Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1853-12-29

tween Gen. Walsh and III. WarIpr,s! ~
UarFyAsaeh, absut the year l7sS. tepk plses
the NEST curious duel Of any Which 6.ve
occurred within my recollection. a AZ
Frank Skellen, one Of the haifmounted
geutlemsn described lathe early part a
this work-a beisteroHs. joking. III yonnss
fsllew- VAS prevailed upon, much atainss
his grain, to challenge tie exciseman Of III
town ier running the but end eta korsl.
whip down bis I roat the night before while
be lay drunk and sleeping With bis mouth
open. The exciseman insisted that snoring
a. dinler table was personal offence 10
every gentleman in company, and would
therefore. make no apology Frank, though
he Ind been nearly clicked, was very re-
luetant to fight: he said he was sure to dia
it be Did, rs the excisehan could snuff
candle with pistol hslls aid Is 10 himself
was Is big as q hundred dozen sf candles.
whas- sh-pe- could IL hdye9 Wctald hin
joeosely to give the exciseman No time Is
aim at hin, BY which means he might. DER.
haps, his his adversary FIRST, and thus sur
ylye tie contest He seemed somewhat en-
ceurased aud consoled By the hint, and
most strictly did be adhere to Ii. Hun
dreds Of the towns, re aple went to see the
fight On iha green . marlborough. Tho
ground was regularly measured I and the
friends OF each party pitched ragged teBt
Oh the green where whisky and sal. beef
we're consumed in abundance SHELTON
having taken his ground aad att the same
time two heavy draughts Of whiskey from
bottle his + ster father had brought, az
Peared quite stout until he saw the balls en-
teriHg tae mouths Of tie CHEESEMAN'S pis
tolls, which shone-as bright as silver, and
were nearly as leng as fusils Fiiis vision
made palpable alteration ID Skeletons sen.
timents, he changed color, aud looked about
him as if be wanted some assisiance How.
ever, the seconds, who were Of the same
description, handed to each party his ease
Of pistols, and half believed to them Blazo
away. boys
Shelton now recelleeted his instructions,
lost ne time; hescocked both his pistols at
once; and as the exeseniah was deliberately
lsyol.n as he called it, Shelton let fYs
.Hill6a said the e4ciseman, dropping
bis level, Tn battered BY Jasus
The devils cure Is you, said SHELTON,
Instantly firing his second pistol.
One o.. the exciseman's leg thea gaye
way, aud down he came on his knee, ex-
claiming Hilleal hillos you bleod.fhirsty
william do yeu want To take my life2,
Why, TO be sure do 7 said Skelton..
Ia Ia have | st0rneR you, my lad ~;
Wisely judging, however, tha, If ho stayed
till the exeiseman recovered bis legs, he
might have couple qf shots to stand, hos
wheeled about, took to hrs heels aud got a-5
way as fast as possible The crowd shout-I
ed; but Sheltos, like ahare when stprted g
ran the faster far the shouting
Jenny Mafit, his own second. followed,::
overlook. and tripped up his heels, aAds
cursiag him for 4 disgracefal rascal. Asked
WY be RAJ away FROM the exoiscmani' /
y ,lsngla thnaaasp sAAated Skaltan, wilhs
his ehastest rogue, hSw many hSlas did
the william want . hive riddled in his cara
cass2 Would haze me stop to make
rtddtr Il him, emmy
Tae second iu- thA Shelton should
return to the 4 ID. to 10 shet at Heiej
sisted, Affirming tnat he had done all thas
boaor required The second called him <
coward
by MY sorl,' rc,grsed he. my deaf
Jenny Mafis may be 80 you may eallm4
coward, if you please, but | did il all fei
the, best L.
The best you blackguard ?,
Yes said Frank, sure it's better 70 hv
coward than corpse and must have
been either Que or t'other Of them
However. he was dragged up to thu
groupd By his second afaer agreeisg to fg:fs
again. If he had another pistol giyen him y
Ii e.. 1.at t.,.flox II & n
stuck SO fast between the bones Of the ea-
eiscman's leg that lie could not stand. Tao
latter then proposed To strap him 10 3 tree.
that be might DO able tp shoot Skelton; bat.
this being positively objected 70 BY Fratlk,
the exciseman was carried home; his 6fst
wound was on the side pf bis thigh, an d tho
second in bis right lsgs but neither proysd
at all dangerous Tie excise ma q aetss-
mined on haliag Crank, as heoallaa it, saa
on lis recovery challenged SHELTON in his
/ turn Shelton accepted the challenge, hut
said be @as told be had rigllt to choases
bis own weapons. Tie exe.seinan, knew.
ing that such was the law, 4 I'D that Skelaea
was 40 swords man, and net anticipating
any new Invention, acf.uiesced drhsn,'
said Shelton, for my We apons, I choose my
ISIS; aud, BY the pewtrs, you gsugor. I'll
give yen such a basting that your nesfast
relatisns ahan't know you Skelto insisted
on bis right, and til . exciseman not apIrag-
ing Of this species Of opabat, ges nothing by
his challenge; ID . afair dropped, aud SkgI.
ton triumPaea -Barring toa's lSEetcles /. /
AREMAE,kf.BLE CASE OF PETRIFAc-
TioS.
-
About forlr years ago. says ice Wheeling sTpseI-
liseacer, ae Wit. Of gentleman living in NeAea
eeuniy, Va. died and was inferred in the usual
manner, Being native BIT Woodiord county. xy. !,
she ma. ,sqaesled before herdeaih ID be burt 81
side er kindred, and 10 the home Of her childhSod
FfDfa accident delay, her reqaestwas not csnl-
ptissd with until quite recently, when, upon esin-
e fring her remains. they we're found TO be oItbe
extraordinary weight Of $50 pounds AT the fsue
Of her death she weighed but ITO pounds. Onlk.fkf
foot Of tie coffin which was still ID good sass ii
preservation was broken open, when her feet SEre
iaund 10 BE- ia perfect state Of petFlactlons the
stone pafzkinS Oft character Of the hardest .me-
one formations In the locality 81 the graxS.-..-
There is doubt thai lie whole body Is thus Sns-
pleseiy patrifed.
OWDAdIoUS.
'T9as midnfgbt-shs Q1een of Nigh. sbsdher
mid light upon al animate and inanimate oses.
ton when approaching The suburbs ef our ptsu,-
ises could be discsrned 40 The distance, an esoa
/ figure more like goblin damned, z than nspir-
| il Of healtl." Slowly ana cautiously did III Az
pToach. as Ikough the Accomplishment cf TaprlSSe
greatiesi depended up0n is wits, Nearer an9stisl
nearer did this awful spparilion approximate Ire
eonknes Of our donest tic Jurisdiction. Suddknlv
as " magic, hand was stretched ffoth anfIife
riches that take to themselves wings and III asVaq.
or lenr ine Christmas Turkeys Yarisles algmik