN
my room rather late, that night,
when some one tapped at my door. AT
my invitation, in came the doctor: He
was very pale and nervous, and had
evidently been taking his tea pretty
strong.
"Captain," said he, .Fm going to
shoot that scoundrel Birney, tomorrow
morning, and l want you to be my Sec
ond."
"He has challenged, then, eh doctor !"
says l.
:.He has. and Pm glad of it it gives
me the choice of weapons, and | shall
rid the world Of villain in short no
tice," says the doctor, with energy.
"Well," says l, Doctor, this is lit
tie disagreeable, sort of business |
don't Eke-and if you can get any other
friend to second you, would rather you
should do So"
~Fve no other friend can depend on,
here, captain, says the doctor, - and l
insist on your standing by me. | knoW
YOU. and / have all faith in your cour-
age and Judgment inseeing everything
properly attended top
"Well, you have not yet accepted
the challenge, suppose s'
NO" said the doctor, "but | sat
down Immediately after receiving Biz
ney's, and wrote my acception OF it ;
here it is,-weapons, rifles; place: two
miles down the river; time, 8 o'clock ;
each party to be accompanied by his
second. and another friend, only; now,
| captain, want it delivered Immediate
ly, see Birney's second and fix the pre-
| liminaries. There's Birney's challenge,
read it: he's at Hotel,-go, be
back as soon as possible, and call in at
my ROOM"
| Invent to Birney's lodgings with no
slight degree of hesitation and regret.
Morally and physically. was opposed
to duelling. I had witnessed several.
and had never been impressed with any
other idea of them than that they were
cruel and silly performances for men to
engage in. This was the first time
had ever been an operative in duel
between me and Capt. Birney, but little
love or respect existed. Knowing the
feud between Birney and Carson. and
not knowing who Birney's second was
l scarcely harbored the hope that the
affair could be in any way settled, ex
cept as proposed.
And in this. l was fully confirmed
by finding one of the most notoriou:
bullies and fuffians in the country act
ing as second for Capt Birney. And
this fact, materially augmented m,
danger and uneasiness, and l began t
be heartily sick of the job. However,
conferred with Birney's second, and af
ter some rather warm discussions, il
which the bully tried very hard to in
suit and draw me into a quarrel, tn,
preliminaries were arranged for mex
morning. Rifles, at thirty PAGES, wer,
particularly disagreeable to Blrney an,
his second, but upon which l felt tn,
doctors entire salvation depended.
Doctor Carson was young man o
much skill, and justly popular as ;
physician; his practice had produces
snug little property, and he was OF
the eve of marriage with the pretties,
tidiest girl in the country. These wer
certainly very strong reasons for m,
looking upon this duel with disgust re
gret, and fear, and certainly appreciat
the situation and feelings of the docto
himself. But it was impossible for hin
to live about there and be respected, i
he avoided Birney's challenge. Upo
my return, found the doctor busily en-
gagged in writing; we had but fey
words. He had sent for another friend
and ordered a vehicle to convey u
to the ground in the morning, an
retired, leaving Carson. to arrang
his business, &C., to himself; request
ing him to call me should he want M
before the hour Of starting in the morn
ing. 1t was pleasant weather, in tn
; fall; l threw myselfupon the bed with
: out undressing, and with my mind ful
, of my own affairs, and the still NOR
.. dreadfully situated matters of the doc
tor, fell asleep, sound as a rock.
The Growing Of the cocks awakene
me. arose put on my boots, coat, &c
and lust as was about to open the doc
the doctor confronted me, pale as ashel
while his eyes cleaned like those of
rattle snake
Captain" said he, in slow, solem
, manner, ahere are paper, for the settle
. ment of my affairs, should l fall; yo
,, will place them in your trunk, and
necessary, open the package tonight
!. not before. Gomez
81 / Idisposed of the package, locked m
! doof. and returned with the doctor to hi
! room. He had evidently not sleI
any he handed me his rife, beautifI
J piece, upon which he set great stor.
/. the bullets powder, &C.; We then dranl
the doctor cheered up his friend cam
|, in, and all being ready, We took II
, carriage and started. Reaching th
! ground, 1 was surprised and mortified
. linda large crowd there, Of the Vile
! characters, noisy and brutal. Brine
|. and his friend wsre on the spot ~
would not listen 10 any proposition
{ r. v.lnSsn, IN m