Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-07-06
NUMBER 1913.
Translated from the French.
A French Duel.

| The morning was cold and rainy, and, seeing be-
| fore him chalet, through whose windows shone
glorious fire, and whose curious external stairway
descended even to his feet as If coquettishly invi
ting him 20 share mountain hospitality, Dupont did
| not hesitate to mount to the door. lie found the
| key in the lock, opened, and entered. A man was
seated at desk, with his back to the doom At
the noise of the opening, he turned his head, and,
recognising the intruder, cried, joyousy,
| "Ahi tits you, Dupont! We win take a turn
| Immediately"
II was Fourner who thus spoke.
Faith am ready said Dupont.
4 Fournier took his sword from the corner of the
room. They fell into position; they crossed wea
| pons All this passed in moment. To see, re-
! cognise, and provoke and attack each other was
| AZ natural and spontaneous as to breathe. II was
only between the passes that they conversed.
~ thought you were employed in the interior"
said Fourner
"Thc Minister gives me the fourth division"
Indeed! how fortunate command the cay
airy there. So you have just arrived?"
i "This instant"
"And thorsht Of me the first thing. How a,Aia-
Bile you are!
"No, really, did not know you were here
Seeing fire through these windows, as was
about to pass, | stopped to warm myself"
"This exercise viii warm you sufficiently"
The fight became fercer Fourier hazarded
pass, which Dupont taking advantage OF, pushed
him 40 vigorously that he was forced to give back
step by step.
Dupont advanced, steadily within distance, cry
ing,
"Not at all. ! only retreat. Do you think
am going to let you spit me like sparrow -
'sThe room Is small. shall drive you to the
WALTZ -
1--WE shall see!"
"See, then" and as Dupont said this, be press-
ed Fourner literally into the corner, and his sword
piercing the muscles of F.'s neck pinned him to
the wooden wall like family portrait badly hung.
"The devil !" cried the spitted general.
/ "You did not expect this!" said Dupont.
"On the contrary, it is you who do not expect
what Is about to happen"
"Indeed what is about TO happen, then?"
"Why, the moment you draw out your sword
shall thrust mine into your stomach, and you
will fall" s.f
"True," replied Dupont, piercing his sword with
great force into the logs Of the cottage wall
/ swell, what the devil are You piercing the wall
?"
i ~ am taking precaution against your lunge in
my stomach" .
'"You cannot avoid it, the moment you with
draw you die"
az shall not withdraw till you throw down your
sword"
".It is impossible for you to keep your arm thus
strained for ten minutes, It must drop, and you
ceive my thrust ~
4 "You are unreasonable, your blood is flowing,
in ten minutes your eyes will close"
1--WE shall sec.n
every we]L am not impatient" 's -'
"Nor !, We win abide. the result! |"
This contest would probably have been prolong-
cd to fatN termination, had not the noise oftheir
dispute atflcngth been heard by some officers in
another part of the house. who, coming hastily
upon thesceue, separated with much difficulty the
obstinate cornbstants.
When parted they each claimed the victory,
and finally demanded with great gravity, to be re-
placed exactly as they were when separated, Du-
pont promising to refx his sword through Four
nier's throat without increasing the wound.
They we're finally obliged TO force the latter to
bed and the former out Of the chalet
Sharp Practice-A Model Book Pedlcr.
'Don't you want to buy the Life of Christ to-
day. Mstern said determined looking Yankee
book pedler, who yesterday entered our sanctum,
with guttapercha travellingbag in his hand,
and a rather powerful odor Of whskey on hla
breath.
"No, not to-day" was our bland reply. "We're
rather too busy TO speculate in theological litera
ture at present"
Better look at the book, anyhow, hedn't yer
chuck full Of picturs; Sarmon on the Mounts
: done up first rate. Reg'lar jam up book, that is
writ the hull ont mysef-dd by thunderT
mo, we've an abundant supply Of works on
divinity"
!" But stranger, this airs suthing new"
ave rather guess that the Bible and Josephus
contain about the gist Of your compilation, don't
theyp
, Jo--se-phusl who in thunder's hef No,
stranger, yeou're out thar. | tell yeou there's
things In this ere book thatl bring yeou right out
Of the gall OF bitterness and the bonds Of inquity
There's things in that book that Josephus never
heard tell on"
II was no use however; we declined purchasing
J and the Yankee at length bowed himself out.
A moment Afterwards he resppesred.
"Say, Mister, mougbt yeou know Mr.. p, neIt
door,
We intiInated that such was the fact
"WeIl, kin yeou tell me what religion he be.
! longs tewt Some say he's Methodist some caIs
him a Swedenborgian, and another feller Gays he
bankers arter the Mormons. I'D like tew know
what he rally does belong tew."
"Why do you inquire y we asked.
"Wall, don't mind telling yeou. Ycou see,
ginerally find eout what church man belongs tew,
! before try to sell him book, because, then,
always let on that ! belong 10 the same church.
and that ginerally takes, that does. II / know
what church man jines with, never miss fire
selling under them circumstances
"Well did you make inquiries concerning our
religious tenctsw
Stranger, did you can bet high on IT,
"Not very successfully IL would appear; for
you haven't sold us n book"
"Wall, no; but eff you kin tell me what church
Mr. p. belongs tew, itll dew just as weL'
"You can't sell him = book. It's no use making
the effort"
Stranger, III bet you hat on it,
: "Well, Mr.. P. is Swedenborgian. Now, try
him. a
About an hour afterwards, we entered P.'s store.
He was walking up and down, using language
rather more emphatic than ordinary custom re-
qures, not apparently addressed to any person In
particular. ..
Whats the matter p. ~ we inquired.
"Why, 3 chap came in here TO sell the Life Of
ChHst'--said he was a cousin Of Professor Bush,
the Swedcnborgian divine, and Swedenborginn
himself Said he'd just sold my brother Dick
copy, and that Dick sent him TO me-"
And 40 you bought one y
"Yes, and Dick was here just nov, and says he
never saw the man. He's confounded rascal
4 l.l.- u - ~. y. IL. ~