The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-10-28
& oRIANs MORNING, OCTOBER 1851.

an act A hundred watches are not worth The in-
more about il. Il has no special value above its
price, and care nothing about that" Il
: But General" said the Colonel, ths watch
is in the room. One Of % muos have il" locking
sternly at the young Ensign, and the rascal must
be driven from the station. We cannot have
pick.poeket among u.s. and We cannot consent to
leave il moment in doubt who the wretch really
IT, There il NO fear that the shame will fa in any
unexpected plsce. We must finish the fellow now
and be done with him."
The Ensign sat steady, motionless, but pale ~
was the more snxous to prevent the search on this
account; but he was overcome, and submitted. A
few minutes suliiced for the examination Of every
ono present till it came to the Ensign, who was
left purposely to the last"
"New, young man." said the Colonel, turning
and advancing toward him, "now, sir, il is your
turn his face looking perfectly savage with scorn
and hate. The watch, sir, without word or
moments delay"
But terrific change had passed over the long
with scream 80 wild, 90 fierce, 90 full Of agony,
that every heart stood still moment with surprise.
In that moment he had planted himself against |
the wall, drawn sword, and taken the attitude Of /
defence.
Come you to search me, sir, a. you would |
suspeoted thief? On your life, warn you not to
offer me that indignity. My dead body you may |
search, but not my living one. Approach now, i |
you dare. I defy the whole Of you a. one man."
Instantly the Colonel crossed swords with him
in furious combat.
"Hod! peace arrest them !! Z" cried the General,
and sprang forward himself to prevent the afray.
At the first step, the watch rolled on the floor He
had missed his fob, and the watch fell from its
concealment in the violence Of his movements.
The company was electrified. The conduct Of the
L1aI 1~d hsar xoA Aaafp
tion risked his reputation, and psred his life, ON
point Of honor too nice for his superiors to feel
and he had insulted and de6ed them all st one
BREATH and there he stood both justified and victo-
rious before them
1t was TOO much to bear, for they were too much
excited to understand it. Their determination
was taken, and the company dispersed with reso.
lutions eet and purposes indexible. The General
seized the opportunity to apologize to the EnsiGn
for the unhappy mistake which led TO the quarrel,
and requested him to call upon him that evening
| at a late hour.
| Our hero was scarcely in his own room ill the
| Colonel's challenge was presented 10 him. With.
i out a moments delay. be answered the second
who brought it: will not accept this challenge
to mortal combat. l am opposed 70 the duel in
principle, and l will not be driven from my sense
Of duty. You all know what have already en-
| dured rather than revenge or defend myself by
taking life. think you have done your worst,
and if not, am prepared for it. l am my own
master, and will not allow any man to dictate my
opinions as matter of right, or compel me to con-
duct which my heart and head condemn"
Sit." replied the second, "you have seen fit
to include me among the men who despise you,
and you are right in that opinion. Lss me tell
, you that cowardice and deceit, covered with
preaching and canting will not project you. You
have grossly insulted every gentleman in the gar
l risOn, to whom you were Odious enough befUre,
I | and you must either give them the satisfaction
I | which the code Of honor approves, or you must
r leave the army. Be assured of that"
i When he met the General that night, and in
formed him Of the challenge, and his refusai the
Is earnestly, il not doubtfully.
My dear young friend" said he, g. am afraid
d it won't do. These will not be Satisfied viii
n argument and it is plain that you are not tn,
u man to make an apology while convinced that yo'
e are right nor do believe that they would accep
., any thing short of your resignation. You hav
y somehow got the ll-wil of the whole corps, an
% tonight you affronted them mortaIly. am sur
ID you cannot know how sharply your conduct an
it language touched them, and your triumph onl
ie aggravated the offence And now, your refusal t
accept the Colonels challenge is, under the mos
favorable construction, attack upon the code
| which military men govern themselves toward eac
. q other. see no escape. Fight you must, or yor
> challenger will heap upon you such personal inde
~ mites as will make your life intolerable, or driv
= you into violence which will amount to the sam
Is thing as accepting his challenge. saw that
- your eye to-day wh ch convinces me that you al
~ ~ as brave as Julius Cesar. Yes, saw somethin
" there braver than mere physical courage, and fe
y its superiority; but you can not convert the wor
u and reform the army soon enough ro answer yot
"a own ends and you must submit to it's rules or
u driven from it in disgrace honor your primo
or Piles, for understand them, but you can not mali
m | tain them" -
- Our heros reflections that night must be left
imagination. The difficulties which surrounds
as him can be known only to those who have bet
Az tempted and tried to the utmost, with the wor
ry and their own necessities against them.
Id In the next morning he accepted the challeng
q. Having the right to choose the weapons,
Il. named the small sword. When the Colonel hea
of this, with touch of feeling which all his btterne
ITO could not quite extinguish, he said Does Il
moth know that he is fut'sring in the flame I" IT
of second answered. .sI .f-s
a. 81 told him that you are reputed the best SWORD
~ man in the army, and begged him to choose pisto
,s which would give him some chance of equality
ke the fight, but he declined. In fact, don't kne
m what to make of this young fellow-like the swo
he he has chosen to fight with, he is 80 timber, a
bra such mixture Of Methodist, mute and madms
that cannot make him out And, Colonel, he
ill., not light bargain either, for any body. 1t see
ay. to me that you were making nothing off Of h
yesterday, when the General interfered. The
,er low actually stood up handsomsly, and made VI
y. I'm beginning to like him little, and feel Sol
~, that he must be disposed of in your peculiar way
~ The Colonel muttered grimly-
~ "If must kill the rascal, am glad he sho
hs sound pluck and capacity in the business; l do
Lao | want 10 be boy.butcher"
~ The next morning at sunrise they met on the Fl
~. of honor.
lgs When the ground was prepared. and the cha
oes pions stood armed and ready, the Ensign sudds
al1 lowered his sword point, and addressing his
aea aa:ea tagonist, said:
ns- "Sir, am here under compulson, merely.
der not consent to this practice. To me it is abs
axe and it is wicked. 1t settles right, and redres
+, Is no wrong Let me say, then, that if my patie
has given way under my prosecutions, and ha
sol. by hasty word act, unjustly offended you,
Il willing to retract it. What is your complaint =
his "Young man, I came here not to preach, bu
fight. came here not to confer with you ah
u Of nice points in casustry, but to punish your i'm
who dence /; but if you have no relish for that. l
With spare your life, on condition that you leave
and amy-tike your choice"
who The Ensign's answer was prompt and firm:
test "You will have it SOL arm guiltess," and
e a fencing began.
b as The seconds and witnesses had never seen 9
tect display Of skill, and they never dreamed of
result Infive minutes the Colonel was disaru
;,h and at the mercy Of the eraged and nsuted boy
~. Heated by the struggle, and excited by the in
II ~ uent peril and bloody bitterness and fury of
"a enemy, be turned from him somewhat haugh
zane | with IL, t ,s
III, 81 have taught you lesson 10 sword play,
now I will set you another which you need q
-. | more-an example of moderation in success"
~, The Colonel's modification and rage SCENE
w.. know no bounds.
Il IL