Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-04-02
A mcOIMts DUEL

Joe Latti. MTr,wd truveled fankee-a jug
sler, to boOt-gcts aboard the old iiigate
| BraEsLvteiae ut GibFalteF, bringing with him
a good deal Of money and big trunk If ''ma.
eician's implenehts." lie acts as assistant
steward, and becomes great iavOrte with the
crew. At Port MahOn they go ashore. Joe,
in full toggery, enters q wine shop to drink
and accidentally gets into quarrel With ic-
rociOus Spanish infantry captain. A dull en-
sues a. follows:
@My name Is Joseph Latti, sir-a citizen
Of the United States, ard General Of the
Order Of Sublime Darkness" said Joe, very
Pompously, turning to the Spaniard. Your
name, siry"
"AmtOnio Bazaar, Captain in Her Most Sa-
cred Catholic Majesty's 9Th Regiment Of In
fantry. But your office, sir: | don't COM
prehend.'
"Uh, you wouldn't know IL were to tell
you am simply General Of body Of men
who have sold themselves to the gentleman
! who burns sinners and hereticS, down there"
and Joe pointed most myStcriOuSy down to-
wards the floor as he spoke.
The Spaniard smiled . very bitter. sArcaS-
tic smile, and thereupOn Joe took up two large
knives that lay on thc bar, and tosscd them,
one after the other, down his throat, making
several wry faces as they took their pasSage
downward. The fellow had evidently never
seen any thing Of the kind before, for he was
aStounded.
"Now, sir" said Joe, making one or two
more grimaces, a. though no felt the knives
somewhere in tho region Of the diaphragm,
"you will wait here while 20 and bring my
pistols, and you shall have satisfaction. Will
you waltz"
~ can procure pistols, sail the officer, for.
getting his establishment and coming back to
his anger
~ shall fight with my own. If you are
z mt oman you vii! wal.
Joe turned to US and bid us wait for him.
Here! here! Oh! gentlemen, where are
my knives!" cried the keeper.
"Tll pay you for them when come back,
said Joe, aud then he beckoncd to mo to come
out did so, he took the knives, one from
his bosom and the other from his sleeve, and
told me 10 keep them until he returned.
| 1t seems that Joe found boat ready to take
him of to the ship at once for he WAS moi
gone more than three-quartcrs Of an hour -
mounted pistols with him. lie loaded them
with powder, in the presence Of the Spaniard.
and then, handing him ball, asked him il he
again. The f.llow hesitatcd at first, but at
length he took it, with mad gesture, and bit
it between his teeth.
III shall know that" he said, sunless il is
battered against your boncs.'
"Now select your pistol" said joe
The man touk them and examined them, but
he was satisfied that they were both alike, and
both good, and he told Joe he had no choice
So our steward put the balls in and rammed
them carefully down.
The whole party now adjourned to q wide
court back Of tho cafe, where twelve PAGES
were marked of, and the conbatants took
their stations. treinbled for Joe, for ] saw
not vet how he would make fun out of this.
Count" said the Spaniard, impaticnty.
"Onc-two-thrre!a L.
The captain fired first, with most d .lberatc
aim. Joe fired in the mir. Then the latter
walked deliberately up to his antagonist, aud
taking a ball from between his teeth, handed
it to him.
"YOu can use that next time, said Joe.
The officer looked first at Joes teeth and
then at the ball 1t was surely the one that
he had seen put in the pistol, and now he had
seen his foelnan take il from his mouth. lie
was Enthusiastically astoundrd.
"Comc, let's load again" said Joe.
"San Pablo" exclaimed Bizar, "you must
use sOme-SOme-what you call him
trick, CHI? shall load the pistol myself"
do So" said Joe, calmly, and rs he spoke
he coOly handed over his powder flask.
The Spaniard poured out an extra quantity
Of powder, and having poured it into the pi>'
toll, called for ramIncr. lie then put the
same ball in he used before. Meanwhile 10,
had been loading his own pistol.
"One moment" said Joe, renching out hi>
hand. "The caps are in the butt Of your pis
tol. Lot me get them"
The fellow handed over his pistol, but KEPT
his eye upon it Joe opened a little silver
spring in the end Of the butt, and, true, thcr,
were some percussion caps there. lie took
out two, and having capped his own pistol, h,
tossed il into the AIR, catching it very adrOitly
as it came down, and then handed back tn,
other 10 the Spaniard. had watched Jot
closely, but had seen nothing ont Of the way
and yet he had changed pistols with his foe
'tNOw," cried he, an put ball in my
pistol, and then we will be ready"
lie slipped something in that looked like {
cartridge, but no one else saw it.
: Now" suid the Spaniald, lets see you
mold this in your mouth"
Again they took their stations and agar
they were ready.
"One-two-threc"
And the Spaniard fired first, by aim, 10,
firing in the air, as before. And again 10,
/ stepped forward and took the selESaMe bal
out Of his mouth and handed it to his antag
onist. The fellow was completely dumb
tOundered.
"You no fire at MT" he gospcd,
"Tll fire at you next time" said Joe, in :
tone Of thunder; "thus far have Just show,
you that powder and ball can have no cfTe
upon me. Twice have you fired at me will
5 aS true pistol rs was ever made aud boti
J times have ] caught your ball between my
teeth, while have fired in the air. mean
that you should live long enough to know tina
for once in your life you Ind seen, if not tn,
old fellow himself, (pointing downwardl n
least one who is In his employ. The old gen
tlemaa wln like the company OF Spnnisl
, captain q lniAntr.y, and I'll send you along
! But the astonishcd Spaniard did not seen
inclined 70 d. so. 4 man who sW allowed car
vilE knives a. he would "a, dimes, and " h,
caIght pistol balls between his teeth, was no
exactly the man for him to deal with. Whll,
he was pendering upon what hcIhea seen, Jo
TOOK d handful Of bullets from bis pocket, an,
bega4 fostOss them RAPIDLY down his tllrOat
and Ween th49e we're gone he picked up som
hale1ls oa-siSod stones, and sent thun
after - 6llsSs.
. Holy Santa Maria !" calculated the Span
lard, while his eyes seemed starting from tn il
-Ockets. what man! BY my soul, he il
tho Devil"