Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-11-04
FAYETTEVILLE, TENN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, E9

ready filled U p, and wanting nothing
but the attachme ent of the signatures
The cd plain a bid major exchanged
looks of blank I'd dge. They saw that
in common lance, it was "a sell,
and they began to storm.
"a most absurd proceeding-mer
cenary proposall'' CALCULATED the cap
tai h. "Put do Fn my pheton indeed:
Why, sir, this is beyond joke"
TIt is, ind eedI most serious mat
ter, sirs,'' said t he banker. ado you
think, sir, whether ! would not be
justified in con sidering it as some
thing more than an absurd proceed
| ing and pre- ettE joke to PIT dO~'5
dead here, and leave my wife and
children to perjury? l know very
well you are rd ire shot, and can snuff
a candle witlpa pistol bullet. That
dexterity | canlt pretend to risk II
Yet am ready to pit my life against
your ph@ton n al ldpair." f"
The major looked more perplexed
than ever. Tie captain more foolish
and puzzled
"Again, gentlemen--if I should
be killed, my wife and Chi ildren will
absolutely ICED the money; but if |
kill the captain. his property is abso-
lutely Of no sor ofuse to him after
his funeral e4 penses are paid. Nor
is my propo sal without precedent H. !.
Upon such OCCASIONS. men of refined
honor and high courage haye thought
they never could do enough. When
Best shot L ord Cameford, his lordship,
on his death b ed, left his antagonist,
who vas in very poor circumstances,
a handsome E income, rejoicing, no
doubt, that hd had lived long enough
to do such a b act of magnanimity
aud finished h onor. / never fired at
a man as d rAark in my life; | am
sure to be shot. So you see my
proposal is pnly a fair one-and
as i make it to men Of honor, I ex-
pect to be acfeded to-
ooh, 2but yes, but-y yOu, sirl'' ,i
exclaimed th4 captain. "Re eally," in
terrupted thd major, biting his lips,
81 really thi hk, that as men Of fin
lished honor, I'VE must accede to the
proposal. "
The banker now fatty refused to
fight on any other terms, putting it
directly to tAe major, as the most re-
fined point bf duelling honor that
could be ma Infested on the occasion,
till the twb officers, though exces
sively provp ked and annoyed, could
no longer rIe fuse their consent. the
parchment Was handed to them by
the attorne eg, who saw it properly
signed, and then the principals took
their stand at fifteen PAGES dis4anee.
The banll Ter had th first fire Not
wishing to be ban;shed his country,
or get into prison, r be tried for
manslaughter, he took very good
care to fire wide Of his mark, and
away flew his. innocent bali, like a
dumming bird across the fields.
Then came the captains turn :
qNow," whispered the major, "alm
low, keep steady-now-you'v We got
him."
4Got hinl!'' stammered the captain,
his face prning blue, and his jaws
falling. IGot him! put down my
pha--, pay five hundred a year for
being called a bullet headed fool, and
50 prove i'll VIII you pay the mon
ey if l hit him?"
Away sped the bullet, but of course
it did not hit the banker, though it
whistled r4tfl Ter too close to the law
yer's ear, Hhp had forgotten to have
a similar agreement for himself in
case Of accidents.
| The antbg gonists then shook hands.
The majo4 1ithdreW the Honorable
Captain Eustace Fitz Giles from the
fed, deck dring that his honor was
satisfe ed. and the banker vent home
to his wifd and children