Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-05-17

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was altogether out of the question,
for the slightest motion would have
been the signal for immediate death.
He thought of Emma and her sweet
babe, and bore the castigation in ST.
lence.
After this clients deserted his Office
and GENTLEMEN refused to recognize
him or return his salute in the tho
roughfares of business, or during his
morning strolls over the hills. Had
bis touch been contagion or his breath
pestilence, he could not have been
more carefully stunned.
Another week passed and the de-
graded lawyer was in state of mind
bordering on insanity; and yet all the
while he concealed the mental torture
from his affectionate wife. One even
ing, in more than commonly bitter
and gloomy mood, as he walked thro'
the public square, he was again accost-
ed by Mike Johnson. with his cooked
pistol in one hand and uplifted cow
hide in the other. The assault was
the more aggravating as the place was
thronged with spectators.
Coward and yilIainr' exclaimed
johnson, "did | not tell you that |
would cowhide you every week, until
| whipped the courage of a man and
a gentleman into your yankee hide ?
"I am not a coward" retorted
Thomas, in hollow tone, so unearlh
ly fierce and wild that it caused every
hearer to start. At the instant his
lips were livid, and clenched between
his teeth till the blood ran. His eyes
were red as a mad dogs, and the
muscles of his face quivered but bis
body and limbs seemed to have the
rigidity of marble.
"He will fight now" rung in an ca
ger whisper through the excited crowd
as they saw the terrible tokens Of a
fend aroused-the fend which turks,
at different depths in all human ma
lures.
"If you are no, :. coward, why will
you not fight ?" asked the dutllist,
somewhat struck, in spite of his tho
rough desperation, hardened III the hot
gore of dozen murders.
a WILL fight if you wish it. was
the loud ringing answer.
Then you accept my challenge? 2
a do. Will any one present be so
good as to act as my second q inquir-
ed the lawyer, addressing the specta-
tors.
| For minute or two no one spoke,
so great was the dread of the arch,
duellist, Mike johnson.
"Will no one in such a mass of gen
erous men be my second ?" repeated
the lawyer in a louder tone.
81 will, said shrill, trumpet-like
voice, on the outskirts of the crowd,
and a tall, commanding form, with
bravery written on his brow, and the
eagles eye beneath it, made his way
to the centre of the scene of conten,
tion, and stood close fronting Johnson
with smiling glance, before which
the latter, for an instant, quailed.
The question "Who is he? who is
he y circulated among the lockers on.
But no one could answer, no one had
ever seen him before, and yet every
body would have then sworn to bis
courage, so bold, and yet tranquil was
his bearing.
"Who are You p inquired the duel
list. recovering his presence Of mind.
"A stranger from Texas"
"But who will vouch for your re
spectability?'
a can give you vouchers sufficient,
replied the stranger, frowning till hi,
brows booked frightful and ther
STOPPING forward, be whispered some
thing in Johnson's ear, audible alone
to him.
Il am satisfied" said the dnelli>
! aloud, and trembling perccpIibly.-
Colonel Morton, will you serve a:
! my friend p
The individual last addressed gave
his assent.
"Now let US adjourn to some phi
vate room to arrange the prelimina
ries,' remarked the stranger; anC
, the principles and seconds left th'
. crowd, then increasing every minute
| and excited nearly to madness by tn,
thick crowding events OF the hour.
: The meeting took place the follow
ing night, in dark room, with tn,
doors locked, and the two seconds ol
. the outside. The principles wer'
placed in opposite corners of th'
apartment, which was twenty fee
square, and each was armed with ;
large bowie-knife-no more. 1t wa
. midnight-a night without moon O
!, stars. Black pitchy clouds envelopet
> the sky, and a slight sitting mist ren
dered the shadows of the earth NOR
! intense. Hence, the room where tn
, duel was about to begin, was wrappe,
= in rayless darkness. The combatant
. could not even see the blades of thei
= own knives.
At first they both stopped and stea1
I. thily united and took off their shoe:
e so as tc make the least possible nois
@ in walking over the floor. The sam
n thought had struck them at the sam
time-to maneuvre for the vantag
r. ground.
Thomas moved in a circle, softl
It as cat, around the apartment, till b
It got within a few feet of the corne
e where his enemy had first been PLACED
G and then paused to listen. For fou
z or five seconds he could hear nothin
in the grave-like silence but the quic
Il beats of his own busy heart. Pre-
h emily, however, there crept into hi
IL ear scarcely audible sound, as o
suppressed breathing, in the corner {
It the room which he had previousl
left; and then he knew that his tc
n was trying the same stratagem. Til
a. ruse was repeated thrice, with lIk
d result. At length Thomas conclude
D. to stand perfectly still and await Joh
d sons approach. Motionless now hin
d self, and all ear, soon he could di
IN tinguish a soft rustling noise, like tt
$. dropping of fakes of wool, circlir
n. round the floor, and gradually advan
ii. ing toward him.
ID At last, when the sound appeare