The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-01-12
THE DUELISTS ROOM,

mildest manners and strictest puritanc mo-
rality, and was particularly noticed for that
Woodworking practicabiIty ofpurposs and pur-
suit so characteristic of his countrymen in
general. Rapidly, by his industry and econ
Omy, he amassed wealth in lands and negroes.
and arose to influence, till he was run on the
Whig ticket for seat in the Lower House
of the Mississippi Legislature. And now the
shameless stpendlares of slumber set to
work to blacken the hitherto unimpeachable
reputation of the new politician. His name
filled the newspapers with scandal, moulded
by the plastic hand of fancy for the occasion,
and supplied the foaming stump orators with
theme for the most bitter philippcs. The
temper Of tSephens became reused by the un.
merited dcnunciations heaped upon him; ey-
cited to a like fury with bis foes, he repaid
them in kind for all their unmitigated Trades
of abuse. 1T was supposed that the Yankee
would not fight and Allen Smons, noted
dueist, was selected by the opposite party as
proper person to send him challenge, and
ifhe refused to accept 1t, as Il matter of course,
he was degraded, and the political contest
would be thereby determined They were
miserably deceived in their man. Stephens
accepted the challenge. His hand was MS
firm as his aim was sure, and he shot his ad-
versary through the heart the first fire =
Other personal recouuters followed in rapid
succession, and in all of which Stephens dis.
played the same cool courage, and always
came off victorious. He soon became inso-
lent, overbearing and exceedingly quarrel.
some. Up to the year 1845 be had killed
his halEa-dozen men.
In the Autumn oftha. year he was one day
in country grocery, about ten miles from
Vicksburg. A mixed company was present
to whom, the desperado was boastiug of the
number of victims he had slain, recounting
with savage delight the several circumstai;
ces Of honor attending the death of each, and
spicing the whole with the usual exageera..
ton supple by the vanity of boosters. As
he went on thus, -ecting the most enormous
cIuelties, his quick eye wandering around the
circle of his eager auditors for sympathy
and the customary appreciation that was wont
to salute his ears, he encountered the fixed
gaze ola stranger, which rIveted his attention
and made him almost start from his seat rs il
thrilled with n melancholy dread.
The man, or rather The youth, for to Judge
from the extreme juveniity of his appearance
he could not have seen more than nineteen
summers, was stianger whom no one pre-.
sent knew, or recollected to have seen before.
He was tall, but slender in shape, almost TO
defect His hand was very small, white as
snow, and regular as if cut with chiseI.-
The face was pale, almost colorless, and
sweetly sad. There was nothing in the ap-
pearance of the stranger youth to excite
alarm, unless it were, perhaps, that steadlast,
piercing gaze OF his strange, wild blue eyes,
immovaby fixed on the face of Stephens, as
that ferocions wretch painted with words
stepped in blood, his revolving story.
Disconnected, surprised, If not alarmed, Ste-
phcns shrank from that glance, and cast his
eyes on the floor, but still made an effort to
proceed with his narrative. But he felt that
the gaze of the stranger was upon him, and
he began to burn with shame and indigna-
tionat the reflection that he had encountered
one look of mortal man which had master.
ed his own spirit as with mysterious SPELL
He felt in his heart that he was u coward
Again he raised his eyes to the face Of the
stranger, and met the mysterious gaze, the
same calm, uncarthly look, that seemed TO he
a question from eternity, saying, "Murderer,
where are Thy victims :"
lie observed now, also, that the hands of
the youthful intruder no longer hung mo-
tionlcss by his side, but the lett was in his
coat pocket, and the right thrust into his bo-
som, grasped something which CLEANED throu-
gh the clasp of his fingers like silver.
The desperate cOmprehended at glance
his peril. lie was in the power Of an enemy.
however, by great effort of self
control, his fears, he took his resolution
quick as thought to gain time, and if poss-
BILE obtain the chance of an equal combat
This, or instant death WAS the only altcrna.
tive. For he was n professed Judge Of tho
human character, and knew that he had to
deal with no common foe, and that n single
violent gesture or movement to grasp wea-
pom, would be a signal for stab at his
heart
He, therefore, assumed look of careless
good humor, and addressing the stranger in
a friendly tone of well ieigned familiarity, in
luired "You have listened to my idle sto-
ries with some appearance curiosity, young
man; what do you think of my powers as
story-tellerw
The stranger replied, in low, soft voice:
81 was not thinking Of your powers MS
story teller was wondering at your prowess
Is an assassin !"
Il was but joking, l assure you, said Ste
Dhene.
"You lie r was the calm response.
The desperate turned pale as death, but
yuping down his emotion, he proceeded
"How do you know | Lief You are to-
al stranger; | am positively certain | never
'aw you before in my life"
"''hat matters not, Mr.. Stephens, have
;nown you as an assassin since was ten
'esrs old: and now know you for bastard
Y coward |"
"Who are you 7" exclaimed the desperate,
n real surprise rs well as CONSERVATION.
II am the son of the man you murdered"
"You must be mistaken in me, young man,
What was your fathers name"
"That you shall never know, Infamous H.
4 and paliroon, till | whisper il in your dy-
ng ear, as the signal to bind your soul to
ternal torture. Man of blood your last
our has Gomez
The last sentence was repeated in shrill,
that made every hearer start
Ic sat dumb and trembling like sinner at
he bar of the final Judgment.
The stranger youth contemplated him in
corn for n few seconds, and then said in cut
ing accents: 81 had thought to slay you
shere you Sit you base wretch But disdain
D kill even u murderous coward without Civ !
10 him chance for his life. Paltroon will
ou meet me in n fair combat :"
A g!eam of savage joy shot across the face
f Stephens as he answered! al will. Name |
our time, place and seconds"
"That is soon done," replied the stranger
Meet me tonight, precisely at l2 o'clock, at
he old Waste House, in the pine woods,