Mariposa Democrat., 1857-05-06

desperate, with a moclIish burst Of merrment
and he snatched the cowhide from the hand Of
John Thorn, and sprung at his boyish rival.
A terrible struggle ensued, and the youth
might perhaps have achieved an actual victory,
when John Thorn interfered, by knocking him
down with the butt of his pistol. Davis in
stantly seized him by his long flowing hair, and
completed the chastsement without pity or
shame.
At length Col. Thorn ordered "Let him
go, Captain, that Is more than enough, and the
thing has not been done very fairly, any way .
Released, the boy fixed his eyes piercing as
daggers on the visagc of his enemy, and said
in hoarse whisper: 81 demand, and will
have satshctionw
"Does the baby want more of the same
sort?" sneered the duelist.
The steamboat, previously alluded to, had
rung her bell as the signal for landing, and was
now rapidly nearing the shore. Young Thomp-
son cast one glance at the crowded deck, a
sudden thought flashed through his brain, he
smiled as a fiend smiles, and flew again upon
his rival, grappled his throat, and dragged him
to the ground, at the same instant biting of
one of his ears as he fell.
"Fathcr, let me shoot the wrctch" exclaimed
John Thorn, drawing his revolver
Not so" answered the Colonel No more
foul play; the boy has better grit than had
thought-but let us part them; the boat is
touching the bank"
They attempted to pull Thompson away
from his hold. His arms felt hard as iron, and
the clasp of his fingers seemed terribly tena
cious as the jaws of blacksmiths vice.
"Hallol' shouted rough voice from the
steamer; there, boys, are three men upon
one" And the crew and passengers rushed tc
the scene. As they crowded around, the youth
relnquished his grasp. His antagonist, purple
from suGocation, arose with difficulty, but re
covering in a moment he drew his pistol and
fired al The heart of the heroic boy.
Assassin ~ cried Captain Turner, striking
up the deadly weapon, as the bullet whizzed
on high through the air Assassin, what is
the cause of this murderous quarrel?"
The duelist spoke not, but clasped his mutt
lated car, with a countenance distorted like thai
Of devil
"This is a bad business" remarked the
steamboat captain, turning to Thompson fol
explanation.
The latter pointed in the direction where his
Thalia stood, where she had been from the
commencement Of the aifray-pale and appa
rently as insensiblc as statue, queenly
Niobe frozen by grief and fear into marble
1--WE love each other" he avowed "and fol
that alone, her father, brother and my discard
ed rival have assailed me; this brutal bully
has disgraced me forever by the touch Of the
whip and now refuses satisfaction"
"You shall have it, you shall have it in youl
own blood and brains l' yelled Davis in a voice
like the howl of some wounded wild beast
"Then, let me have it now" replied the
dauntless boy.
snow, now" shouted the boats crew. and
hasty preparations were made for the duel
John Thorn officiating as second for Davis, and
Capt. Turner acting for young Thompson.
The principals took their places ten steps
apart, armed with dueling pistols furnished
from the steamer. 1t was a scene for the ge
MUS of a Salvador Rosa terrible contrast be
tween the devlish passions of man and the
divine peace of his sweet sster-Nature Yon
der the eternal stars sparked as ever, bright
ening the vivid blue above with rays of un
fading fire; there the magical moon smiled or
the wayeless water, smiled with looks of ten
derest love, as the young mother upon the
sleeping face of the first blossom from heI
yearning heart beyond the river scared o
lofty precipice, tnged with the rust of iron ii.
it seemed to blush all over with blood-thC
blood of unknown and unimaginable ages
more poetic blood-the fairy hues which the
atmosphere paints on the old rocks for pastme
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 spendors, will tear open each
others veins with cruel leaden balls. Already
they foretaste the internal joy of murder. The
coarse features Of Davis are wreathed with the
horrible smile of assassination, while his youth
full antagonist sheds tears of bravery, mingled
with rsvenge--dew drops distilled by the brain
to scorch the eye-balls from which they flow
Motoness as a thing of marble, pallid as the
mystic moonlight now bathing her pulscless
temples, Thalia gazes on with that strange
stoney 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
fires-the wild visages of the boats crew.
crowded like pirates in battle array along the
bank--the thickly starred heavens above--the
cleaning river beneath--and the midnight still
ness of the ancient forest dreaming in the
moonlight--all formed combination which nc
strotch of art might re-create.
Finally the signal was given. Fearless Of
his boyish boy, Davis seemed resolved to have
a deliberate aim, as he raised his weapon slowly