Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-08-21
THE ACE OF SPADES.
By FRANCIS A. DURB1vAeE.

4 I @ -s5t(t4H fsitgssfr
Twenty to one bit it at the fir
shot!' said Frank Traverse, a youn
! American, as he pointed out to hi
companions, group of Cubans an
Spaniards, a playing.c card, the ace {
spades, pinned to the trunk of a pail
tree at twenty PAGES distant,. in th
capacious garden of country-ses
in the neighborhood of Havana.
/ Draw it rather milder for heaven
sake, Frank whispered his frienG
Will Waters, a New Yorker, long
resident of Cuba. 1a3 81 s1sa
i Twenty to one / center that ace
repeated Traverse, looking roun'
! him. alat ol ga.H 10 tl4'J 0dI
you are jesting, amigo said /,
dashing young Spanish officer, Cap
tain Antonio Alvarez, of the lanceros
you are jesting or you want to throV
away your money a $50 Ii "a
That's my lookout, captain; vii
you take ME up?' a5s9,so
Certainly 4yssaga..} $50 ia -
sWell, then, I'll make the offer fair
/ will turn my back to the mark
wheel at the word fire, and discharge
my pistol at one-two-three. You
shall give the word if you like an.
'Done!' -7 5ss Sd e.{+ &
Traverse turned his back to the card
The captain gave the word. Traverse
wheeled and fired at .stwo." Cap.
tain Alvarez ran up and examined the
card. He returned stroking his coal.
black moustache. .-a-ss~--
You did it cert,ily,' said be, but
it was chance shot s.2 ses
"a chance shot!' repeated Traverse
"a hundred TO- one I'll do it again
four times running i5ri.. s-.,
Done, said the captain. 4 lo a
The second shot widened the hole
made by the first. The circumfer-
ence Of the second-the fourth and
fifth shots widened the aperture
The card was handed round amidst
the admiration of the company ~
Traverse smiled as he put the card
in his vest pocket. This is nothing,
said he, 4 have made better shots
There is rothing wonderful in it,
I have lived with the pistol in my
hand ra5afg IT
do you understand the small
sword, also, senor,' asked the lancero.
carelessly. -
'Indiaerently weIl,' replied Tray
erse. 80 2 8
what do you say to a bout?' asked
the captain.
with all my heart. 'o 9a Z 49,
Alvarez smiled, and signed to an
attendant to bring foils. He, offered
the American his choice. The young
men laid aside their coats. Traverse
bent the blade of his foil to try its
temper and spring, it proved to be
the best German steel. Alvarez
tossed his high in the air, caught
it with the right and left hands,
threw it over his arm, and played
with it in a thousand dexterous fash.
ions. At last they saluted gracefully
and interchanged the preliminary
passes to ascertain their distance.
sOn guard!' cried the Spaniard
stamping his foot, and the glitterine
blades were engaged. noia.
Traverse was accounted a good
swordsman. He made pass, and his
antagonist sent his blade whirline
thirty feet in the air. fT
Take mine, | beg you,' said Alva
rez, with a polite bow.
M.# .r.H
Picking up the Americans sword
he renewed the encounter, and touch
ed his antagonist lightly on tht
breast. Traverse laughed in return
and was disarmed instantly. 20 -
4 give it up said he gaily. st
George was not more a master o
the sword A =
1T is nothing, answered the Span
lard, indifferently, yet well pleaset
at the compliment. my fencing :
like your shooting. ] have llvet
with the sword in my had. It's m,
favorite weapon 6
He is an inveterate duelist, whis
pered Walters to his friend. 'He ha
killed four different men to my eel
tain knowledge, and each one. wa
drilled in a different place. ii
success makes, him something Of
bully ,-.ss,ss - -.
Come, gentlemen, to horse!' sal
Captain Alvarez. The sun has q