M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-07-03

o."uSu'eI vi one or Doth OF the ambition,
rivals.
AS may be easily imagined the post of an
editor was the most periIous of all Others and
hence the opposing factions respectively se
ieGted Inc entire corps to manage their Jour,
nals from the most desperate adVenturers thai
could be mustered, and paid them according
10 do their own fighting and that of all tbeiI
anonymous correspondence In some insta
ces, thousands Of dollars were expended as
mere premiums, besides the offer of fenormous
salaries. to secure the pen and pistol of the
most notorious duelists in the Southwest.
could specify one man, an ex-senator, who
owed his rise to this very circumstance.
However, leaving these vague general.
ities, the following brief sketch of stikinp
and real particulars will afford a tolerable
conception Of the stem trials of editorial
life
Ear y in the month of July, 1889, Israel
Woods, The proprietor Of the ARKANSAS Demo.
Graf, was seated in his sanctum, busy employ
ed IN the manufacture of written slander for
his weekly issue A single glance at this
person was truly enough to make an ordina.
ry beholder temble with apprehension; for
you. might search the world over without
indlng his superior in physical power and
agility. In the prime of youth and robust
health, he seemed a mighty mass of iron
Dones and elastic sinews-strong as the mythic
Milo when he rent the ancient oaks. His
hands looked like sledgehammers and his
Gountenance bore the impress of reckless
oTavery-a sort OF mute defiance and chal.
Ien9e to all the heroes of the human race.
his eyes were of peculiar tint that
ierce reddish-yellow which resembles the
iris of the eagle OF all col ors considered
'HG lgn OF the most dangerous character.
Indeed, ne had acquired his title to be placed
foremost in the highest class Of the fighting
cllValry by daring leats performed in all the
principal cities OF the South, from Charleston
10 New Orleans. Nevertheless, he had more
sense than to rely for impuniy on the terror
which his name so irresisti5ly inspired. His
oince was an armory. A huge double. barrel
ed shotgun hung at short distance above
ms head, aud half dozen loaded pistols Law
beside him on the table, while the silver hill
OF dagger. peeped from beneath his vest -
lie was really for immediate bat!le,whoever
might be the assailant. Suddenly footsteps
res0unded on the floor beind him and stout
darkleaturot man, of middle age, with long
flowing hair raven hue and flashing black
eyes rushed into the room in state of wild
ana almost phrenzied excitement, and threw
himself into seat
Inc editor, at first anticipating hostile
visit; cooked his isreyolveI, but instantly per-
ceiVlna his mistake deposited the weapon at
at his elbow ,excluimng as he did so-'What
now Elias Wharton? Is there a new tim.
pest brewing in the political atmos-
Just look here!' calculated the otherwilh
an lnluriated gesture, pointing to a column
OF the Arkansas Wig, which he held un.
with the ink not yet dry on the paper.
Woods snalcbed the article from the fingers
OF his friend and devouring the contents with
a rapid glance, uttered malediction too hor- |
rlb!e Tor record, while his lips turned white |
with rage and disappointment.
"ls not that too bad?" vUc lerated Wharton
cllnchlng the inteuogatory with still
more dreadful oath. "Who could have ex
pected, in the meridian Of little Rock to see
PHILIPPE against dueling?"
And an appeal to the religious prejudice
OF the people!" added the editor, frowning
I'LL his brow met lrightGul arch.
YES; and the cunning scoundrel has man-
aged to lay all the blame ofsuch combats on
the Democrats, from the first settlement of
the country" affirmed the other.
"And he has given the history of all my en-
counters, from my sIabbing a sophomore at
the University of Virginia till my rifle-battle
with Dr.. Wilson," complained Woods,
And that TRADE alone will do more injury |
10 our party than any thing that has happen
ed ioryears," remarked Wharton.
"Who can the writer be?" asked lho editor
in musing tone.
81 cannot so much as imagine" returned
the friend. "lt is not the learned and lug
lbrious style OF Pike nor the snowy declama-
tlon OF Absalom Fowler. 1t must be some
new hand in the prolific field of Whigge-
fy."
"What shall we do to pick this flesh gun
N the battery?-for unless that !be accomplish
I'd we shall lose the election" said the editor
with look of sore embarrassment.
"You must demand the author, and pro.
yoke him to an interview" suggested Whar.
on.
"And suppose they should give up the
name OF Fent Noland, as they did on the last
similar ocCasion2 You know that it would
De suicide to eight the author of Pete Whet-
'tone!" answered Wood, with shudder..
At the moment William, the elderi broth.
ROT Elias Wharton, entered the sanctum.
81 have discovered the writer of
he article signed Vindex!"
"Who is he? who is he?" asked the politi.
:al comrades in the same eagerly impetuous
,reath.
You would never conjecture in thou.
and guesses," replied the other.
"Lst us know at once, do hot keep US in
suspense" "
Levi Coleman, the young Methodist
preacher"
"The DEVIL" shouted the astonishel edi.
or.
The devil" echoed his sympathi7ipr
riend. show did you learn so strange a
act?"
"From the foreman in the Wing oflice-in
he strictest confidence, however SO that Won
must not hint at the source of the informa.
ion." "
"And now what is to be done?" they oil
inquired together.
"The case is complicated with serious diff.
!" observed Elias Wharton;for if we
ct the matter pass in silence, the rascally
ypocrite will become bolder in his attack,
nd ii we punish his insolence as it deserves
very Methodist vote in the State will proba-
ly be cast against u.s."
After rejecting few minutes, the journalist
pranS to his feet,crying out furiously-I will
tx the base WreiCh so thar tho nnnn,har, .r