The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-09-01


murders.
81 will fight, if you wish it." was the
loud ringing answer. ....
Then you accept my challenged"
81 do. Will any one present be so
good as to act as my second!" inquired the
lawyer, addressing the spectators.
For minute or two no one spoke, so
great was the dread of the arch duelist,
Mike Johnson.
"Will no one in such a mass of gener-
ous men be my secondl" repeated the
lawyer, in louder tone.
81 will" said shril, trumpet-like voice,
on the outskirts of the crowd, and a tall,
commanding form, with bravery written
on his brow, and the eagles eye beneath
1t, made his way to the centre ofthe scene
Of contention, and stood close fronting
johnson, with a smiling glance, before
which the latter, for an instant, quailed.
The question "who is he! who is hcl"
circulated among the lockers on. But no
one could answer; no one had ever seen
him before, and yet everybody would have
then sworn to his courage, so bold yet
''"hiuii vas HS DttTlllE.
"Who are you:" inquired the duelist,re-
covering his presence of mind.
"a stranger from Texas"
but who will vouch for your respccta-
bilityg"
81 can give YOU vouchers sufficient" re-
piled the stranger, frowning till his brows
looked frightiul; and then STOPPING for
wards, he whispered something in John
sons car, audible alone to him.
Il am satisfied" said the duclist aloud,
and trembling pcrccptibly. "Col. Morton,
will YOU serve as my fricnd!"
The individual last addressed gave his
assent.
"Now, let us adjourn to some private
room to arrange the prciminarics," re-
marked the stranger; and the principals
and seconds left the crowd, then incrcas-
ing every minute, and excited near to mad
ness by the thick-crowding events of the
hour.
The meeting took place the following
night, IN dark room, with the door lock-
cd and the two seconds on the outside
The principals were placed IN opposite
corners of the apartment, which was
twenty feet square, aud each was armed
with q large bowie knife-no more. II
was midnigllt-a night without moon or
stars. Black pitchy clouds enveloped the
sky, and slight sitting mist rendered the
shadows of the earth more intense. Hence,
the room where the duel was about to be-
gin was wrapped in rayless darkness. The
combatantS could not even see the blades
of their own knives.
At first, they both stopped and stealth
lily united and took off their shoes, so as
TO make the least possible noise in walk
ing over the floor. The same thought had
struck them at the same time-to name
uvrc for the underground.
Thomas moved in Il circle, softly ms q
cat, around the apartment, till he got with
in few feet Of the corner where his enc
my had first been placed, and then paused
to listen. For four or five seconds he
could hear nothing in the grave-like sill
ence but the quick beats of his own busy
heart. Presently, however, there crept in
to his ear a scarcely audible sound as of
breathing, in the corner of the
room which he had previously left; and
then he knew that his foe was trying the
same stratagem. The ruse was repeated
thrice, with like result. At length Thomas
concluded to stand perfectly still and await
Johnson's approach. Motionless now him
self, he could distinguish soft rustlng
noise, like the dropping of flakes of wool,
circling around the floor, and gradually
advancing towards him.
At last, when the sound appeared with
in about three feet of the lawyers's posi-
ton, he suddenly made bounding plunge
with his knife, aimed in the dark air,
where he supposed the bosom of his foe
to be. His blade struck against that of
the other, and few sparks of fire rolled
at the fierce collision, and fell expiring on
the floor.
And then, for an instant, the seconds
without the door heard sharp ringing Of
steel, groan, a fall, and all again was
silent as the tomb! The duel a midnight
had ended; but howl They were appall-
ed at the horrible question.
Waiting some minutes and hearing no.
thiy Hlo'c; NniE mofLOn ana the stranger
light, unlocked the door, and
entered. The spectacle was most affect
ing. There lay the bloody corpse of the
duelist, johnson, manglcd dreadfully, and
above it stood the erect and imposing
form Of the lawyer, Thomas--unhurt, not
n cut on his skin or rent in his clothing,
but weeping as if his heart were broken.
He started back as the flashing light
iazzled his eyes, and, growing pale as the
dead at his feet, exclaimed, in accents of
anguish" oh, God! how
shall endure to meet my dear Emma,
with this murderous gore on my hands!
Such stains would defile the very gates of
heaven, and blacken the floor of hell it.
selfp
He did, however, afterwards meet En-
ma and her babe; but we shall not at
tempt to paint the scene. A week sub
he was shot to pieces in his
own office, while employed in writing af-
ter night. The assassin was not known,
ssx1t a. L.. - q