The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-06-15

!
robber or assassin. AS he passed
through the streets, he was astonished
to witness the GOODNESS manifested by
his old acQuaintances, and even pro-
, fessed friends, while the great mass of
the people seemed to regret him with
ineffable contempt. "Yankee white
liver" "boaster," '.poltroon," were the
sounds most frequently rung in his ears
especially when near the. groceries,
and there was one then on every ter
Face of the broken hills.
, The matter grew worse. About a
week afterwards, Johnson met his vic
tim in the public square. presented a
cooked pistol at his heart with one
hand, and belabored him numerically
with cowhide which he grasped in
the other. Resistance at the moment
was altogether out of the question, for
the slightest motion would have been
the signal for immediate death. He
J thought of Emma and her sweet babe,
, and bore the castigation in silence.
After this, clients desired his Office,
! gentlemen refused to recognise him or
return his salute in the tEloroughfares
of business or during his morning
= strolls over the hills. Had his tOnch
been contagion, or his breath pesti-
lence, he could not have been more
carefully stunned.
Another week passed, ana the de-
f graded lawyer was in q state of mind
bordering on insanity; and yet all the
while he concealed the mental torture
7 from his atfectionate wife. One even
S ing, in more than common bitter and
: gloomy mood, as be walked through
the pubic square, he was again accost-
+ ed by Mike Johnson, with his cooked
pistol in one hand and uphfted cowhide
f in the other. The assault was the more
aggravating as the place was thronged
+ with spectators.
: Coward and william !" exclaimed
S johnson, "did not tell you that /
d would cowlide you every week, until
;, | whipped the courage of a man and a
! gentleman into your Yankee hide p"
it 81 am not coward" retorted
: Thomas, in hollow tone, so unearthly
n fierce and wild that it caused every
d nearer to start. At the instant, his
o lips were livid, and clenclcd between
II his teeth till the blood ran. His eyes
d were red as a mad dogs and the mus
It cles of his face quivered but his bod.
e and limbs seemed to have the rigidity
). of marble
y "He will fight now" rung in an ca
h ger whisper through the excited crowd
as they saw the terrible tokens of tn,
& fiend aroused-the fend which Turks
t. at different depths, in all human ma
n lures.
,e eff you are not coward, why viii
q you not fght?" asked the duellist
l. somewhat struck, in spite of hi
N thorough desperation, hardened in tn
l. hot gore of a dozen murders.
lie 81 will fight, if you wish it," was th
s. loud ringing answer.
Is "Then you accept my challenger"
Is II do. Will.any one present be S
id good as to ac. as my second 2" inquir
" ed the lawyer, addressing the specta
l. tors.
t. For minute or two no one spoke
is so great the dread of the arch -duellist
,e Mike Johnson.
"Will no one in such mass of gen
lie erous men be my second ?" repeate,
lie the lawyer in a louder tone.
IS ~ will" said a thrill, trumpet-lik
in voice, on the outskirts of the crowd
Id and tall, commanding form, wit
I'd bravery written ON his brow, and til
RS eagles eye beneath it, made his way t
of the center of the scene of contention
Is and stood close fronting johnson, wit
IL smiling glance, before which the lat
e ter, for an instant, quailed.
re The question "Who is he? who i
Hcs' Ciittlattu dHouS tHo iHohCio VI
ct But no one could answer; no one ha,
g ever seen him before, and yet every
lie body would have sworn to his courage
of so bold yet tranquil was his bearing.
b, "Wlo are yon ?" inquired the duelis
N recovering his presence of mind. M
ar "a stranger from Texas"
~ "But who will vouch for your res
ie probability %
le III can give you vouchers sufficient,
lie replied the stranger, frowning till hi
ne brows looked frightful; and then stoop
r ing forward he whispered something il
le Johnson's ear, audible alone to him.
j. 1T am satisfied" said the duelles
ne aloud, aud trembling perceptibly Col
ii onel Morton, will you serve as m,
tn frienda
The individual last addressed CAV
of his assent.
d, "Now, let us adjourn to some privat
af room to arrange the preliminaries," re
marked the stranger; and the princi
d, pals and seconds left the crowd, the
In