The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-06-14


play with his weapon, To tell the Truth I'm
beginning 10 like HIM a liiils,and feel sorry
that he must be- disposed Of Ia your peculiar
was."
The Colonel mutterod, EFiWIy,- VII must
Kill the rascal, I'm glad be shows sound pluck
and capacity 10 the business don't want 70
b. boy butcher"
Tho next morning at early sunrise, they
met on The field ofhonor
When the ground was prepared, and the
champions stood armed and raady, tho I'm |
sign suddenly lowered his sword point, and
addressing bis Antagonist, said "sir, am
here under oompulsion, merely. ! do not
consent TO this practice, To me Il il absurd /
~ II iawieked II settles no right, and It re-
dresses no wrong Let me say, then, that if |
my patience has given way under my perse-
cutons. and have by hAsty word or Act,
Justly offended you, am wITTTHgt5 rurrart-
H. What Is your complaint ?"
"Young man, ] came here not TO preach
but 70 fight came here not 70 confer with
you about nice points in casuistry. but to pun
ish your impudcnce but. ifyou have no rel
ish for that, will spare your life, on condi-
tion that you leave the auny-take your
choice"
Tho Ensisn's answer was prompt and
firm
"You viii have it Sol am guilto.s," and
the fencing began.
The seconds and witnesses had never seen
such q display Of skillAn they never dream
ed ofsuch n result In five minutes the Col
Tonci- -wHF hiSarnrd, and nj the mercy of the
inEulted and outraged bon
Heated by the struggle, and excited hy
the imminent peril and bloody bitterness and
fury Of his enemy. he turned from him some
what haughtily, with--"T have taught YOU n
lesson In swor'i.play, aud now will sct you
another, which you need even morc--an ex-
ample Of moderation in success"
The ColoncI's modification and rage socm-
cd to know no bounds
~ accept no fayors from such canting
phrase-making scntimcntalist--such a mere
fencing -mastcr-such trickstcr, and CON
i!rriug Swurt player ~ YOU are, >, the Colonel
burst out through his grinding tccth.-
"You knew well wha, you wcrc about when
yop chose those toys 10 play tricks with. II
YOU haxe a senti,se-s OF ho',T'r lrf, In voa, Let
me- have pistols. toll you this quarrel +, no,
made IN. ] will not have my life At your
gin You shall iakci IL, or 7 take yours. The
quarrel is 10 the death. md there is blow
70 clinch it,"strikinR at the Ensign in trans
port Of passion which he avoided with equal
cooncss and dexterity.
The seconds intcricrcd, and then the spec
tators cried shame, but II was cFT5T rfi5if;!if
that blood must flow before the parties should
quit the ground The Eusign's second car
ricd away by the excitement, urged him to
accept the new challenge on change Of con.
dition', for he despaircd Of any other adjust
ment
"Will nothing satisfy this mndmAn but my
life !" said the young man deeply OgitNicd.
"You have made him mad" said the sec
ond, "and there is nothing lcit for Il hut
fatal issue, You have the right To refuse,
having already spared his life and ] will sus.
tain you, but | do not advise it, Tor il will bc
unavaihng in the ond."
~ have gone too far" replied the Ensign,
sadly far from the line Of strict principle
to recover il now, ] cannot now say that
am opposed to fgh,inGI have broken down
that defence by yielding to an expedicncy
which ! thought q safe one. Oh, II Is h6rTf-
bic! ] did not dream this morning that
: might die FOOLS death to-day"
You. will accept the offer" hastily inter
posed the second; lyon must be a good shot
with such an eye and hand, and such self
possession as you have shuwrr- to-dry.-Hf
your pistol matches your sword, you cannot
miss him, and, upon my soul, he deserves IL,
and say let him have it, You accept"
The Ensign stood silent. The ground was
measured, the pistols prepared, and the com
batants stationed The word was given
one--two-threc. Tho eolonel's pistol was
discharged Mt the instant, and the Ensign
stood untouched. lie had reserved his fire,
and had now the right to take deliberate aim.
Steadily he raised the deadly weapon till it
bore point blank upon the Colonel's heart,
and then it rested a minute in terrible sus-
tpcnsc; not a norve quivered, not a limb
trcmbled in either, and the spectators held
their breath hushed as the death they waited
for But suddenly wheeling, thei Ensign
maTheu post w uhoTeht ulrecNoh, at
twice the distance Of his antagonist, and, pull
ing the trigger, delivered his ball at breast
high. It was a centre shot, aud instantly IA
tai if living man stood there. The next in
staRt, throwing down the pistol with decision
that could not be mistaken, he cried out, "I
will 60 no farther in this wicked folly. If
there is nothing else left for me but murder
or submission, will submit"
H. The grandeur of his position wd8 too strik-
ing now to be mistaken or denied. The Col
onel was the first to acknowledge il. Twice
within the hour he owed lifg o-thg magma
nimity of man he had so much abused,---
That man now stood vindicated, even by the
head laws of war and honor he was neither
tricksler nor coward. Possibly the Colonel