Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-05-22


ground or taken our positions, or the skulk-
ing bastard showed his person, he present
ed his musket and threatened to shoot me
if l did not drop my pistols, and return to
town. In attempting to unwrap my pistols
they slipped out of my hands, and thus |
was exposed to the deadly attack of this
pedagogical poltroon with his dishonorable
musket charged with an enormous quantity
of buckshot, | turned Indignantly upon this
contemplate attempt at assassination, and
returned home--thas might on subse-
quent occasion vindicate my outraged hon
Or and in public and ostensiblc conflict in
fiict a lasceratIng fagellation upon the ped
agogueical author of this outrageous viola
ton of the code of honor, heretofore invioI-
ably observed by all who are entitled
to the honorable appellation of gentleman
When the duelist had concluded his
speech Jedediah soberly replied in these
words:-'Fellow citizens: long bore with
patience the unprovoked derision and in
suits of this professed duelist. Last night
he assailed me at the supper table with the
most wanton abuse, which l parried with
nothing but jests, until he threw case
knife at my head; l then returned the COM
pliment by dashing my plate of hastv pud
ding and molasses in his face. For this he
challenged me to fight duel. accepted
the challenge upon these conditions and no
others, that we were to stand ten yards
apart, without seconds, and each of us
might fire at pleasure, after calling out,
Stop, take care of yourself!' Nothing was
said about the sort of arms; he chose his
favorite pistol preferred this musket. |
stood behind a tree till he came to the mark
| had set, just ten yards off; then called
out to him, Stop, take care,' [ had then a
right, by the terms, to fire; but | left it to
his choice either to take nine buckshot
from my gun or to drop his pistols and
march back to town. lie wisely chose the
latter, and you all bear witness that
brought him from the field Of honor safe
and sound, and that is more than he would
have done for me if had been in his place
and he in mine. And now, to show that
meant to take no unfair advantage, I will
change situations with him before you all
| will take his pistols and he shall take my
blunderbuss, and place himself in my sit
uation and position. He shall stand ten
yards off and fire at pleasure, after calling
out, Stop, take caren Itwas acknowledged
by all the company present to be a fair
proposition, and the duellist accepted the
terms of the school master.
The ground was measured and the COM
batants took their respective stations. The
Yankee threw the blruderbuss at the feet
of the duelist, who very coolly picked it
up, imagining tina, in a very few moments
he should retrieve his honor, by driving
the nine buckshot into the BODY of his an
tagonist. The word was given, and the
dueliSt instantly raised his blunderbuss and
taking sure aim, pulled the trigger. Snap
went the lock, ,ut the gun missed fire.
Try it again says the Yankee. The duel
ist gritted his teeth as he cooked it the sec
ond time Again he pulled the trigger
Snap went the old rusty musket, with a
duller sound than before. Now phenom-
cnon occurred. The wooden face of the
Yankee was for once brought into smile,
and some affirmed that he laughed, though
others thought that to be impossible. But
the enraged bully began to smell the rat
He examined the capacious pan of the old
frelock. He found nothing but yellow
snuff He hastily turned the muzzle to
his mouth and blew into it. The air whist
led through the touch hole; the old musket
was not charged; the nine buckshot were
imaginary. He threw down the harmless
old iron with yell of blasphemy, and ran
up to his room, while shouts of laughter
convulsed the assembled multitude.
Half an hour afterward, the chop fallen
duclist was seen on his horse, trying 10
steal out of town by back lane. He was
pursued b! hundreds, with claps ard shouts
of derision, till he galloped out of sight.
The people of that town never again saw
the face of Major Alonzo Bickerton the
duelist.
"Whither he went and how h Jared.
Nobody knew-and nobody cared
I.oRENzo Dow.--On one occasion lie took
the liberty, while preaching, to denouncc a