The Shasta courier., 1864-04-09
SHASTA COURIER.
EARLY SCENES IN CALIFORNIA.
The sham Duel.

Yreka, in its youthful days, like mostJuve-
niles born to plenty of money and few cares,
was a most hilarious village. Free tights
were common, and the soft notes of Colts per
suaders often echoed along the streets and
among the board houses. But, 1t the boys
were rough. and would fight sometimes, they
now and then, by way of rarity got up some
rich scenes Here's one OF them:
One morning in the Summer OF lo3-, II
was whispered that Tim and Tucker, two old
friends. both men of well-tried. and, herea-
bouts. undoubted courage, had fallen ont the
NIGHT before and were then prepared to fight
duel at ten o'clock, on the hill jast east OF
town; distance, ten PAGES weapons, shot
guns. loaded with six shooter balls. Now,
for the benefit of weak nerves. we will say
here in the outset, that the thing was made
up-a sham-underso by but very few,
and of those few were not selected the friends
who were to act as seconds. With these wOr
thies it was to be fight only too real-a fight
to the death-and they made their prepara-
ton accordingly. As the hour approached
for the duel, not less than five hundred hon
est miners gathered on the hill selected as
the bloody field The seconds with their
principals appeared, the ground was measur-
ed off, the men took their positions. the word
was given and both Eaen fred simultaneously.
The five hundred pale faces turned, if possi-
bic, still more ashy. Tim was nnharmed.
Tucker stood for an instant, then struck his
hand heavily on his breast, in the locality OF
which he had secreted a bladder, filled with
a blood colored fluid burst the bladder, and
what the five hundred pale faces could have
taken their book oath was his life's crimson,
gushed in copious quantities from bis breast.
and over his neck and face The death
stricken man fell heavily to the ground. He
was carried intoa house near by, gasped heav-
ily few times and to outsiders, died. The
spectators were horrifed Tim had disappear
ed Some one not an outsider cried, : Let's
hang Tins second" That individual was
just leaving the field, but not so far away but
that he overheard the remark and the angry
ascent of the now thoroughly excited crowd
He broke, rushed breathless into town ran
to friend who kept livery stable. Friend
hid him away in the hay. The search be-
gan to grow close and warm. Friend, who
had in the last few moments been let into the
secret, advised him 10 escape, as he could not
longer conceal his hiding place. But how?
and where? The town was full of angry
and terribly excited, men, determined upon
his death A plan of escape was matured.
A woman's dress was procured also an old
fashioned leghorn bonnet, of the hugest di-
mensions. Into these the trembling second
was told to get himself in the shortest possi-
BILE time: and without paying too much at
tention to the details of his toilet. A horse
and side-saddle stood ready the radiating
fringes of the leghorn were pressed so near
together, and held so by handkerchief,
that the lady's focus of vision on the world
outside of the bonnet was limited to about
two inches and that directly over the point
of his nose. With much ado he was seated
in the saddle, ladywise but almost instantly
unseated and fat on his back in the street,
owing to the insertion of an old boot under
the horses tail, by the stable keeper, which
caused the animal 20 make a sudden. and,
to the rider unexpected jump of eight or ten
feet. Not much hurt, he was again mounted,
and, in company with a friend on another
horse, that could go, he set ont on the keen
run, Just as an officer on horseback appeared
around the cornor. Tam O'Shanter's moon
light ride nothing to that race. 1t was
terrific. The wild yell of the ecrowd, Of there
he goes !" the firing of their pistols, and clat-
tering hoofs of his pursuer's horse, were mo-
tives amply sufficient to induce the second to
urge his animal to the highest possible point
of speed consistent with his maintaining his
seat on the lady's saddle On they went ::
tne pursuer anu tne pursued: : eacn intent Oh
accomplishing a single obiect-the one to
capture and the other to escape. For three
miles this terrible race continued then, as
they neared the foot of rugged mountain,
and the officer was gradually gaining on them
the friend advised the fugitive to leave his
horse and trust to the bush. This was no
time fer holding council-promptness was
the word. He sprang from his horse and
struck out up the mountain side, over rocks
and through the densest kind of chappare.
The officer fired several shots in the direction
ofthe retreating leghorn. and cried Stop.'
But it didn't stop. On the contrary if such
a thing could be possible, it accelerated its
get-up the mountain proclyity. In short, he
travelled fast. without regard to the preserva
ton of his feminine apparal. small bits of
which. as long as it lasted, futtered from
every bush He was last seen half a mile up
the mountain side. still going it, minus dress,
coat, pants or anything lse, except the crown
ef the leghoTn. The officer and friend rode
back 10 town, the ruse was explained. and
everybody, inehding Tucker, took drink
But the poor second was KEPT in the noun
tains six weeks and when at last he did re-
turn, he looked as though he had lived on pine
bark for a twelve month. Sunday -NercaFy.