The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-08-31

back 10 his anger.
Q Ishall fight with my own. II you ar
gentleman you will waii.'
0 Joe turned 10 US and babe US wait fC
= him.
/. Here ! here! Oh, gentlemen erie
: the keeper, where be mine knives =
} I'll pay you for them when ] come back,
. said Joe, and then he beckoned 10 mo 4
come out. Ibid so, and he took the kniye
one from his bosom and one from hi
sleeves-and told me TO keep them until h,
returned.
II seems that Joe found boat ready Il
take him of 10 the ship al once, for he wa.
moi gone over ihIee.quarters Of an hour
when he came back he had two superbly
mounted pistols with him. He loaded
them with powder in the presence Of the
Spaniard, and then handing him ball ask
ed him IL he would mark il, so tha, he
would know il again. The fellow hesi,ated
al first, but at length he took il with a mad
gesture, and BIT il between his teeth.
Il shall know that he said, unless it is
battered agains, your bones.'
Now select your pistol said Joe.
The man took them and examined them,
but he was satisfied that they were both
alike, and both good, and ne told Joe he
had no choice. So our steward put the
balls in and rammed them carefully down.
The whole party now adjourned 10 wide
court, back Of the cafe, where twelve PAGES
were marked of, and then the combatanls
took their stations. Iirembled for poor Joe,
for saw not yet how he would make fun
Of this.
Count cried the spaniard, impa lien,ly.
'One-two-threev y
The Captain fred first, and with most
deliberate aim. Joe fired into The air.
Then the latter walked deliberately up 10
his antagonist, and taking a ball from be.
tween his teeth, handed il 10 him.
you can use this next time,' said Joe.
The officer looked first at Joe's teeth and
then at the ball. I, was surely tho ono he
had seen put in the pistol, and now lie had
seen his ioeman take it from his mouth.
He was unmislakably aslonshed.
Come, let's load again. cried Joe.
San Pablo y exclaimed Bizar, 'you
use some-some-whaty you call hm-some
trick, eh' By San Jago, shall load the
pistol mysefp
DO so, said Joe calmly, and as he spoke
he handed over his powder flask.
The Spaniard poured ou, an extra quan,i-
'y ofpowder, and having poured it in the
pistol, he called for the rammer. He then
put the same ball in that he used beiore.-
Meanwhile Joe had been loading his own
pistol.
'0ne moment, uttered Joe, reaching ou,
his hand. Those caps are in the butt Of
your pistol. Let me &c, them.'
The fellow passed over his pistol, but kept
his eyes upon il. Joe opened the little sil.
yer box at the end Of the butt, and true.
there were 'omo PERCUSSION caps there
He took out two, and having capped his
own pistol, hc gave it toss into the air,
catching it very adroitly as it came down,
and then handed back the other to the Span
lard. had watched Joe most carefully,
but l saw nothing out of tho way-and yet
he had changed pistols irith bis foe!
'Now,'s,id he 'rll put ball in my pis.
tol, and then well bo ready
lie slipcd somthins in which looked like
a cartridge, but no ono else saw it.
Now cried the Spainiard, let's see you
hold this in your mouth
Again they took ther stations, and again
they werc ready.
'0nc-two-three =
And the Spaniard fred first by aim, Joe
firing in the air as before. Again Joe step.
ped forward and took the solfsame ball
from his mouth and handed it to his antag.
onist. Tho fellow was completely dumb.
founded, and so were the rest.
You no fire at me, gasped the captain.
III fire at You the next time,' said Joe
in tone Of thunder. thus far I have
only shown you that powder and ball can
have no etrsct on me. Twice have you fred
ut me with as true pistol as ever was made
and both times have caught your ball be.
tween my teeth, while I have Gied in the
air. l meant that you should live long
enough to know that for onoe in your liz
you had seen, if no, the old fellow himself
(pointing mcaningly downward) at least one
who is in his employ! The old gentleman
will like the company ofa Spanish captain
ofinfan'ry, and III send you along. Come
load again.
But the astonished Spaniard did not seem
inclined to do so. A man who swallowed
carving knives as ho would sardines, and
who caught pistol balls between his teeth
was not exactly the man for him to deal
with. While he was pondering on what HI
had seen, Joe took handful Of bullets
from his pocket, and began 10 toss them
) rapidly down his throat, and when these
were gone, he picked up halfa dozen sood
sized stones, and sent them ahcr tho bullets
+. Holy Santa Maria!' CALCULATED the
Spaniard, while his eyes seemed starting
from their sockets. what man! d!
{ my soul, tits the devil
And as he spoke thus he turned on hi
heel and hurried away from the place. AZ
ter he was gone, Joe bcckoned for me to Civ
him the knives. Ibid so and then saw him
slip them up his coat sleeves. When wc 70
D turned to the cafe he approached the keep
er.