The Nevada journal., 1854-10-13

Ole duelist with thunder and lightning in
MS face, walking along before the school
master, and the master with large mus
ket solemnly chanting Yankee Doodle,
and marching as coolly as if he Grove an
OK and cart, they gathered themselves
ABOUT them with wonder and curiosity to
see what these things meant. When the
ouily had reached the tavern door. hun
dreds had assembled. Mounting the plat.
form before the door, he turned to address
MS indignant remonstrance to the multi
tude. Before he could utter a word the
school master cried out, Halt! Face to
the lett and tell the people what a Yankee
trick l have played you
Yes, roared Bickerton, glad to vent
his raging lndignation--'a derogatory, dis.
honorable, ungentlemanly advantage -
Fellow citizens, appeal to you and to the
laws OF honor. This disreputable peda-
agogue had the audacious temerity, intol.
erable insolence, last night, to disengage
into my face-yes, my fellow citizens, the
foul and shiny ingredients Of his supper F.;
l would have punished him instanter, but
for the intercession Of the company. Eut
to Vindicate my outraged honor, conde-
scended to demand of him the satisfaction
OF gentleman, and he, with most knavish
designs, accepted my cartel. ~
This morning, at the appointed hour,
repaired to the field Of honor, equipped
as gentlemen usually are for honorable
combat When | arrived at the place, the
dastardly poltroon was invisibly concealed
behind giant son Of the forest, armed
with musket enormously charged with
n,ne buckshot, and before we had measur.
ed the ground or taken our positions, or
the skulking bastard showed his person,
ne presented his musket and threatened TO
shoot me if did not drop my pistols and
return to town. In attempting to unwrap
my pistols they slipped out Of my hands,
and thus | was exposed unarmed TO the
dastardly attack of a pedagogical poltrOon
with his dishonorable musket charged with
an enormous quantity Of buckshot, turn
ed Indignantly upon this contemptible at
tempt at assassination, and returned home
that might on a subsequent occasion
vlndicate my outraged honor, and in pub
lie and ostensible conflict, infict lacera-
ting fagelation upon the pedagogical au-
thor OF this outrageous violation of the code
OF honor. heretofore inviolably observed by
all who are entitled to the honorable ap-
| pellation of gentleman
When the duelist had concluded his
speech, Jedediah soberly replied in these
words: Fellow citizens: | long bore
with patience the unprovoked derision and
insults of this professed duelist. Last night
he assailed me at the supper table with
the most wanton abuse which parried
with nothing but jests, until he threw a
case knife at my head; then returned
the compliment by dashing my plato Of
hasty pudding and molasses in his face.
For this he challenged me to fight duel.
I accepted the challenge on these condi-
tions, and no other, that we were to stand
ten yards apart, without seconds, and each
of US might fire at pleasure, after calling
out-'Stop, take care of YOURSELF Moth
ing was said about the sort of arms he
chose his favorite p,stols-l preferred this
musket. | stood behind tree till he came
to the mark had set, just ten yards off
| then called out to him, Stop, take care
of yourself / had then a right, by the
terms, to FIRE but left it to his choice
either to take nine buckshot from my gun
or to drop his pistols and march back to
town. He wisely chose tho latter and
lyou will all bear me witness that brought
him from the field Of honor safe and sound;
and that is more than he would have done
for me, if | had been in his place and he
in mine. And to show that meant to take
no unfair advantage, 1 will change situa-
tions with him before you all. ! will take
his pistols and he shall take my blunder-
buss, and place himself in my situation and
position. He shah stand ten yards off and
may Hredt PleHsufe, after calling out Stop,
ksVcafe hH Hiwss acknowledged by all
thS' 'conpnnydstea aitnproposition, and
the duelist accepted the terms OF the school
mastefne I'd hsgroEadawas measured and
the enmhatants tqok stbeir respective sta
tions. The. Yankee ikfewI the blunderbuss
at the feet Of the duelist, who very boldly
picked it up, imagining that in very few
moments he wouldretrieye his honor by
!driving nine buck shot into the body OF his
Antagonist. The word was given, and du-
elist instantly raised his blunderbuss, and
taking sure aim, pulled the trigger. Snap
went the lock, but the gun missed ire
Try it again. says the Yankee. The du-
elist gritted his teeth as he cooked it the
second time. Again be took aim and pull
ed the trigger. Snap went the old rusty
musket, with duller sound than before.
Now phenomenon occurred. The wood
en- face of the Yankee was for once wrung
into a smile, and some affirmed that be
laughed, though others thought that to be
impossible. But the enraged bully began
to smell the rat He examined the ca.
pacious pan of the old frelock. He found
nothing in in but yellow stuff. He hastily
turned the muSzle to his mouth and blew
into it. The air whistIed through the
touch hole; the old musket was not charg-
ed, the nine buekshot were imaginary
he threw down the harmless old ron with
a yell of blaSnhemv md ran nm. To b ,s