Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1854-11-30
MISC f. l. l. A N EO US.
THE DUEL WITH DOUBLE-BARRELLED
GUNS.
BY CHARLES sUMMERFIELD.

GUNS
BY CHARLES sUMMERFIELD.
In the purple light Of a cloudess setting
sun one mild May evening Of 1919, steam.
boat was urging her way against the strong
current of the Rio Grsnde, few miles be-
low The Mexicsn town of Camargo, and
within distant view Of her destination, q
nascent village situated on the American
shore, which for special, and ., present, un-
explained reasons, shall take the liberty oI
naming Balleborough. This vessel was
crowded to her uimos. capacity with hel-
erogeneous mass Of human beings, as if q
sor, Of f1ossing museum for the collection
and exhibition of living curiosi'ies. There
were Americans-bolb of The north end
soulh-Ge mans, Italians, Mexicans. ne
groes, and, TO pon, the an,i-cIimax, half d
score Of Ksriss Indians, painted and bedi.
zened with beads end feathers. Per(ec,
harmony aud good feeling, however, SEEM
ed to prevail among all on board, no,w ith-
standing this diversity and opposition Of el-
emen,s, as if some mighty and mysterious
spiri, had in,ervened, for The hour, to fuse
the aniipbes Of races and prejudices of in
dividuals into one common sentiment Of ge-
nial fraternity; in fac. spirit Of great po'
tency was actually present, enlhroned be-
hind the bar, in The form Of a hos. Of spark
ling decanters, marshalled in tempting rows
with malLema,cal precision, and flashing
back the gorgeous light which streamed
through large window of stained glass;
Around these shrines, like bees swarming
~ the nectar of honeyed flowers, gathered
Q dense ,hrong of ardent worshippers, call
ing, in6er AHA, for cognac, rum and gin, &C.
cording 10 the respective tastes Of The seve-
raj devolees while The comic toast, The wild
songs and peels Of laughter, went ringing
over the boat from keel TO hurricane deck :,
without respecting even the ladies' cabin.
The doors which stood wide open, aud in
full view of The merry bscchsnaIs.
'Remember gentlemen, there are ladies
within hearings" suggested the captain OF
the steamer, in pitiifnl voice. desperately
ven,uring this one limid e fort 10 moderate
the mad temp ST Of fun and frolc which
now grew every momen. more unmanagea-
Bile.
'Ladies - CALCULATED liF dewed with .
tincture Of rosy wine, and curling with an
expression of The bI,ierest scorn-"LadIes
it is the frs. time .ha. ever heard the word
applied TO greasers."
The sentence produced shouts ofapplause
II evidently embodied The general opinion
and feeling. "Gresser," is the curren, epi-
tibet on The frontier 10 denote the sovereign
conlemp. which s!mos. all the American re-
sidenls entertain for The whole Mexican
race. Hence, The brutal remark instead Of
receiving .he rebuke il SO richly meriled, e.
liciled clamorous cheers. and full chorus
OF approving voices jaculaled-"G ood !!
good !-lbs's righ', Col. Hickman. Let's
take u smile after that" Then followed
tremendous jugIing of glasses, aud The pru-
dent captsin Of The vessel effected has,y
relres, from the storm which he had neih-
er The courage nor the ability TO sIIsv,
There were two spectators, however, who,
from their seats near The entrance TO the la
dies cabin surveyed the indecorous scene
with emotions Of undIsguised Indignation.
One OF these was Dr.. HarneI, surgeon in
the army, and The other, young merchsn,
named Joseph Samuels, lately arrived from
the city of New York. The latter united
10 youthful and handsome person, dress
ed with fsullIess taste, the manners and
feeling Of a gentleman, and being moreover
entirely unsccusiomed TO the exhibition Of
such drunken revels on a stage so public.
he found il hard TO suppress tbs, which his
every thought spontaneously assumed. j,
is possible lbst The internal excitement of
the young man may have been caused, as j,
certainly was increased, by The frequent
plsnces which lie cast in The direction of a
beautiful Mexican girl, who stood by o
window at the Garlhest end of The saloon,
with her eyes Of dreamy dark light fixed
upon the water. For that even was face,
which once seen, might never be forgotten;
pale, ye! impassoned, tender Illuminating The
very cir Ground il; rich raven black ringl le,s,
falling down q neck Of snowy witness, and
shoulders aud slender bosom, exqusily
Shaped, as il rounded by The chisel of an ar
tis, with forehead, eyes, and blooming
cheeks, like those we sometimes see in di-
vine pictures Of The old masters and with
q mouth small, rich and rosy, such as nigh.
mel. the coolest heart into love. The