Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-02-16
From Appleton's Journal.
JOTTINGS ABOUT DTELS.

! In August. 1909. three Young gentle.
don. 1t was getting late. They had sat
long over their wine. and were boisterou.
in their mrth as they discussed the mer.
its Of watermelon just set before them
( In the midst of their talk strangor-an
elderly man, wearing a gray surtout close
/ " buttoncd up to the throat, and shah
hy hat-cntcrcd the room. and. seating
himself at the end of IN unocrupied table,
ordered a mutton-chon and glass of ale
There Was nothing sufficiently peculiar
about him to attract observation. He
might have been taken for n county mag
istrate or a country attorney. The cx-
precision Of his countcnancC was serious
hts manners were quiet. and his bearing
that of 4 gentleman IMPOVERISHED, per-
haps. hut still Enthusiastically of gentle
breeding
As he was eating his chop and sipning
his ale. apparently unconscious ofth" rather
hoi>trrouS mcrrimcnt Of his neighbors. a
mclon-snci struck his light ear. Raising
his eyes, and seeing that the seed had been
rurposcly though sportively snapped, and
that no apology was made for the petty
inpertincnc", he picked up the seed, and
wrapping il in paper, put i, in his pocket
RcSuming his rcpast. n second seed short
. " struck him on the right elbow. This
was followed hy shout of laughter =
With scarcely change of the grave ex-
precision Of his face, the stranger stopped
picked up the seed. and carefully dcposi-
tel it with the first \ Thrill followed
with some derisive word. rs it sped, from
the halfdrunk youn. blcci. Which. strik-
ing the stranger on the breast of his coat
, WIS also picked up and pat with the frs,
two. when rising. walking calmly toward
the "tfem!cr. and. unbnttnning his coat.
lsc laid his card on tho table lie had on
an undress military suit. His carl showed
his rank. OF course. there was no room
for retreat A licu'cnant-colonel in the
British army requires no certificate ot
gentle blood. No words passed. the Young
gentleman offered his own card in ex-
change. the officer returned 10 his meal
and The Young men, somewhat sobcred.
shortly withdrew
The next morning a note arrived at the
ascrc>sors residence, conveying chal-
lcngc in form. and one ofihe n,clnn-scciS
The truth thcu- dashed upon the chaileng
Ell party that his unwarrantable froiic was
likely 10 be somewhat serious affair
: The code however. admitted only duel
OF disgrace. Accepting the challenge
naming pistols us weapons. and gaining
by toss the Grst shot, the young man fred
and missed his opponent. The colonel
'cv"lled his pistol in return, aud sent his
ball thrcngh the flap of his offenders ear
the place the frs, mclon-seed. snapped
the previous evening had adroi;ly hit.
A n,anth passed. Nothing more had
been heard from the colonel He had had
satisfaction fer an insult which, howcvc,
uuprovoked, was thoughtless. and which
! il was hoped he had forgiven. Not So
! Another note. presented by the sams
friend. conveying in courteous phrase .
second challenge. with another of thost
accnrscd melon-sceds. arrived. with the
coloners apology on the sore Of ill-heal,l
fcr not sending it before. They me-
again. This time The IRE was simultane,
Gus. The sgsressos's shot failed. The
c"lona. IN the contrary. shattered viii
his ball the right elbow Of his antagonist
This w,s terrible. The romance of ex
quisitr skill was turned into drama o
slaughter The third sneler-scei was q
conc, and il was .ha. which. aimed at Oh,
breast ef the uncEFending stranger, has
struck. amid cheers aF deris;ve laughter
directly above his heart What inssrucso
ever taught good behavior like this, TIL
note arrived at last. II contained th
melon-sccd. bat, NO rhallep-s.
''And ~hst. sir,s asked the youn. nal
Of The messenger. '.am I TO understand b,
this 2" /
= You win understand. SIR. that M
friend forgivrs yu. He is dcaa?'sa.