The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-12-24

and select the weapons.
What should do?
What | orght to do was very plain.
The lesson of life which my fond mother
had taught me did not leave me 10 doubt.
| OUGHT to have gone to Adams and made
such offer of co1c;liation as one gentle
man may houorabiy make to another;
and if he had rejected that could have
simply turned from him and refused to
do further wrong to right the wrong
already done. But had not the courage
to do that | was a coward. | feared
that my friends would laugh at me, and
that the especial friends of Adams would
point at me the finger Of scorn.
So, in the cowardice of my heart,
thought | would be brave before the
world and accepted the challenge
"The sooner it is over, the better" re.
marked Watkins.
Certainly" I responded "Let it be
on this very day, at sunset on the rivers
bank, directly beneath the Waite Heart
Ledge l will send friend to you to
u1dhC li.c d12CuIcHlS'
"And the weapons :"
"Pistols"
And so it was fixed
An hour afterwards I found John Price,
a young physician, who agreed to act as
my second. He did not urge me TO
abandon the idea, ncr did he enter upon
the work as though he loved it; but he
did it because lie fancied shat was de-
termined and in case Of accident his
professional services might be of value.
| knew that Adams was a good shot,
and he knew that was the same, for we
had practised much together; so there
was no advantage to either party in the
weapons
After dinner Price came to me and
told me that everything was arranged
Everything had been fixed as had
planned. aud Adams aud his second would
be on tie ground at the appointed time.
After Price had gone L sat down to
write two letters. What IA coward | was
to write them One was to tny mother
and the other to the gentle being who
had promised to be my wife. AS sit
nuw and think of that hour | ,hudder
with horror-the hour when wrote to
my mother aud to my betrothed. What
was about to do? To rob them of all
earthly JOY forever! And for what p
Aye-fur what? Because had not the
courage to be frank man to obey God
and the laws of ny country! was to
bow before a wicked spirit-to offer my
blood to folly and my hand to mnrde'
Whi,e Heart Ledge was a high, per
pendicular wall of granite, rising above
the river, the top crowned with dark
spruce trees. 1t received lis nama from
peculiar mark, where mass of white
quartz appeared, half way up the ledge,
in the furm of heat.
Late in the afternoon I was upon the
sandy shore beneath the ledge and al
most at the same time LaGan Adams made
his appearance We were both anxious
to be thought brave men! He did not
speak to me; nor did speak 10 him
Our seconds conferred il while together,
aud then Price came to my side.
"Alust this 90 on ?" he asked.
I told him | did not know how it could
be stopped. lied, for did know.
lie informed me tha. if would make
the least overture of peace, he felt sure
that Adams would accept it.
Il think" he said, "that Adams is sor
ry for what has happened. You struck
him, and he cannot retract."
"And ne called NE liar -
Il know he did and | know that he
did wrong. 10 fact there is wrong upon
both sides Offer hun your hand, and
think he will take 1t without a word of
explanation"
| No. | would not DO it.
And yet, why would | not? | was
afraid that men would say I was COW.
ard !! o, what precious coward | was
"You are both good Shots" added
Price and if you FIRE together you may
both fall"
| But | dared not offer the hsnd of con.
ciliatiOD, i told him | was ready.
| lie went back TO W atkins, and pretty
soon they measured off the ground
twelve PAGES. We were 20 stand, lack
to back, those twelve paees apart. We
were to tnrD at the word One we were
to raise our pistols at the word 7lco and
at The word Three we were TO FIRE. /
caught the eye Of LabaD Adams as | took
Wy position, and | was sure that no aD-
cry passion dwell, therein. For an in
slant the impulse was WITH me to throw
down nv pistol, and offer him my hand.
| was sure that he would Dos refuse me
But | had not the courage to do is. I
would rather dc tbe deep, damnipe wrong
than do that simple, Christian act Of leve !
Our seconds hesitated, as though they