Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1870-09-22
Ssleft Slnru.
How Gus Gurley got Satisfac
ton.

| LlOu,
Well skip it, reader; for even if Mr..
Bonner didn't object, it would look I'M
seemly to begin story with an oath like
that Gus Gurley swore, standing liable
that morning And Gus wasn't swear
ing man either.
How came he, then, to commit such a
breacth of etiquette and ethics? Well,
may be you wouldn' have done it; but
don't be too sure till you've heard enough
to be able to put yourself in his place.
Imagine young husband Of six months
standing, ardent fond and trusting, cas-
ually entering his wife's dressing-room in
her absence, aud stumbling on mischiev-
Gus looking rose colored note, freshly
opened, Cupid in every crease, and a
lurking look of another's hair peeping
stealthily from its folds!
The very paper blushed guiltily as Gus
caught it up.
Eagerly and wildly his eyes ran over
the contents. For moment he stood
amazed and motionless, and then broke
out But we've promised to skip that.
Perhaps any othor man would have given
utterance 70 as much, reading such mis-
sive as has addressed to his wife:
AFFINITY, Aug. til, 18-.
DEAREST KATE: How could you go
and marry that great bulky fellow behind
my back, and without word of notice ?
Though I've returned too late to for
bid the bans, Pm still in time to give that
lord and master of yours hint-which l
mean to do-.that an older love than his
won't quietly suffer another to monopolizo
its rights.
'Ex pect me by Monday, and keep a
kiss for Your ever affectionate
SAM. SMITH
Smith Smith Sam. Smith Taught!
what name Had it been Brown, Jones,
or Robinson, there might have been some
bearing it, But Smith and red-headed
too! 'Frailty, thy name is @omanp Yet
it might be that Smith was some presum
ing puppy. whose vile epistle was the
result of his own impudencc. But
not-the wife that could receive such
communication, and conceal it from her
husband, could not be else than false
Smiths hearts blood was the very least
atonement the case admitted of. Had
Gus been more collected, he might proba-
bly, have bided his time and taken peace's
destroyer unawares, and then 'tripped
him. trusting to an intelligent jury, and
and proof of mental azi6i, to bring him
out all right But he was not sufficiently
rational for that, and so adopted the fool
ish plan of summoning Smith to mortal
combat.
Gus had friend, Captain Borax, re-
tired quartermastcr, Thoroughly versed in
points of honor The Captain was just
the man for the emergency; but, as i'll
luck would have it, he vas out of town
for the day.
That no time might be lost, Gus de-
manded satisfaction by mail. directing his
challenge to the address indicated in the
caption of Smiths note, and fixing a time
and place at which his friend, Captain
Borax. would be prepared to confer with
any friend of Smiths At the same time
brief message to Mrs Gurley explained
that important business necesSitased her
husbands absence for the next few days.
Meanwhile Gus took up quarters at an
obscure country inn, leaving everything
to the management Of the Captain, whom
he had succeeded in finding at last, and
who, proud to be sought for such SER
vice, promptly rea9ired to the appointed
rendezvous, where he was punctually met
by friend of Smiths. The prelimina
ries we're speedily settled, and meeting
was arranged for the following morning.
AS the time grew near, Gus grew ner-
vous. The fact is, Smiths alacrity had
taken him little aback, He had felt
quite confident that that miscreant would
shrink from encountering the man whose
honor he had outraged But instead,
without turning the word, Smiths second
had chosen pistols, and named ten PAGES
as the distance It was plain the wretch
was as blood-thirsty as INSCRIPTIONS. Be-
sides, Gus was no shot, which Smith
judging from lis choice of weapons, no
doubt was. How much better, Gus be-
gan to think, to have fed forever from
the scene of his unhappiness, or to have
invoked the benign aid of the laws of In
diana But it was too late now to re-
| tract.
From troubled slumber, such as con-
| demned criminals are apt to fall into in
tie last hours of their last, tight, Gus
was startled by sensation as of bullet
piercing his thorax. It was only Captain
Borax poking him in the ribs, by way Of
reminder that his hour had almost come
In brief space--how very brief it
seemed they were on the fatal fields -
AT nearly tie same instant close car
riage drove up, containing tho enemy's