Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-11-04

at is such a breach of all the Gus
tomary forms" " said the captain
"Such proposal is quite intolera-
ble.'
II regret" said the banker to the
major, "that shoula have to urge
this request: but it is to me most
necessary prelim minary- Will you,
major, do me the favor to apply your
eye to the telescope? | putt to you
as gentleman and officer, whether
there is any offe nee ir the request?'
NAY, Sir" said the major, q do
not say that, but it seems to be alb
4surd--so contrary to the established
rules in such cases"
"Here, SIR said the banker hold
ing up the teles cope, @place your eye
to it for but one moment therein
that direction!''
"Where?'' said the major, careless
ly applying his eye to the the teles-
cope. He looked for an Instant
"Egad," said he, 81 see very fine
woman walking about on grass plat,
with little trot of child in one
hand, and two others prancing round
her. But what, / should like to
know has this to do with the matter
il. hand?''
@Everything,' said the banker,
with a serious face; "that lady, sir, is
my wife. Those children are mine
and hers; and we are all mutually
attached. >
"Pshaw,'' said the captain "what
is. that to me2 You should have
thought of this before"
81 know it is nothing t 3 yon,
sir,'' said the banker, cas- you have
no wife or children, | believe | am
correct in saying that you have no
wife or children. Now then, | ask,
do we NEE t on equal terms?
"Why, no certainly not" said
the major. '.but tits too late to think
of this on the very ground; it is quite
informal this discussion, it is real
". quite quite" and hereupon
the major took a huge pinch OF snuff
to fllsup His simile.
"Iwar1ed you to settle all your
affairs" broke in the captain, as if a
sudden bright thought had occurred
to him.
"True,'p said the banker, pointing
to the di stant ia mily group, ''but |
could not settle til lem. | have set
tied every thing else" The banker S
second no Nv yentur4d to observe, that
as the CAP ptain's sec ond had admitted
the partie es about to contend were not
on equal terms, they should be made
equal, or as nearly so as possible, be-
fore the ctual commencement OF hos
tilities, and he appealed 10 them to
co this as 'smen Of honor and gentle
men,
"Well, there is certainly show OF
reason, and that sort of thing, in what
Won sav'P obseryedthe major. "But
how in The name ofgoodness, is that
to be efected?"
aNothing easier exclaimed the
gentleman in black. "Your friend
the captain, has an independent in
come Of fifteen hundred per -annum,
and no family; whereas, the income OF
my friend though he has some little
property-mainly depends upon his
own exertions; and he has a wife and
three children. Now, if the captain
should shoot him, he ought to make
over five hundred a year to his faml-
ly and thus the parties would be up
On equal terms"
quitting affection out of the ques-
tion," added the banker.
The major at this looked blank and
puzzled; the captain all astonlsh-
ment.
"It would only be putting down n
your handsome pbaeton and pair,
returned the bankers second, calm
ly.
"Oh, sir! ah! yes, indeed ejacu-
lated the captain, reddening up to the
ears.
aBut supposing ! acceded to Thls
most irregular proceeding said the
major, @there is no time for it now, as
| cannot consent to withdraw my
principal from the field without an
exchange Of sh ots.':. :,
"That is not all necessary, sald
the banker. 1This gentleman is my
attorney Whereat, on tn e instant
the little man in black whipped from
beneath his coat deed on parchment,