Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-05-23
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THE TWO COWARDS.

az was coward We we're both cowardsr'
So spoke our old Law tutor, Moses Drake,
and tif1s' he continued. 't'' y
I'VE had graduated from Harvard, .Laban
Adams and myself--aud bad commenced the
practice oflaw. We we're neither of US mar
ried, though We were antieipting that event.
We had a case in Cobrt--a case OF trespsss,
Adams was for the pIanliH and for the de,
teudant, twas q weak aud foolish com
plant and Adams should not have taken Il
up. II was merely a. case of extortion. The
plaintiff held a rod over the back Of the defend
aat ia the shape of a bit of knowledge con-
eerniDg private mis.stepof former time,
md the presen. complaint was only seem,
inely legal way In which that other Lowet
was to be used for the purpose Of opening the
boor man putso Atthe trial exposedthe
lttick, and. obtained the ruling out by the
court OF scandal which Adams had planned
10 introduce as testimony. OF course was
severe, and as my opponent had entered upon
a very bad case, my structures cut home. Il
gained the verdict for my client and people
laughed at the foiled plaintiff, and spoke
lightly oil his lawyer, ,lIuI gg60yla
1"Thus it commenced Adams could not
| forgive me for the chaerin had caused him,
He had laid it up against me, Rod talked
| openly about being reyeuged. This was on
the first Of August. A month Afterwards we
met al q party, where the gentlemen drank
wine. Later in the evening Adams and
mea and third person made some remark
upon the old trial, whereupon fourth per-
fson laughed and said had done great
thing. At this Adams flushed and made an
,mpndent reply The reply was addressed to
me and answered il. The two outsiders
laughed at the hit I had made, and Adams
said something more severe than before. l
replied to him He deliberately told me that
was g liar
.by II had been drinking vine aud my blood
was heated. AS that harsh, hard, cowardly
word fell upon my ear my passions ovefoalte
line, strnck Labsn Adams in the face and
knocked him back againstthe wall II was
i cowardiy thing for me TO strike him there
| iu that com pany but | was too much ex-
cited TO reflect. j expected Adams would
strike back but he did not l was stronger
than be, though this confederation may mol
! have Influenced hum. His friends drew away
and vent out into the open air, AS 5000 as
the cold breeze famed my brow, and eased
the heated blood away from my brain, ! was
sorry for what | had done but il was TOO latt
10 help ihe matter. 1 might have gone to
Adams and asked him to overlook the wrong
I had done, but ] had not the courage foI
that. sfg ~ i''a ''lie
l'iGoA the following morning . friend, named
Watkins. called upon me and presented q
pote from Laban Adams. II opened il shd
lfouod it TO be challenge / was requested
lao give satisfaction for the blow had struck
III Il was gentlemen l would do so
sHfsI was willing. | might designate th,
time aud place, and select the weapons,
4 p What shoald dot e q e.f aegi 80
d IT, What ought to do was very plain Th,
lessons Of life which my fond mother hal
taught me did not leave me 10 doubt ough
e lto.have gone to Adams and made such al
Ioifer Of eoncilistion As one gentleman ma,
y hoporaby make TO another; and il be rejecte,
that, l, could have simply turned from, an
refused to do a furtherl wrong to right th'
! wrong already done Bat had not the cout
? see 10 do that--I was q coward ~ fesrs
that my friends ouldalaugh at mo aud ths
the especial friends Of Adams would point .
me The 6pRer oil scOrns . a1HuUoais tisaaIuI
Sc 10 the cowardice Of my heart, though
would be brave before the world, and | a.
!. cepted The challenge, te 4.,'ta 30 anioq Got
: .The sooner il la over, the better, remsrI
ed Watkins. q a"ao52
"Certainly," responded. Let it be on th
tvery day at sunset, lupouN the rivers banl
directly beneath the White Heart Ledge,
lTill ssndiA fsispd 10 yOa 70 make futthsrsr
traDgements."
sand the weapons r. Ssisa ,a s..las,',ass isa2 ~
.aisPistos q" b ais q sr 10 bGBo o.. IdiE 20,
& ,sa And so il was fxed, An hour aitervaft
3 | found John Price, young physician, wi
Iagreed 20 act as my second He did not urg
me to abandon the idea. nor did he enter Il
fIwofk asihough he loved It, but did IL becau
'Ibe faneled that was determined and IN cas-
70 accident his professional services might
4 Of value.s .ah5 y a'.rl l,irp - tapn !
/ knew that Adams was good shot, and
knew that I was the same, for we had prs
lticed much together; so that there was no q
vantage 70 either party in the weapons.
70 After dinner Prica came tome, aud told n
ali was arranged Evefy,hing bad been fixt
, as had planned, and Adams aud bis sscoI
= would be on the appointed ground at the a
D. pointed timel a't -atidi p 11 .Aa h.1'n'
/ After Price bad gone, SAT down and wro
two letters One was to my mother, and q
ojo,hsr to tiIe gehtle being who had proniis,
{ to be my wife As sit now ana thlnk 9th
hour, shpdder With borror--tbe hour | wTo
10 TO my mother audimy betfothea Y What IN
II about to do2 To rob them of all earthly i
ioreverl And for whai3 Aye--for Whal2 B
81 cause / had not the courage to be Dol
frank man, TO obey my God and tha laws Of q
country / was to bow before wicked spi
I'd Ito offer my blood to folly, and my hand
murderl aas ,.ls $3.50 "s 'aa.ga y
White Heart Ledge was light psrpendic
y lar wall Of granite rising above the river, Il
J. TOP crowned with bare spruce trees. Il, /
( eievsd tts name from peculiar mark whe