The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-11-24
John laard's Opinions OF the Code OF
Honor.

An EXTRACT PROM "zAsY NAT"
John Hard sium5les into a difficulty, and Isl
ehallarged-- Declines being bored, aud rolun-
teess an OPINION as is an opinion, upon Duel
ing. < '
John heard nothing at the hotel breakfast
table but remarks about the expected race. =
It's announcement, weeks before, had attracted
thousands of strangers frem all quarters, more
particularly from the South, where heretofore
greater attention had been given to the breed
of fast horses than in the northern States. The
principal hotels were overfowing with persons
who had come to the city to witness this trial
!, of speed, and every man felt to the horse which
represented his half of the country. Betting
is foolish custom, but the fools are not all
dead yet, and Of course there were more of
them in that day. So bets were rife upon
Postboy," and Bascomb," insight unseen q
week before the trial, and early on the morning
of the race, they grew thick and fast, mainly
in favor of the northern horses. .-.i -'4f
John Hard had always regarded race eours-
es as resources of mere horse jockeys and
! gamblers ; and he was astonished to find
large room full of very respectable people neg
lecting their victuals, in Talking and hearing
others talk about the animals, and exchanging
innumerable wagers upon the expected contest.
He ate up everything within his reach, and
wanted more (; but the walters were talking and
betting, too, or standing open-mouthed, hearing
the gemmen's remarks, and carefully treasuring
away in mind any horse wisdom that CHANGED
to fall from their lips.
Hello you there!' said John to one of
of them, Who with his salver under his arm,
was conversing with two other members of the
white jacket fraternity, and counting some bills
into the hands Of one of them, " amt We gOin'
to give fellow somethin' to chaw upon ?"
Eyes sar," replied the colored servitor, "soon
as Is done deposited de stakes"
"You Jest deposite some steak down here in
front O. my plate, and let your betting be till
arter breakfast. I'm as hungry as shark"
said Mr.. Hard.
"Yes, massa. What boss does ye bet on,
massa ?" said the waiter whom he addressed !;
whereupon the other two showed all their ivO-
ry, and turned away to laugh.
"Mnd yer business said John, ''and get me
steak and let it be good sized one 4; and
get me some fapjacks and apple-sarce, and a
picked cOwcumber, and a hunk O brown bread
with prenty O. butter, and a tumbler O. milk"
"Dat all, massa ?' said Julius Caesar.
Il don't care if you bring along piece O.
cheese" replied John. l may think O. sum
| thin else when you come back.
But in the kitchen the waiter got into hot
discussion with the cook, while the steak was
on the fire, as to what was or what was not, a
wager on the race, which he had laid with him
the day before; and in the meantime the meat
was done as black as the bctters, and john
himself was burning with Impotence
! At this unpropitious time, while he was fall
of emptiness and dissatisfaction with the wait
ers' neglect of duty, one of them asked him in
confidential way, as he sat the spoiled steak
down before him, what he thought of the south
ern horse.
"Blast the southern horsc!" exclaimed the
impatient MIR. Hard.
Several gentlemen from the south of Mason
and DiXOn's line rose promptly to their feet !;
for the remark had been heard above all their
talking.
ssY on must take that back, sir " roarcd the
most eager of them reddening with wrath.
Yes, make him take that back cried the
others.
"Wcll, ! guess it won't be any morc'nright,
said john -... -..
"If not DONE" said the southern gentleman
threatcningly. "Twas done too quickly in
terrupted our friend, that's fact
"Takc it back, them cried the other again.
"COlonel, make him take it back!' cried
several others.
All the table, John excepted, had risen to
their feet, and the words, /" Ycs take it back y
were repeated by many, even by some nerthern
men.
Mr.. Hard was quite surprised at the interest
manifested, and taking up the dish of steak, he
handed it to the waiter, saying, "Well, guess
yc might as we'll take it back, waiter. l would
not mind it, ye know, but as all the gentlemen
insist that ye shall take it back, guess yed
better do it, and bring me good one And
don't forget the fapjacks."
A roar of laughter followed for JOHNS re-
mark and manner made it manifest that he hon
estly imagined that it was the meat, and not
the offensive words that they wanted taken
back. They all resumed their seats-the most
Of them in right good humor.
But to the irascible and rather thicl<hcaded
Colonel of the Buncome Militia, this was not
satisfactory; and iptimating that he should ap-
peal to the code of honor, be demanded that
our friend should send in his card.
al don't carry any such truck about mc,mis-
ter" said the young farmer; "but guess it's
Just as plain as daylight, that I'm j Ohm Hard,
of Massachusetts.
"Well, Mr.. Hard" said the Colonel, with a
sneer, IL presume that your hide is not so hard
but that you can be shot as easy at least as a
rhinoceros. l shall expect you to meet me, if
you're gentlaman." 81
THAT'S the very reason won't do it, mis-
ter" replied John. Il am a gentleman, and
can bark a squirrel with my old rifle off the
top of the highest oak that ever grew; but to
fire at target as large as you are--for you are
kind n rnrrnnnt - wanld he nothing short o.
MURDER and naurderers amt gentlemen
| A broad smile beamed all round the board,
and gave still more offence to the Colonel who
was so irritated, that he did not con6ne him.
self to the decorum Of the duello, in its innate
state, but protested in a clustering manner, in
the nresence of all who were there. that Mr.