Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-05-30

LQ6 uuel WeA0I an@o o1 o"S HO1NI
party was to deliver fire. and if Meth
er was wounded, the seconds were
to.reload their. pieces, andisllog them
to commence de :mouo. The combat
was restricted to three shots; dis
tance, twenty PAGES. At the tlrst
FIRE, Lavaletts' 8 cap was carried away,
and Malsherbes wounded in the Aeshy
part Of the. left arm. They rejected
the offer of release. Each second re-
loaded their pistols. Both evinced!
the greatest coolness and precision,
The seconds, both veterans, we're per-
fectly charmed. All was. silent as
the grave. Itwas early dawn /; the
swallows twittered through the park;
the fresh air of morning bore an IN
cense OF fragrant leaves and dew
washed flowers the gray sky above
them frightened every moment with
the ascending sun, and looked WON
deringly upon these two. madmen.
bent upon sending each other out of
this beautiful world, for what began
in folly and ended in passion: Never
did this lovely park look lovelier than
now. Nature, upon all sides, spoke
mole eloquently Tor peace and good
will among men than ever an angel
did. Nevertheless, the duel wen,
IN At the second fire. both parties
received a flesh wound; but, as they
were mutually agreed upon renewing
hostilities, again were the pistols re-
loaded. Upon this fire NJ. Malsherbes
|.aeceiyed no further hurt, but Lava
! lette fell, as we thought at first, NOR.
tally wounded. fastened, assisted
by them all, to unfasten the throat
gear and coat of the wounded; man.
Efhe delicate, fair throat and neck be.
tSayed to our stonished@ gaze that
LaYalettss dress was but skillfu!
disguise. We were al too paralyzed
for 9 few moments even to think.
w . placed the lady ina jsaore hss
hbcOu0 QSVo@uSu6 Vuo tSAASsS ~'S
ment, to assure US, on Ais honor, that
the discovery just made was astaund,
ing to him as to US. BE had sailed
for several years with Lieut.. Lava
lette, who, as an officer of the navy,
had, of course, been regarded as
man, and man, be assured them,
generous, skillful, and brave. Malsher'
bes was too bewildered to exclaim
aught but 'Madeline.r and now all
Paris is ringing with this last ro-
nance.
1listened,, wonderingly. Knowing
Malsherbes as well as | did, | under
stood the matter at a glance. The
wilful, high, imperious Mdlle. Lava
lette had thus sought to avenge the
scandal he had placed ppon her,
That my friend was just the one'to
like her the more forthis spirit, we'll
knew, end fingered near TO see the
denoueolent that would follow. y IS
called, and assisted to extract the bull
let from Lieut.. Lavalette. / found
glorious looking woman, little past
the summer of life, lying iusensible
on a couch; and near the door |
caught glimpse, in adjoining apart
ment, of a gentleman, evidently ab-
sorbed in his own thoughts.
"Save her for me, and my life is
at your service !"
He grasped my hand. My brave
Captain was certainly upset. The
lady fingered, and recovered but
slowly. t happened, accidentally, to
come across his will about this time.
He had prepared it on the eve of
his last duel. One extract ran thus:
"4 leave to Mdlle. Lavalette, Of
Bois, to whom J. have unintentionally
been the cause OF lasting unhappiness,
all l possess, and who, I trust, will
receive this resi,luary legacy as all
earnest of the atonemeut Of nan
who always admired her, and, dying
through he vengeance, acknowledges
it to he just, and, dying, 'sdmlres' her
still.
He now acknowledged what he had
feared. and what was the fact The
orphan girl, almost iriendle:s crushed
beneath load OF ri,ticnle she could
not remove, had devoted her lil., to
punish the author OF it. She had
disguised herself as a man, had ob-
taired Al commission in tue navy, and
became ski!fnl officer, lieyer :or one
moment losing sight Of her enemy,
never taking advantage Of him whrn
unarmed. and, althor sh not seeking
his life, ever risking her own. The
hard life she had chosen. the patience
incidental to the profession, the skill,
the heroism she had disglayed-were
we'll calculated to make a. profound
impression upon man like Malshet-
bes. He hevered around her dwell.
ing, contributing in every way he
could to her comfort. When her
recovery was pronounced certain,
was the bearer Of one Of those half
tender, half chivarous letters that
only such men can write. 1t was re-
turned with the forgiveness of Made
line Lavalette.
My friend and l left Paris and So
journed for many monthsin England
but noticed that MalsHerbes was
hardly the same genial companion as
of old, and we returned home.
In the following spring we entered
the private drawing-room, by mistake,
OF lady, who Was stopping at the
same hotel that we were. approach
ed to excuse an intrusion. 1t was
Madeline Lavalette, more beautiful
than ever in her black robes Of vel
vet falling around her, her short curls
circling her fair, open brow. Her
eyes softened as she welcomed me,
but she crimsoned to the temples as
she caught sight of my companion.
Hastily leaving them, I heard, as
left the room, Captain Malsherbes
eager, impassioneI voice:
Madeline, at last again we meet.
Seal your forgiveness with your love.