The Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1850-1852, 1852-01-22

'eIaSt III Iotti hu'i' au'NS' "-'"" ,
seed, from the same hand, struck him |
upon the right elbow. This also, to !
the infinite amusement Of the other !
PARTY, he picked from the floor, and /
carefully deposited with the first.
Amidst shouts Of laughter, third !
melon scel was soon after discharged, I
which hit him upon the left breast
This also he very deliberately took |
from the floor, and deposited with the
other two.
AS he rose, and was engaged in
paying for his repast, the gaicty Of
these sporting gentlewen became
! slightly subdded. II was not easy to
account for this. Lavater would not
have been able to detect the slightest
evidence Of irritation or resentment
upon the features Of the stranger. -
lie seemed little taller. to be sure,
and the carriage of his head might
have appeared to them rather more
erect. lie walked to the table at
which they were sitting, and with that
air Of dlsuiiied calmness, which is a
thousand times more terrible than
wrath. drew q card from his pocket.
and presented it with perfect ciyillty
to the offender. who could d. no less
than TO oie, his own in rcturn.-
While the stranger uncloscd his sur'
tout. To take the card from his pocket,
they had glance at the undrcss
coat of n military man. The card
disclosed his rank. aud brief inquiry
at the bar was sufficient for the rest
lie was captain whom ill-hea,h and
long service had entitled to halfpay.
In earlier life be had been engaged in
several affairs Of honor, and, in the
dialect Of the fancy, was a dead slot.
The rcxt morning a note arrived at
the ag.ressor's residence, containing
n challenge, in form, and one only Of
the melon seeds. The truth then
flashed before the challenged party
it was the chaIlengcr's intention to
t, make three bites a, the cherry--,hrec
separate affairs ont Of this unwarrant-
able frolic The challenge was ac
ccptcd, and the challenged party, in
Difference to the challeMger's rcputed
skill with the pistol, had half decid
cd uron the small sword but his
friends, who were Oh the alert, socn
discovered that the captain, who had
risen by his merit, had, in the earlier
days of his necessity. gained his bread
as an accomplished instructor i'll the
use Of that very weapon.
They met and fired alternately, by
lot the young mar had selected this
mode, thinking lie might win the first
Grc--hc did--fred, and missed hi:
opponent. The captain leycled hi'
pistol and fired the ball passcd
through the flap Of the right ear, am
re grazcd the bone aud as the woundc'
to man involnn,arily put his hand to tho
i. place, he remembered that 1t was or
ry the right ear Of his antagonist tha
ut the melon seed had fallen. Here end
ID cl the first lesson.
au A month had passed. His friend
IN cherished the hope that he would hea
II nothing more from the captain, whcr
ch another note--a challenge Of course
;c and another Of those accurscd me|ol
seeds arrived, with the CAPTAINS aIo'
al cry, on the score of illhealth, for no
Of sending it before.
,ir Again they met fired stimuli
III tancously, and the captain, who va
e, unhurt, shattered the right elbow Q
b. his antagonist the very point upo
Z, which he had been struck by the me
all on seed; and here ended the secon
he lesson.
op There was somethin. awfully i'm
&c, pressive in the mo,lls oPerand, an
est exquisite skill Of his antagonist. Th
air third melon seed was still it his 20;
he session, and the aSressor had not iol
sc. gotten that it had struck the uno
Of Tending gentleman upon the left brcas
lr- A month has passed another an
n, another, of terrible suspense but
he nothing was heard from the captain
as lu,clli cncc had been received ,ha
nv he was confined to his lodgings b
Isi> illness.
ate At length the gentleman who ha
or been his second in the former duel
once more presented himself, an
op, rendered another note, which, as III
out recipient perceived on taking it cor
il 4 tanned the last Of the melon seed
ON The note VAS superscrlbed IN Il
the captains well known hand, but it "
lck the wri,in: eyl1cn,ly Of one vi
vas wrote diiclente manu-. There was ,
his unusual soieinnity. also, in the ma
the neI If him who delivered it. II
r,y seal MAS broken, and there was Il
il. melon seed in blank envelope.
Aud what, SIR, am | understaI
ked by this .
,ely You will understand sir, that II
fea. friend forgiyes you hels dead.
the ---------------------------
ced WIZ arc your eye. ike sta
pro- horses They are always u"d