National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-05-05

Lords sake! It's muffin but pride and sin.
Yos only pore, split boy, but you got a
soul, young moss Doan you 20 git kilt in
dat ar bloody gully wha' SO many gifts hurt
a'moss to deffw
Ute rose from the dream Of home, and
kicked the poor slave out Of his room. He
then drank, specuated upon his chances,
practiced with an imaginary pistol at the
wall, and meditated running away, alter
nately, until Tiltock's business-step rang in
the hall
bob" he said, "we've picked you a
beautiful piece of ground, and the other
party's waiting. It's the most popular
juel of the season.
They walked up the sandy village street,
under the old hp-roofed houses, crossed
the Branch bridge and proceeded a quarter
Of mile on the road to Washington.
There, where rivulet crossed the road
amongst some bushes, they descended by a
path into copse and on, to green meadow
space cleared away by former rain freshets.
Farm boys, town boys, and intruders of
all sorts were lurking near. The field of
honor resembled gypsy camp.
Lieutenant Dibdo's companion came up
to Tiltock and said that his friend did not
wish to fight, and would make any manly
apology, even though unconscious of otlense,
if the challenge was withdrawn. The
crowd was ardent for the fight, and Tiltock,
who was punctilious about honor, particu-
larly where he could cut safe figure,
repeled the compromise, as /" unwarranted
by the code" He knew as much about
the code as about honor, and more about
both than about getting living.
"Then," said the lieutenant, 81 am
authorized to say that my principal will
take Mr.. Utie's first fire. Let him i'm
prove the generous chance as he will The
second time we will make business of it,
The interlopers fell back. The word
was given "Rsady-.4tm-Fire" Robert
Ute, sustained by braggadocio, that quail
ty which makes murderers die on the
scaiIod heroicaly, fired full at the body Of
Lieutenant Dibdo. That officer fired into
the air and remained mmoved and un-
harmed.
"Is another shot demanded ?"
"Yes," said Tfltock, our honor is not
yet satisfied"
He waved the crowd back in an imperi-
Gus way-they having rushed in after the
first shot-and he gave the word himself
like dramatic reading.
Robert Ute looked, and this time with
livid, sobered face, into the open pistol
of the man he had provoked, the profession
al officer of death. The fine, cool face
behind the pistol was concise, grave, and
eloquent now as judges pronouncing the
last sentence OF the law. The next instant
bo l,n, h,t,yc anI clo xr-inD Of ba
ground in mortal agony. The impatient
crowd rushed in. faint voice was heard
to gasp for what some said was water"
and some thought was mother" Then
figure with dissi pated face little dignified
by death and with some of the softness of
childhood glimmering in it, like the bright
foot fall OF the rood angel whose mission
was done and whose flight was taken-this
figure lay upon its hack amongst the bushes,
under the sunshine, peeped at by distant
hills, contemplated by iders as if it were
the body of slain game-chicken, and the
drunken surgeon was idiotically feeling
for its heart.
Gentlemen" said Tiltock with -four
ish, 1--WE are all witnesses that everything
has been honorably conducted
The city had its little talk. The news
papers in those days were models of what
is called high-toned journalism, and printed
nothing on purely personal matters like
duels when requested t. respect the feel
ings of families. As if "the feelings of
families" were not the main cause of duels
There was a mother somewhere, still
clinging with her prayers to the footstool
OF God, hoping for the soul of her boy even
after death and wickedness. This was ALL
except the revolution OF the world, and
the wedding in due time upon it of Lieu
tenant Dibdo and Miss Rideau. 1t was
what was called a romantic wedding.