The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-06-12

yards of the post where I was stationed as
sentry. In less time than it takes me to
relate the incident, l beheld Catlett on the
ground, bleeding profusely from the nose
and mouth his antagonist standing over
him and bidding him arise.
"Stay," said Barnewell Raikes, with an
air of command that always had power
full influence on his associates. "Stay.
This may be very good way of settling
quarrel with you Northern boys, but
Southern gentlemen-"
keep it So" cried Catlett springing to his
feet. "Let us fight it out now-upon the
spot"
"You shall not" said Raikes. "Ifyou
move to re-commence it, Catlett, I'll call
the corporal of the guard. Your feeling
of chivalry, I know, would lead you to ac-
cept any wager of battle that might be Of
fered you; but fisticuff's degrade US, how
ever honorable they may be considered at
the North
"Chivalry be hanged!" exclaimed Alb
ner Hardston, cadet from Vermont of
that years graduating class, who had just
joined the party. He was fine young
man, of eighteen or thereabouts, and had
been famous as former champion among
the juniors. "Chivalry be hanged!" he
repeated. "You have chivalry enough to
provoke quarrel, but you want the grit
to see it through. You have chivalry
enough to rush into the presence of your
Maker for hasty word, but you want the
grit to take broken head with fortitude."
81 don't wish to argue that question,
Mr., Hardston,' retorted Raikes but I
mean to stop this fight. "Look, here,
Catlett," E" he continued, with malignity
that shocked me in one so young-'Look
here, Catlett. You and Winslow hate
each other, and always will. Your quar-
rel is life one. Wait till you can settle
it for life.'
"I do believe you're right, Raikes," as
sented Catlett. 81 sometimes think it's
a quarrel that more than he and l will
have to settle"
"It is, it isl" hissed Raikes, between
his teeth "and l hope the day of settle
ment won't be postponed much longer"
"Will you shake hands, Catlett, and for
get that this has happened?" asked Wins
low, who had not heard these last remarks.
"No, no, Austen Winslow," Catlett ans
wered. "There'S a fate that makes us
foes forever. shall not try to thwart it,"
He said this sadly, as ifhe really thought
there was some destiny about it; then
slowly saunte.ed away toward the parade
ground, arm-in-arm with Barnewell Raikes.
81 tell you, Austen Winslow, that in
fernal state of South Carolina is the plague
spot of this country, and Barnewell Raikes
gives US very good specimen of the
spirit that's bred there. There's some
kind of generosity and goodness of heart
about boy from Kentucky or Virginia
but these Carolinians hiss their malice
around here like so many adders."
"And the worst of it is, HarIstOn, be-
fore they've done they manage to infuse
their venom into all the other Southern
cadets
''And into some Northern ones, too,
Austen: Pm ashamed 70 own it,
Hardston, l can't help feeling trouble
will come of it some day.
So much of the conversation that en-
sued between Hardston and Winslow I
could not avoid overhearing, as they walked
tiict. The last remark made by Hardston
specially impressed Inc. Tn the frequent
sectional quarrels which occurred at the
Academy there was always a number of
boys from the North, of the Rufus Owsley
stamp, that took sides against the more
manly young fellows, like Hardston and
Winslow, who constantly defended the
cause of their own portion of the country
whereas, never met an instance of ca
det from slave State who did not, right
or wrong, stand firmly by the South. This
seemed strange to me at first; for had
been but short time in the United States
when enlisted, and knew nothing of the
political antagonisms that were even then
tending to the unfortunate rupture now
reddening the land in blood. confess to
having secretly admired the spirit of unity
and independence and the absence of toady-
ism which distinguished the Southern ca
dets, and to having as heartily despised the
fawning sycophancy of some of the North
ern boys of whom I speak. I despised
them the more, because l saw that their
servility was taken at its true value by
those on whom it was 1avished, and re-
ceived in return but ill-concealed aversion
and contempt. Roger Curry would tell
Rufus Owsley to his face that he was a
sneaking Yankee doughface, and that he
ought to consider it an honor to be allowed
to black the boots of his born superiors,
and to lend them money when they'd con-
descend to borrow it, And Rufus Owsley
really seemed to think 50.
Little opportunity for further observa-
ton was permitted me at West Point. Two
days after the occurrence just narrated, l
was under marching orders with my COM
pany for the Mexican frontier, and, in less
than a week, had reached St. Louis on my
way there.
At Fort Riapho, right in among the In
| dams, found six companies of my regi-