Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-02-19

for interfering with the slave traffic were
denounced with contemptuous bitterness:
on The one side, and as warmly. and an
grily defended on the other. Finally
the fact is, they were both fustered with
wine and passion, and scarcely knew
what they said or did---M. Dupont ap,
Pied an epithet to the, Queen of Eng.
land, which Instantly brought glass ol
wine full in his face from the hand o.
Captain Starkey. They were all ia an
instant on their feet, and apparently So
bered or nearly so,, by, the unfortunate
issue Of the wordy iumuit. N. r..f,.s-
Captain Starkey was the firstto speak,
His flushed angry features paled sud
denly TO an almost deathly white, and
he s'ammered out: III beg your pardon,
M, Dupont. II was wrong-yery wrong
in me 10 do so, though not inexcusable. =
pardon Mile fonnsress!' shouted
Dupont, who was capering about in an
ecslacy Of rage, and wiping his face
with his handkerchief, g"sYes,, a bulle,
through your head shall pardon iyou--
nothing else." ss.,,,f, ..g, ,,,.,l
Indeed, according to the then notions
OF Cuban society, no other alternative
save the duello appeared possible. Lieu
tenant Argue.las hurried at once into the
house, and speedily, returned with a
case OF pistols ..Let US proceed. he
said in a quick whisper, ito the grove
yonder; we shall be there free, from in-
.lerrupiion." He took Dupont's arm,
and both turned TO move Off. As they
did so, Mr.. Desmond, the elder of the
American gentlemen, stepped toward
Captain Slarkey, who wlll recovered
calmness, and with his arms folded, was
standing by the table, and said: IL am
not entirely, my good sir, stranger TO
lhtse affairs, and if lean be of service
shall M, i,.,.,,...., ,,..s..t 4. 49,,
THANK you, Mr., Desmond" = replied
the captain; 'but shall moi require your
assistance. Lieutenant Arguellas, you
may as well remain. l am no duellist,
and shall not hight, M. Dupont. y.
"What does he say?" exclaimed the
Lieutenant, gazing with stupid bewilder-
ment round the circle. "Not fight"
The Anglo-Saxon blood, / saw, flush
ed as hotly in the veins OF the Americans
as it did in mine at this exhibition of the
white feather by one of ourrace. 49,
mot fight, Captain Starkey!"'r said
Mr.. Desmond, with grave oearnestness,
after a painful pause; ',you whose name
is in the list Of the, British royal navy,
say ihi.E You must be jesting!"
81 am perfectly serious-I am oppo-
sed to duellings upon principle" ,...-
"A coward upon principlev fairly
screamed Dupont, with mocking fury,
and at the same time shaking fiercely his
clenched fist al the, lEnglishman. a
The degrading epilhet stung like SER
pent. A gleam of fierce passion broke
out of Captain Sankey's dark e yes, and
he made a steptoward Dupont, but reso.
lntely checked himself. alGlan {a51aIss
swell, il must be borne! / was
wrong TO offer you personal violence, al
though your impertinence certainly de-
served rebuke. Sill, repeat, ! will
not fight with you."ih !" iEal a2iaa,sa
h..But you shall give my friend salts
fac,ion!" exclaimed Lieut.. Argucllas,
who was as much excited as Dupont; "oi
by heaven Twill post you as bastard
not only throughout this island but ia.
naica." "21s a9Hi i,A# AHs lp0eta dl a.
Capt. Starkey, for all answer to this
menace, cooily rang the sonnetie, and
desired The slave who answered tito in.
form Sonora Arguellas that he was about
to leave, and wished TO see her. i,i4 s21
.'rhe brave Englishman is about "a
place himself under the iprotec,ion ol
your aunt's pe:ticoats, Alphonzor' shout
ed Dupont with triumphant mockery. =.
81 almost doubt whether Mr.. Starkey
is an Englishnan," exclaimed Mr.. Des-
mond, who, as well as his two friends
was getting pretty much incensed; shut
at all events, as my father and mother
were born aud raised in the old country,
if you presume TO insinuate that--'' 7a-
Sonora Arguellas at this moment ap-
preached, and she irritated American
with some difficulty restrained himself.
The lady appeared surprised at the
strange aspect Of the company she had
SO lately left She, however, at the re-
quest of the captain, instantly led the
way into the house. leaving the rest oil
her visitors, as the French cay, pidnfes
la. s7'sb H1sl}1ot ts
Ten minutes afterwards, we were in.
formed that Captain Starkey had left the
house, after imrressing upon Sonora Ar.
guellas that the Neptune would sail the
next morning precisely at nine o'clock
A renewed torrent OF rage, contempt, and
scorn broke forth at this announcement
and a duel at one time seemed inevitable
between Lieut.. Arguellas and Mr.. Des.
mond, the last named gentleman mani.
Testing great anxiety to shoot somebody
or other in vindication Of his Anglo Sax.
on lineage. This, however, was over
ruled, and the party broke up in angry
disorder. = e .sf4faA essssasA ~
We were all on board by the appoints
ed time on the following morning. Cap
tain Starkey received us with civil indlf
ference. and noticed that the elaborate
sneers which sa. upon the countenance'
Of Dupont and the Lieutenant did no
appear in the slightest degree to rutfle o.
1 q