Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-04-22

Inc Ialr girl at bis side had go evidently
responded to bis appeal that he dare not
trust himself to linger longer, but as he
uttered the las. word he tore himself away,
and, leaving Jessie lost in delicious amaze.
hurried through the crowd and out to his
lonely encampment.
The next morning, while the sky was
yet gloomy with the lingering dawn, a lit
tie party of four horsemen made their way
along one of the various roads in Virginia
to the shelter of grove. They rode in
couples. In front were Captain Murray
and Fairchild they had been the first to
start, but Major Wentworth anG Lieut. Col.
Raymond followed them closely. Reaching
the spot selected, which Raymond aud Fair
child had fixed upon as being the most
suitable to such purpose, the four men
dismounted, Captain Murray touched his
hat stiffiy to Major Wentworth, but the
Major took no notice of the saluta,ion,
turning off with careless nod to Fairchiid.
Murray's cheek flushed little, and he set
his teeth tightly as the seconds measure
Before Offering the principals the choice
Of the weapons, these two had whispered
consultation, after which they affixed a
small paper target to tree, and each of
them from short distance, with their own
pistols put ball through it. This had
been arranged, and after all was over, what
ever might be the result, it was for the sake
of the servivors to be made to appear as the
consequence of an accident while practIc-
ing at mark.
During this brief delay, Wentworth was
striding up and down putting great clouds
of smoke from the cigar he had never
ceased smoking while Murray stood lean
ing on his sword, so lost in thought that
when Fairchild touched him on the shouts
der, he reused himself with a start. He
was dreaming OF Jessie, and it was hard to
be aroused from such dream to so stern a
reality. He took the pistol, however, and
In an instant his calmness was returned :;
be assumed the position pointed out, and
unmoved awaited the signal while Went
worth who had tossed away his segar, could
not restrain, during the moment of sus-
pense, quick impatient movement of the
foot.
Fire !-one, two, three :"
At the first word there are two almost
simultaneous shots, and az the seconds
sprapg forward Murray dropped into Fair
child's arms, while Wentworth fell heavily
to the ground. Both were good shots, and
both were badly wounded; Murray in the
arm, Wentworth in the leg.
Here was an unlocked for catastrophe,
and the seconds gazed at one another
aghast. They had all agreed not to bring
a surgeon with them. and now the only
thing was to ride to the nearest camp for
an ambulance and assistance. Wentworth
evidently suffered most, though the pain of
Murrav's arm was very severe. 1t gave
him an additional pang to see the CHASTITY
pallOr of the Majors cheeks and the drops
of agony on his brow.
AS Murray could best be left, Fairchild
flung himself on his horse, and started up.
on his errand. After this horrible half
hour elapsed, during which the pale sun
came up slowly and looked down on a scene
of horror below. Raymond was we'll nigh
beside himself with anxiety, when the
sharp trot of horses feet sounded, and he
knew relief had come.
The two men were lifted into the same
ambulance, and as they lay there exhaust
ed with the pain their own folly had
caused them, Wentworth was the first to
speak.
Captain Murray" he said in faint
voice, Il believe l have behaved like a
fool"
E'tsay SO, answered Murray prompt
ly, Il have no doubt was provoking in
my manner"
"Will you shake hands, then?" and
Wentworth's large palm feebly clasped
Murray's uninjured hand.
So the foolish quarrel ended, though only
after both had suffered severe punishment
for their rashness.
The ambulance was stopped first al
Wentworth's camp. The surgeon alone
beside the principals and seconds knew the
true history of the events of the morning
and he readily promised secrecy. There
was a very comfortable hospital at the cav,
airy headquarters, and it was thought less
likely to create suspicion if he was left
there, and Murray taken into Washington
So, by the time the sun declined, that young
man who at its rising. had been so hale anc
strong, was lying pale and weak On the col
Of hospital.
The true history of that morning never
transpired. 1t was supposed Murray hat
! been accidentally shot, and his refusal tt
| give the name of the man who wounded
him was attributed to an honorable desire
| to shield him from all blame. Indeed, the
| affair created so little excitement that j
|
! friends knew that he was ill., If Jessie
! Curtis wondered that he did not come the
next evening as he had promised, and lis
| teniag with beating heart for the announce.
! ment of his name, she was woman enough
to hide her real feelings, and keep the pane
of his supposed neglect from all notice. =
| But she could not repress a stare and sud
| den paleness when, three days afterwards
| -lu iuonirad if sba haarr
| that CAPTAIN Murray was badly wounded
"Wounded ?" Jessie family gasped.
Eyes in the arm they say it is not very
| bad" and So her friend went on to GOSSIP
about what was of the most vital import
auce to poor Jessie.
From the moment she heard that, Jessie
! was possessed with an unaccountabie desire
! to visit the hospitals. Her mother wonder
! ed-feared she would catch some horriC
fever, but Jessie persisted. She had seer
nearly everything in Washington sht
| wanted to see these too. So as she wal
generally INDUCED in every wish. by thu
next day an escort was found, and jessie
in charge Of kind cid lady, started Will
| beating heart on her quest.
When she entered the large room will
its rows Of small white beds, her cOurag
nearly failed her, especially when sh
| glanced at the haggard faces and fere,
bright eyes that met her on every side
but after 4 moments pause she went brave
ly on.
1t Vas towards the evening of the fiftl
| day since the duel. The first fever of tn
wound had passed away, and the broker
bone was beginning to knit. Suffering 0
body aud mind had made great change il
Captain Murray. To-day he had for tn
first time been allowed to stand up, an
now propped in a large arm chair, wa
gazing Iistlessly at the dying sunset, whel
suddenly. like the embodyment of the gold
en- rays, Jessie Curtis stood beside him
His start and flush, and the bright ligh
of his eyes. made him, for moment, loo
less changed as he cried joyfully-
"Ob, Miss Jessie, this is so kind !"
"You know ] promised" said Jessie