Des Arc weekly citizen., 1869-03-02
B.
THE DUEL.
BY E. 8. GOULD.

Harry Bradford sat musing by the [ window and was apparently lost in thought, when sudden knock at his door aroused him but before he could bid the applicant enter. Fred Stanley burst into the room. @.,fs..s.. x.
 "It's all arranged Harry" said he with a glee in which, however, his ! companion did not seem at all to par ticipate.
 "So supposed" replied Harry, qui- etly "such an affair is not likely to remain long unfinished Tn your hands,"
 "And why should it, pray ?" inquired Stanley, little nettled at his friends want of enthusiasm.
 "Oh, it should not, of course," said Harry; "such matters, after all, are best done when soonest done. Where do we meet?"
 "On the old battle-ground--Wee- hawken,' said Stanley; "no place 1 like it.'
 "No, none like it, indeed! What time have you appointed9" asked Harry.
 "To-morrow, at sunrisc,' replied Stanley.
 "That's rather prompt, too," said Harry, "if one has to take leave of his friends and make his peace with God"
 "Bah!. said Stanley, slightingly, "we must not think too much of these things"
 q must not, certainly,' replied Har- ny, eff would just now retain my self-possession. We use pistols, pre- sume?" , '.Yes, at ten paccs;" said Stanley.
 "A fearful proximity for men of ap- proved courage and skill who are bent on taking each others life!" rejoined Harry; then after pause, he added, "Wilson persists in his challenge, Fred ?" M ac Ba8s
 Good G-!' exclaimed Stanley in dismay at what appeared to him pros pect of losing his expected sport, "you are not afraid to meet him Harry!"
 "No, Stanley" said Harry, mot in your sense of the word. So long as consequences are limited to myself, I have little thought of fear. But" he 1 he spoke in low tone and with unwonted rapidity, lest some trcmulousness of the voice might be- tray his em motioa--thcre are other i'm |, tercsts, other fears, other considera- tons" Ah s4@ ..*g l
 "Forget them for heavens sake, un- til After tomorrow, said Stanley, in- tcrrupting him, Cor you will never &C., quit yourself with honor. If you have any little affairs to despatch, set about | them at once and don't fail to be abed | and asleep before ten, or you won't De up in season. l would not have Will son on the ground before us for the s world Good bye; must prepare my pistols, for I sec you will never give them athought;" :" and away went Fred Stanley as full of bravery, as solicitous for his friends honor, and as indifferent about his friends distress of miad--as seconds are wont to be.
 Harry did not move for some minu- ! tes after Stanley left him ;and when at length lie raised his eyes from the floor, his countenance bore an expression of unuttcrable wo.
 It was no wonder. He was the only 1 child of widowed mother, and the 1 aflianccd lover of the sweetest maid in the land. If he should fall, as he well might, what would become of that mother and of Kate Birncy?
 He at length aroused himself saying --ssI dare not see my mother: but Kate -dearest, loveliest Kate! l promised to call on her at five and it's five now and, by heaven, there she stands at her parlor window bcckoning mo to hasten; yes and, she holds up that bouquet of flowers. It was but yesterday gath cred them for her-and what has not happened since yesterday" Here he paused, as if too much overcome by i fond recollcctions to proceed: he then added in different tone-'these follies come upon us, with both cause and consequences, as suddenly, as fatally as the inevitable casualties of life! A day Of promise is changed to life of mourning by the event of n moment; the act of an instant destroys the hap piness and poisons tho memory of years! Those flowers were gathered in hope and before they-frail, perishing mementos--can wither, he who bound them and she who wears them may be 1 lost in despair! sg
 With heavy heart Harry repaired to his loves rendezvous, where, full of beauty and tenderness, Kate awaited him. They were to be married in a week; and these interviews of the lovers now possessed an additional witchery from the fact that their com munings. as lovers, were so soon to terminate forever.
 The romance of passion is bright episode in our youth. The hymenaal j sun. while he yet chambers toward the "misty mountain-tops" on the morning !. of wedding day, spreads his promise over the broad firmanentin thousand <. fantastical images of crimson and gold,
 We watch the accommodating splcndors
 of the sky and say, exultingly, if the
 dawn be so gorgeous whatwili not the
 day bring forth Buta as we gaze, the sun heaves his broad disk above thu
 horizon-thc ephemeral imagery of va
 DOT disappears-and the calm, stead,