Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-06-13
A Duel on the Mississippi.

/
elegant and hospitable mansion, beaut
fully situated upon one of the banks c
the Mississippi, about twelve miles fro1
F Natchez. That it was hospitable, man,
F a man yet living can testify-for man,
were the travellers visiting in that re
gion, who spent days there, and enjoyed
the rich hospitality and urbane attention.
OF its warm souled, accomplished propri
etor. This man, Charles Glenning, was
certainly as gentlemanly a person as
ever knew. He was educated at thr
| North-had spent his early days there
bnt for the sake of business, to which he
betook himself on leaving college, he
went to the South, carrying with him as
bright bud of feminine beauty as ever
God suffered to bloom in this unconeeniaI
ugly world. Isabel's love for her hus-
band was as strange as her beauty. She
lived only for him, she dreamed only of
him-he was her all. The circumstan-
ces which first led me to their acquaint-
ance were peculiar, and such as entwined
me into their best feelings. They bad
been married about four years, and the
fruit Of their union was little curly
headed boy, sweet as his mothers beau
ty. | was hunting on the side of the
Mississippi one warm afternoon, when /
observed something floating at distance
which, by the means of my dog, was
broug ht TO land; and, to my sur
prise, were presented the pallid, bat yet
warm features of this same little boy. 1t
seemed that while playing near the
river, he had fallen in, and was near
about breathing his last. Taking him in
my arms, / hurried home, and arrived
just iu time to save him. From that
hour they loved me as a brother.
About half way between the planta.
tion of my friend, and the city of Nat
chez, there lived one Nat. Ralle, q hun
ter. His was one of those dark browed, |
malicious countenances, which made one, |
in spite of himself, think of the devil,
wherever he met him. He never spoke
like other men. II you met him in the
woods of morning, his salutation was
N low surly tone, which made you
doubtful as to its nature and after lie
lad passed you for forty or fifty yards,
'ou might observe him stopping and
Ooking back, as if he felt himself sus-
'ected by every body. The devl-for
uch he was, and such will he appear
'efore have done with him-had been
'ten seen prowling about the dwelling of
and once shot a tame doe,
'hich Glenning bad kept for two or I
lree years, the care of which had de- |
olved on, aud was a source of amuse-
lent to Isabel; and on that account it t
'emed double injury. q
Glenning, as cool a man as ever laid d
aim to the qualities of honor and hon
'ty, al this, rode down 10 the planta- t.
on of Ralle, and mildly, yet earnestly t
Ipostulated with him, on what was es- d
emed a breach of faith-careful, at the a
me time, TO express bis belief that the Il
ooting of his tame animal was unde-
5ned, yet requesting, for fear of a sim Z
II occurrence, that he would hunt else I,
here, which he could do without in b
mmoding himself. h.
To this mildness in Glenning, Ralle ze
posed the remark, "that he would do
he pleased that the woods were free,
d that he should hunt towards the -;
orth or south, without asking leave of NJ
ankee interlopers. n,
Glenning, l have said, was a gentle tn
IN. He was such, if there ever was Of
ca man OF good morals, charitable re
his disposition, and could not bear to Sc
iict pain, even on dumb beast. With IA
Ii notions-and they were not mere or
k with hint is a thing I cannot ex- on
lin, that he so far forgot himself as to nm
RI back the insult he had received, and IT,
a manner that called forth challenge
m the surly hunter. Ia,
Before the rising of the sun next NOR di:
g my friend was ready for the recon-
l met him at the bottom of the bill. de
'front.' Of his dwelling, with his pistols -
lis hand. cit
Poor, poor IsabelP ? was all he could raj
culate. She sleeps, she suspects no. fel
lg, poor thing-and should l fall, it
st break her heart. Death cried yot
starting up, fear not. have liv-!of
o die when my time comes. But she eye
he who loves me-whose whole life
trapped up in mine-how can She my
a tear started from his eye.
my hand, MY friend said III
you must help me in this. You must
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