Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-05-22
From the Southern Literay Messenger.
THE YANKEE AND DUELlST.

At certain town on the Ohio, a Yankee
and a Duelist happened in the year 1880, to
be boarters at the same tavern. The Yam
kee was a shrcwd man, as Yankees gener
ally are, but nevertheless, honest, goodna-
tured, peaceablc, and withal, fond Of Il Joke;
but even when joking he was accustomed
to maintain grave and even dry counten-
ance, as if his face were made of wood
His age might be twenty eight-he was by
profession a school master, and his name
was Jedcdiah Bateman.
| know not whence the duclist came. He
seems to have been lurking for number
of years about the village on the frontier
living by his wits as card player and land
speculaior. He was proud, overbearing,
and malicious; had been doubly arrogant
and assuming since he had been victorious
in no less than three ducls. Once he had
crippled, twice he had killed his man; max
ing, by these exploits, two widows, and
five children fatherless. Such was his
fame as duelist, that it was thought to be
little less than suicide for man not per-
fectly expert with the pistol to meet him
in the "feld of honor" as this sort of MUIR
derers call the place where they shoot one
another
In dress and manners he was fop and
swaggerer. His red bushy whiskers al
most met on his chin; his shirt ruffles were
long and projecting: his cravat was stuffed
with padding until it almost buried his chin;
and his bell-crowned hat was tilted over
his left eve throw when he walked, or rath-
er strutted along the street, swinging and
Pumping down his cane at every step; and
whercsoever he went, he overlooked every
body, and expected the way to be cleared
for him by high and low He considered
himself justified in lording it over all who
were about him, because he was the most
formidable man in town.
If any peaceful, worthy man did not
cover at his presence, he was sure to re-
sent the supposed indignity by sneers and
insults. Many were the pompous gibes and
bombas:ic witticisma that he discharged
from day to day at the school master, Jed
ediah Bateman, who did not humble him
self like a dog before the high and mighty
Maj. Dashwell Bickertop, as the duelist
styled himself. He said he had borne 8
Majors commission in the army, and boast
ed of his exploits in Gen. Waynes expcdi-
ton against the Indians. Some people
doubted whether he had been in that expe.
dition at all, because he gave some errone-
GUS accounts of marches and battles-bu
they doubted only at heart, for who dare
insinuate the suspicion of falsehood to the
Majors terrible self; the Majors tongue
might err, but his pistol was nevertheless
true. Who would have thought that oul
dry-faced school master would, first Of all
have the hardihood to retort the sneers and
insults Of this hero of the pistol lie bore
several of these attacks with the utmost
composurc. Not muscle of his face chang
ed its habitual fxedness; not a drop more
or less blood colored his check; neither
word nor look indicated the slightest feeling
of the bully's satire. He charged the ar
tilIery of his wit with still heavier loads OF
turpid phrases, to express his contempt for
the school master. Still the Yankee WINGED