The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-12-23
Jhe 8edfora 6azette
rmE BuRaTNG STEAMER.


threats addressed to one young man
by another, as they stood on the Ieyee
at New Orleans.
Ignatius Polk and Jasper Harrison
had been rivals. Both in love with
Floride Palmer, the daughter Of a
wealthy planter, for two long years
they had each striven their utmost to
win the prize. Scores of lovers, or
rather attendants, had paid their de
voirs to the beautiful Floride, all with
out apparent success, and each had In
turn retired from the field, leaving at
last Ignatius and Jasper sole contest
ants.
Both were the sons of men of good
standing in the community. Jasper
was the son of merchant of New Or
Ieas, and Ignatius the eldest son of a
wealthy planter of neighboring par
ish. Both were tall. finely formed, of
good address, and well educated. 1t
was hard for the lady to choose. In
the morning, with Jasperfor COM
panion, while enjoying the invi CORA
ton of equestrian exercise, she thought
that certainly he was a man TO whom
of all others she would intrust her life's
! welfare. In the evening, Joined by Ig-
natius, who was blessed with splen-
did voice, mellow, and well according
with her full toned mezzo- soprano, she
thought that he alone possessed that
/ love of home and congeniality of feel
j ing calculated to make a wife happy.
/ Thus for months the rival runners in
the course of love kept pace with each
other; and the friends of the gentlemen
began to twit each of the contestants,
and banter him on the probable success
of his opponent.
Jasper, like most of men under the
/ circumstances, was somewhat irritated
by the remarks made by friends on
what he said, was none of their bust
ness. On one occasion, while in ho-
tel playing billiards, one of his COM
panions made remark to the effect
that if he did rot make better game
in love than he did in billiards, il
would be a losing affair with him.
The by-standers, all acquaintance.
laughed.
Stung by the taunt-for Jasper was
somewhat vain of hisskill in all games
and doubly irritated by the laugh
ter-evoking allusion, the maddened
man flushed to the temples, fairly
shook with rage, and, without a mo-
ment's consideration, struck the jester
a smart blow on the head with the cue.
In an instant the blow was returned;
but with the fist.
Before any one could interfere, the
+ opponents were rolling on the ground
in the disgraceful distortions ofa rough
and-tumble. True, the billlgerants
We're separated almost Immediately ;
but not before Jasper had received sew
eral blows on the face, about the eyes,
the marks of which he was compelled
to wear for weeks.
This was not all. In the heat of his
rage Jasper challenged his opponent.
The defiance was accepted. A duel
was fought which luckily proved a
bloodless one. Unluckily, however,
/ the cause of the meeting was not kept
a secret and before a day had passed,
the Jest, the insult, the braWl, the du-
/ el were the property of public gossip.
Just before these events occurred
Mr.. Palmer had seriously demonstrated
with his daughter respecting her con-
duct toward her two lovers and had
charged her, for their sake as well as
for the saFe of her own good name, to
decide between them. He also hinted
that though either of the young men
would be acceptable as a son-in-law,
Jasper was the more manly, the more
earnest, and therefore, the more likely
to prove the sufficient guardian of hel
welfare.
Like a dutiful daughter, Floride
weighed well her fathers words. In
/ her mind she compared her two suit.
ors. Jasper was certainly the more
manly, but Ignatius was the more lov.
ing, and this nearly turned the scales In
his favor. But then she thought that
husbands ceased to be lovers, and that
even the most domestic life cannot re-
main continued courtship-t hatsome.
thing more is demanded of a husband
than affection. Then Jasper turned
the balance, for he was enterprising
self possessed, and bold.
Thus the contest ragged in the MIND
of the maiden from morning till neal
evening. She became weary, nervous
distracted, and all in vain, for she
could come to no conclusion. Her
father entered, and with cry Of joy
/ she rose, ready TO throw herselfin his
arms, aud ask him to decide for her.
Her woman's nature rebelled against
this, however, and she remained ST.
lent.
Her father mistaking the cause o.
her emotion, and thinking that she
had been made aware Of Jasper's i'll
fortune, commenced to apologize for
him, saying that young men will gel
into these scrapes; that young blood Is
hot blood that it was pity that his
face was so marked that he could moi
be seen in the public for ii few days.
By this means, and the cross-ques.
tioning which followed, Floride sooI
knew all.
1t was enough. Think of a lover
one of whose most interesting posses
sions is hisgood looks, bruised ana bat
| tered like ynlgar brawler Ugh il