Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1857-03-26


had rung her bell as the signal for land
ling, and was now rapidly nearing thu
shore. Young Thompson cast one glance al
the crowded deck, q sudden thought fash
ed through his brain, he smiled as fend
smiles and flew upon his rival, grappled
MS throat and dragged him to the ground
at the same instant biting off one of hi,
ears as they fell.
" Father, let me shoot the wretch" ex
claimed John Thorn drawing his revolt
yer.
" Not SO, answered the colonel; q no
more foul play; the boy has got better grit
than thought, but letus part them; the
boat is touching the bank" r..
They attempted to pull Thompson away
from his hold. His arm felt hard as iron
and the clasp of his fingers seemed terri
bly, tenacious as the paws of blacksmith I
vice.
" Hallo!" shouted rough voice from
the steamer; 8 there boys are three men
upon one" And the crew and passen
gers rushed to the scene. AS they crowded
around, the boy relinquished his grasp.
His antagonist purple from suHocation
arose with difficulty, but recovering in a
moment, he drew his pistol and fired at
the heart of the heroic boy.
8 ASsassin!' cried Captain Turner
striking up the deadly weapon, as the
bullet whizzed on through the air; as
sassin, what is the cause Of this murder
Gus quarrel!'
The duelist spoke not but clutched his
mutilated ear, with countenancc distor
ted like that Of devil. a
This is bad business!" remarked th,
steamboat captain, turning to Thompson
for explnation.
The latter pointed in the direction
where his Thala stood, as she had stoo(
from the commencement of the ARRAY
pale and apparently as insensible as
statue, queenly Niobe frozen by grie
! and fear into marble C We loye eael
other" he avowed; and for that alone
her father, brother, and my discarded II
val, have assaulted me: this brutal bull
has disgraced me forever by the touch o
the WHIP, and now refuses satisfaction"
You shall have it, you shall have it il
your own blood and brains" yelled Davi
in a voice like the howl Of some wounded
wild beast.
Then let me have it now," replied tn,
dauntless boy. .5.... .........
Now, now!" shouted the boats crew
and hasty preparations were made for thu
duel. John Thorn officiating as SECOND
for Davis, and Capt. Turner acting fol-
young Thompson.
The principles took their places tel
steps apart, armed with dueling pistols
furnished them from the steamer. 1t was
q scene for the genius of Salvador Rose
terrific contrast between the devilisf
passions of man and the divine peace Of
his sweet sister-Nature. Yonder the
eternal stars sparkle as ever, Frightening
the vivid blue above with rays Of unfad
ing fire: there the magical moon smiled
on the waveless water, smiled with looks
Of tenderest love, as the young mother
upon the sleeping face of the first bloom
from her yearning heart; beyond the riv-
er scared a lofty precipice, tinged with
the rust Of iron till it seemed to blush all
over with blood-the blood of unknown
and unimaginable ages-mere poetic
blood-the fairy hues which the atmos-
phere paints on the rocks for pastime.-
But here, with erring humanity, all is sin
and sorrow. One instant more, and
brethren of the same race, joint heirs of
the universal and everlasting splendors,
will tear open each Others veins with
cruel lcadeh balls. Already, they fore
taste the internal joy of murder. The
corse features of Davis are wreathed with
the horrible smile of assination. while its
youthful antagonist sheds tears of bravery
mingled with revenge-dew drops distil-
led by brain to scorch the eye balls from
which they flow. MotionleSs as a thing
of marble, pallid as the mystic moonlight
now bathing her pulseless temples, Thalia
gazes on with that strange stony look, as
if unconscious of both life and love. The
sullen putting of the steam escaping
through its pipes-the red glare Of the
furnace fres--the wild visage of the-boats
crew, crowded like pirates in battle array
along the bank-the thickly starred
heaven above-the cleaning river be-
neath-and the midnight stiffness Of the
ancient forest dreaming in the moonlight
all formed combination which no
stretch of art might re-create.
Finally the signal was given. Fear
less OF. his boYish foe, Davis seemed re
solved to have a deliberate aim, as he
raised his weapon slowly on the deadly
line; but the muzzle never reached the in
tended level, to be sure as usualfof the
victims heart. For with the last echo or
the word rfre," the pistol of young
Thompson pealed the death-knell of his
hated rival. The report roared like
the still night air waking up
ten thousand slumbering echoes in the tall
rocks beyond the river, as if the yiewless
sceptres of the mountain had also caught
the rage Of the combat. 2#
The victor bounded to his promised
bride, and grasping her icy hand, said
arnestly:-1Come dearest let US go, no
one will hinder us now" asea sss !,
Yes" she answered, as if murmrring
in q dream.