East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1862-02-11
HOW THE DUEL BEGAN,
AND now 1T ENDED.
FROM rHE RUSSIAN OF rouseHxIs.

our regiment was quartered IN small
aud miserably retired place. There was
no society, no enjoyment, no open house;
we were left to our own resources moth.
ing remained but to collect together at
each others lodgings, where, except our
uniforms, there was nothing to be seen.
There was only one person who joined
US that did not belong to the army. He
was man Of about thirty five years, an
age which, we felt, fully justified us in
considering him an old man. His age and
experience induced US to look on him
with no little Difference while his ordi.
nary moroseness, austere manner, and
bitter sarcasm, worked powerful inhu-
ence on our young minds. A certain
mystery, too, was mixed up with his fate;
he appeared to be a Russian, but had q
foreign name. At one time, he had
served in regiment of hussars, but il
was evident that he did not regard his
term of service, or some circumstance
connected with it, with any degree Of
satisfaction. No one knew the reason
which had induced him to give up his
commission, and settle in such a miserable
place as this, which he had chosen.
Here he lived, at the same time wretch.
edly and prodigslly; he always went on
foot, clad in al old worn out overcoat
yet kept an open table for oil the officers
Of our regiment. 1t is true, his dinner
consisted only of two or three dishes
cooked by an old discharged soldier; but
champagne flowed like water. No one
knew his circumstances, or the source of
his income, nor did any OF us ever ven
ture TO question him on the subject. His
library consisted of number of volumes,
mostly on military subjects, and novels.
He willingly lent them and never ex.
pressed any wish to have them returned.
His chief amusement consisted in exer-
cising with pistols, and the walls of his
house bore sufficient evidence of his par
tiality for this exercise, for they were
completely covered with the marks of
bullets. The skill to which he had at
tanned in this, his favorite occupation, was
incredible, and if he had offered to shoot
an apple from the cap of any of us, none
would have shrunk from exposing his
head to his unerring aim.
( Our conversation often fell on dueling
Silvio (for that was his name) never join
ed with us on these occasions. To the
question, ic ever il had fallen to his lot
to DO engaged in one, he would simply
answer that il had; bnt with that he end.
ed; he never entered into any details,
aud it was evident that the subject was
disagreeable to him. We supposed that
there were on his mind unpleasant recol
lections Of some victim of his deadly skill.
With regard to his courage, il never en-
tered into our hands to suspect him of
anything approaching to timidity. There
are some people whose appearance alone
forbids our entertaining such suspicious.
IL happened that ten of our officers one
day dined with Silvio; we drank very
deeply as usual, and after dinner used oil
our endesvors to induce the host to play
a game at bank. For long time he re.
fused, for he very seldom played; at length
he gave way to our entreaties, and pro
duced the cards; he then strewed on the
table fifty ducats, and sat down to throw
We arranged ourselves around him, and
play began. While playing, Silvio Away,
preserved the most strict silence; he never
engaged in any disputes or explanations
We knew his peculisrities, and therefore
never disturbed him in any of his or.
rangements. On this occasion, it hap
peued that among our numbers was q
young officer who had lately joined tn,
regiment While playing he had unwit
tingly made false calculation; Silvic
took the chalk and squared the account
according to his own reckoning. Tn,
officer, thinking he had made mistake
endeavored to explain it toybim. Silvio
disregsrding the interruption, continue,
to throw. The officer, losing his pa
tience, took the chalk, and altered Silvio'
account, thinking it to be an intentiona
miscslculation. Silvio evidently did no
approve Of the conduct of the lieutenant
aud Immediately replaced the origina
figures. The officer, heated with wine
excited with the game, and provoked b.
the laughter of his companions, consid
cred himself violently insulted, and in tn
height Of passion, seized brass candle
stick which was near him, and hurled j
at Silvio, who barely succeeded in escap
ing the dangerous missile. Silvio ros
up, his countenance grew pale with rage
and with flashing eyes, he said: "Sil
oblige me by leaving this place, an
thank God that this has occurred in m
own house."
The officer departed, but not before h
had acquainted the host that he wa
ready at any time to answer for tn
sffront he had given. We did not douh
the consequences of such an affair, au
already looked upon our companion as
dead man. The play continued for
short time; but, feeling that. after wha
had passed, Silvio could not be in muc
humour for play, we dispersed, each on
to his quarters, where wo occupied out
selves in rejecting on the events Of th
evening, and on the changes that woul
ensue from . vacancy. The next morr
} ing, at the manegs, We were already spec
ulating on the probability Of our oou
rade's existence, when he himself aI
! peared among us; we were Ill eager I
know by what lucky stroke Of fortun
! he had escaped. To our questions
A n