The Nevada journal., 1852-12-24

tuiil , anu tilcy lIdiiCu'
The parties were on the ground at
the time appointed. The captain was
accompanied by his friend the major
The banker was attended by a gentle
man in a suit Of professional black /;
Il very unmiitary and most civil-iook-
ing parsonage. As they approached,
the major suddenly stepped before his
principal, and addressing the bankers
second, said: 1T was perfectly under
stood, sir, thatrpisto's were to be the
weapons employed on this occasion !;
but here, sir, if l mistake not, you
bring blunderbuss under your arm
i beg your PARDON said the other,
drawing the instrument forth; lit is not
blunderbuss, but a telescope
And what, in heavens name, is the
meaning of this 7 l hope it is not
meant as an additional insult to my
principal"
ooh by no MEANS said the banker,
who proceeded 10 inform the major OF
his previous and present readiness to
apologize, assuring him that he had
intended no offense to his friend the
captain, and that he was now anxious
to explain. The apology was declined
as before, and an explanation was de-
manded.
In the first place, said the banker,
Il earnestly beg that you, captain, will
look through this telescope
what sir, j ?--Look through a tel
escope? BY heavens, sir, what fool
cry is this ?
The bankers second claimed to be
heard. i insist said he, that this is
most serious and important to my
cli-to my friend
1T is such a breach o. all the GUS
tomary forms, said the captain. Such
a proposal is quite intolerable.'
i regret, said the banker to the
major, that / should have to urge this
request; but it is to me most neces-
sary preliminary. VIII you major, do
me the favor to apply your eye to the
telescope !: Iput it to you as a gem
tleman and officer, whether there is
any olfense in the request p
Nay, SIR said the major, 4 do not
say that but it seems to me so absurd
so contrary to the established rules
in such cases
Here, SIR said the banker, holding
up the telescope, place your eye to il
for but one moment-there, in that di-
+ rection !!
Where = said the major, carelessly
applying his eye to the telescope. He
looked for an instant. .Egad ? said
he, 4 see q very fine woman walking
about on a grass -pla', with little trot
Of a child in one hand, and two others
pranking ronnd her. But what, l
should like TO know, has this 10 do
with the matter in hand?'
Every thing said the banker, with
a serious face that lady, sir, is my
wife. Those children are mine and
hers and we are all mutually attach
ed
'pshaw! said the captain; what is
that TO me? You should have thought
of this before
Ihnow it is nothing to you, sir
said lhn banker, 'as you have no wife
or children. I5elieve Tam correct in
saying that you have no wife or chill
drcn. Now then, I ask, do we meet
on equal termsr'
! why no, certainly not said the
major but it is too late to think Of
this on the very ground; it is quite
unformal--tliis discussion; it is really,
quite, quitc--;' and hereupoh the ma
jor took huge pinch Of snuff to fill up
his simile.
warned you to settle all your af-
fairs, broke in the captain, as if a sud-
den bright thought had occurred TO
him.
'True,' said the banker, pointing to
the distant family group, but l could
not settle them. / have settled every
Thing else The bankers second now
venturcd TO observe, that as the cap
tains second had admitted the parties
about to contend were not on equal
terms, they should be made equal, or
as near as possibly so before the ac>
tu;l commencement Of hostilites and
he appealed to them TO do this as me-
OF honor and gentlemen
WelI, there is certainly show of
reason, and that sort Of thing, in what
you say observed the major. But
how, in the rame Of goodness, is that
to be efiected9
Nothing asidr.' exclaimed the gen
tIelnan in back. your friend the cap
tain has an independent income of iif-
teen hundred per annum, and no fam
lily; whereas the income Of my friend