Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-08-11
look on this bully as the representative Of

your partyY'
by no means, sir, said the Lieutenant
"apd we beg you will not notice what ht
seys. Its only the indiscretions of twt
or three extra bottles of strong ale"
He's well.meaning enough" said th'
captain of marines, "but-"
Gentlemen" shouted the now thor
onghly angry engineer, II want none o
yer outs. There be others ere as thinks
has do; and l say again, that if thil
, dom'd Yankee peddler hand lis under
shoppers don't leave ere. hin cut theil
hear hoff. They won't fght, hand wha
helse can hi do?''
His loud voice had by this time at.
tracted the attention of the numerous oc
cupants Of the establishment, and quite a
crowd bad gathered within hearing dis
tance. When they said, They won
fight" Franklin quietly asked:
Where did you learn they would not
fight was it from Buukerhill, Yorktown
or New OrleaHsp"
"'Ell ear the monkey talk. Hin
tempted to break hevery bone hin youl
miserable body but hi won't. 'Owever
l dare you to fight me with the knife, err
and now, halter the manner of the Peru
viaDs. Come, my little blow ard, if yoI
can fight bull you hought to hafford tt
fight me-" =
As / believe told you before; though
sinewy and quick, yet Franklin is rather
below the medium hight, and his pale
face and even cut features made him
look delicate and almost girlish. This
deceived the great strapping Engishmau
who, in the blind confidence of his brute
strength, and courage now excited by
drink and the incidents of the day, did moi
believe that franklin would fight in any
manner; and when he challenged him to
fight with knives, he bad not the most
distant idea that it would be accepted.
He evidently expected him to decline it,
and, by his so doing, hoped to disgrace
him, and humiliate the Americans; while
at the same time he made himself the
champion of his party, and sustained all
the .boastful words he had uttered during
the evening.
But Franklin, fully returning his con-
temptuous stare, quietly said, II am
ready to fight you now and here with
knives. Who is your friend, sir2"
The engineer looked incredulous; and
in his astonishment only said, 20, you
hare" while several tf the bystanders
cried out such words as "Come, old
Shanghi, don't back out from your chal-
lenge," and "Who's the dung-hill now,
old fellow?" etc. Upon this, the Eug-
lishman sprang to his feet in rage, say
ing, Well, my lad, we'll soon settle the
business" w -a-s ~
1t had gone too far for either party to
back out with propriety. The landlord
protested; but to keep out the police, and
prevent all Interruptions, the doors were
closed and barred, and six good men
were chosen on either side, to keep the
peace among their respective friends, and
to see fair play between the cambatants.
But in addition to these, each had chosen
friend to act as his second in arranging
the prelimineries. These were soon set
tied for there wa. no effort made to stop
the duel. The Euglishmsn had ceased
his loud, insulting talk, but in making his
preparations he seemed in deadly earn
est, and said to his friends: I'm kill i'm
hin less than three minutes; you'll see
hif don't" WA It. UID
( / will not enter into all the details pre-
cedipg the fight. Suffice it to say, the
Lieutenant acted as the friend of the en-
ginesr, while the Msjor rendered the
same service to Franklin. Additional
lights were lit, as the room was very
forty by eighty feet. The
tables and chairs were removed to one
side, and the spectators seated on them
with strict instructions to remain there
aud keep perfectly silent, and leave the
floor for the combatsnts and their friends.
The former were now ready for their
bloody work. They we're stripped of
everything but their psntalooDs and
stockings, aud handkerchief each
around their heads. In their right hands
each grasped broad double-edged dag
ger, while in the left they held stiff,
hat, such as the natives
of the country wear-ss a kind Of shield
to ward off blows on that side. The
horid color had given place
TO a rigid paleness-s look, however, that
denoted confidence and murder. But in
Franklin's face neither muscle nor color
denoted anything unusual. He was as
cool and imperturable as if at home in
peace.
Everything being in readiness, they |
we're led near the centsr Of the room,
within ten feet Of each other, By their
respective seconds, when the Lieutenant
said Gentlemen, are you both ready1"
Being answered in the Affirmative, and
having taken position midway between
them on one side, and Msjor H.
corresponding position on the other, he
continued: Gentlemen, when Major
H. says proceed to business, you
may advance and commence work; and
nay God forgive the victor, sRd have
mercy on the vsnquished.h
Then you might have heard q pin drop.
The combatsnts were gazing in each 9TH
re eyes, With right arm uplifted, aud the
eff at gu ard, when Major H-said with
yreat disiinetness, Proceed to bqsi'
hess ~
Each advanced . step, cautiously
hen, with bodies sWaying to the right
md left, ss it watching 10 dash 10 under
,ne anoiher's guard. they stood q mo-
neut At length the EnElishmsn rushed
o, and made . murderous pass Of Frank