The union Democrat., 1870-03-05
The Three Chcrry stones,

the most substantial part of their repast, were
lingering over their fruit and wine at tav-
ern in London. when man of middle stat
ure, entered the ruhhc room, where they
were sitting, seated himself at enc end Of a
small Gncccupied table. and calling the wait
er, ordered simple mutton chop and glass
OF ale. His appearance. at first view, WAS
not likely 10 arrest the attention Of any one.
His hair was beginning to be thin and grey !;
the expression of his countenance was seiate.
with slight touch at melancholy: and he
wore n grey Surtout with standing Collar,
which manifeStly had seen service. il the
wearer had not--iust such thing an oth-
Ger would beStow urou his serving man
He might be taken plansibly enough, for n
country magistrate, or an attorney OF limited
practice, or u schoolmaster.
He continued to msSticate his chop and
sip his ale in silence. withoa; lifting his ewes
from the table, until cherry stone. sportive-
ly snapped from the thumb and finger Of enc
| of the gentlemen at the opposite table struck
him upon hisright ear. Ills eye was instant
ly upon the aegressor, and his ready intel
ligence gathered from the illsuppressed mer-
riment Of the party that this petty impert-
nence was intentional.
The stranger STOPPED, aadpieked MP the cher
ry-stone, and n scarcely perceptihle smile
passed over his features rs he carefully wrap
ped it up in piece of paper and placed it in
his pocket. This singular procedure, with
| their preconceived Impressions Of their Gus
toner, somewhat elevated MS the Young gen
tlemen we're by the wine they had taken.
capsiEed their gravity entirely. and burst
of irresistible laughter proceeded from the
group.
Unmoved hy this rudeness, the stranger
continued 70 finish his frugal repast in quiet.
until another cherry stone, from the same
hand, struck him upon the elbow. This,
also. TO the infinite amusement Of the other
party, he picked from the floor, and careful
ly deposited with the first.
Amidst shouts of laughter, a third cherry
stone was soon after discharged. which hit
him ucon the left breast. This also he very
deliberately took from the floor, and deposit
ed with the other two.
As he rose and was engaged in paving for
his repast, the gravity of those sporting gen
tlemer became slightly snhdued. 1t was not
easy 10 account for this Lavator would not
have been able to detect the slightest evidence
of irritation or resentment upon the features
of the stranger. He seemed little taller,
TO be sure, and the carriage Of his head might
appear to them rather more erect. He walk
ed TO the table at which they were sitting,
and with that air of diguhcd calmness
which is thousand times moro terrible
than wrath, drew n card from his pocket. and
presented it with perfect civilitv to the offend
er, who could do no less than offer his own in
return. While the stranger unclosed his SUR
tout to take the card from his pocket, they
had u glance at the undreSs Goa: OF u military
man Tie card disclosed his rank, and n
brief inquiry Mt the bar was sufficient for the
rest. lie was \ captain whom ill-heath and
long service had entitled to half nay. In ear
her life he had been engaged in several aC
fairs of honor. and. in the dialect of the fan
cy, was deed shot.
The next morning note arrived Mt the ag-
gressor's residence. containing u challenge.
in FORM ami one Of the cherrv-stone The
truth then flashed before the challenged party
1T was the challengers intention to make
three bites at this cherry-thrse separate at
fairs out of this unwarran.ahle frolic The
challenge was accepted, and the challenged
party. in Difference to the chalenger's reput-
ed skill with the pistol, had half decided upon
the small sword but his friends who were
on the alert. soon discovered that tho captain,
who had risen hy his merit, had. IN the ear
lier days of his necessity. gained his bread rs
an accomplished instructor in the use Of that
weapon.
They met and fired alternately. by lot--the
Young man had selected this mode, thinking
lie might win the first fre--he did---hrcd,
and missed his opponent. The captain lev
eled his pistol and ired-the ball passed
through the flap of the right ear. and grazed
the bone; and, as tie wounded man invol-
untary put his hand to the place. he remem-
bere6 thG: it was on the right ear of his an
tagonist that the cherry. stone had fallen
Here ended tho first lesson. a month had
passed. His friends cherished the hope that
he would hear nothing more from the cap
tain, when another note---a challenge of
course-and another of those ominous cherry
stones arrived. with the captains apology.
on the score Of ili-hcalth fer not sending it
before.
Again they met-6rel simultaneously. and
the captain, who was unhurt, shattered tae
right elbow of his antagonist--the very point
upon which he had been struck with the
cherry-stone and here ended the second les
son. There was something awtully impress
sive in the modus 0perdndi, and exquisite
skill of his tagonist Tho third cherry
stone was still in his possession. and the az
cressor had not forgotten that it had struck
tho unoi;endng gentleman upon the left
breast. 4 month had passed-anothcr-an
another, Of terrible suspense; hut nothing
was heard from the captain. Intelligence
had been received that he was confined to his
lodging By illness.
At length the gentleman who hal been his
second in the former duels once more presented
himself. and rendered another note, which rs
the recipient perceived on taking it contained
the last of tho cherry-stones. The note was
superscribed in the captains well known
hand, but it was the writing evidently of one
who wrote feehlv. There was an unusual
solemnity also in tue manner of him who de-
livcred it, The seal was broken. and there
was the cherry-stone in blank envelope.
"And what, sir, am | to understand by
this p inquired the aggresscr.
''You will understand sir. that my friend
forgves you-ne is dead
Women who want to vote will be Interested
to know that The following speech. delivered
in the Wyoming Legislature, was the clinch-
~ ~. of tl,A Ank vrht tNla