Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-09-02

The steamboat previously alluded t
had rung her bell as the signal for lane
Ing, and was now rapidly nearing til
shore. Young Thompson cast one glanc
at the crowded deck, a studded though
flashed through his brain, he smiled as
hend smiles, and few upon his rival
graphing his throat, and dragged him /,
the ground, at the same instant bitin.
of one Of his ears as they fell. =
Father, let me shoot the wretch /!
exclaimed young Thorn, drawing his re
volver. - aat
Not So" answered the Colonel " n,
more foul play the boy has got bette
grip than | thought,-but let US par
them ; the boat is touching the bank"
They attempted to pull Thompson
away from his hold. His arm felt hare
as iron, and the clasp of his fingers seem
ed terrible tenacious as the paws of {
blacksmith's vice.
Halloo r shouted a rough voice from
the steamer There, boys. are thre,
men upon one.p And the crew and pass
engers rushed to the scene. As the,
crowded around the boy relinquished hi:
grasp. His antagonist, purple from suf
oeation, rose with difficulty, but recover
ing in a moment, he drew his pistol anc
fred at the heart of the heroic boy.
Assassin !" cried Captain Turnat
striking up the deadly weapon, as th,
bullet whizzed on through the air I" as
@sassin, what is the cause Of this murder
Gus quarrel ?t
The duelist spoke not, but touched hi,
multilated ear, with a c~ountenance dis
torted like that of a devil,
This is a bad business z" remarked
the steamboat captain, turning to Thomp
son for explanation. a 6et
The latter pointed in the direction
where his ITALIA stood, as she had stood
I pale aha 4 es4PRp@asesnScssgeaass If ff6st9k1sihle as :
statute, a queenly Noble frozen by grieI
and fear into marble. We love each
other" he answered /" and for that alone
her father, brother, and my discarded
rival, have assailed me !; this brutal bully
has disgraced me forever by the touch O
the whip, and now refuses satisfaction
You shall have it, you shall have il
in your W blood and brains!' yelled
Davis, in a voice like the houl Of SOM
wounded wild beast.
Then let me have it now" replied
the dauntless boy.
"Now, now" shouted the boats crew
and hasty preparations were made fol
the duel-John Thorn officiating as sec
ond for Davis, and Captain Turner act
ing for young Thompson.
The principals took their places ter
steps apart, armed with dueling pistol.
furnished from the steamer. It was {
scene for the genius of Salvador Rosa f; {
terrific contrast between the devilisl
passions oil man, and the divine peace o.
his sweet sister--Nature. Yonder tho ele
CANT stars sparkle as ever. brightenipf
the vivid blue above with rays Of unfad
ing fire ; there the magical moon smiled
on the waveless water, smiled with look,
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 will
the rust Of iron till it smeemed to blnst
all over with blood-the blood of ua
broken and unmaginable ages-more DO
etc blood-the fairy hues which the at
mosphere paints on the. rocks for pastime
But here, with erring humanity, all is sir
ard sorrow. One instant more. anC
brethrensof the same race, Joint heirs Of
the universal and everlasting splendors
will tear upon each others veins with
cruel leaden balls. Already, they for
cast the Internal joy of murder. The
coarse features of Davis are wreathed
with the horrible smile Of assassination
while his youthful antagonist shed tears
OF bravery, mingled with revenge-dew
drops distilled by the brain to scorch the
eyeballs from which they flow. Motion.
less as a thing of marble, pallid as the
mystic moonlight now bathing her pulse
less temples, ITALIA gazes on with thai
strange stony look, as if unconscious o.
both life and love. The sullen putting
OF the steam escaping through the pipes
the red glare of the furnace fires
the wild yisage of the boats crew, crowd.
ed like pirates in battle array along the
bank-the thickly starred heavens above
the cleaning river beneath-aad the
midnight stiffness of the ancient forest
dreaming in the moonlight-all formed d
combination which no stretch of arr
might re-create. g
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 muzzel never reached tht
intended level, to be sure, as usual, Of the
victims heart. For With the last echo
OF the word fire" the pistol of young
Thompson pealed the death. knell Of hi
heated rival. The report reared lik,
thunder on the still night air, making vi
ten thousand slumbering echoes nth,
tall rocks beyond the rixer, as TIL
viewless ~septres.ot the mountain had ais,
caught the rage Of combat.
The victor bounded to- his promises
bride, and grasping her icy hand, sal,
earnestly Come, dearest, let Us 90!
=