The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1872-09-25

the VIE, anticipating the rest, with
quickncss Of womau's keen, common
sense.
cit is even so,' replied tho lawyer,
mournfully.
"Oh !" say that you will not meet
him. Oh swear that you will not
turn duelist in this Sedan of the
South" implored tie wife, throwing
her arms around his neck aud subbing
like child on his bosom.
"There. do not weep now. I will
not turn duelist, dear Emma, al-
though [ much fear that the couse-
quence will be my ruiu."
"God will protect you from the
bold, bad man."
The next morning it was known in
Vicksburg that "the Yankee orator"
had been challenged and refused to
fight. Accordingly, he was generally
denounced AS coward "a word which
at that day might be considered as
expressing far deeper scorn than
eithor robber or assassin. AS he
passed through the streets, he was
astonished to witness the c.Idness
manifested by his old acqu,intanccs,
and even protesScd fricuds, wnilc the
great mass Of the people seemcd to
regard him with in. ff.nle contempt.
"Yankee white livc'," "bnaster,,'
''poltroon," weIc the sounds most
frequently rung in his ears, especially
when near the groceries, aud there
was one then on every terrace uf tho
broken hills.
The matter grew worse. About a
week afterwards, johnson met his
victim iu the public square, preseut-
ed cooked pistol at his heart with
one hand, and belaburel hun untper-
cifully with cowhide which he
graSped in the o,hor. Resistance
at the moment was altogethsr out of
the question, for the slightest motion
would have been the 81 nal for imme-
date death. He thought of Emma
and her sweet babe aud bure the cas-
tigatiou in silence.
After this, olionts dcserte his
office, gentleman refused to recngrize
him or return him his salute in tho
tborouahfares of business or during
his morning strolls over the hills.
Had his touch been oontagipn, or his
breath pestilence, he could not have
been more carefully shunood
Another week passed, and tho de-
graded lawyer was in a state 1f mind
bordering on insanity; and yet all
the while he concealed the mental
torture from his affectionato wife.
Ono evening in a more than commo
bitter and gloomy mood, az he walked
through the public square, he was
again acoosted by Mike johnson, with
his cooked pistol IN Que haud aud
uplifted cowhide in the other. The
assault was of the most aggravating,
as the place was thronged with spec
tators.
"Cowarl and villain /" exclaimed
johnson, s'did | not toll you that I
would oowhide you every week until
| whipped the courage of a man snd
a gentleman into your yankee hide p
81 am not coward" retorted
Thomas, in a hollow tone, SO unearth-
ly fierce and wild that caused every
bearer to start. At the Instant, his
lips were livid and cleuohed bstw cen
his teeth till the blood ran. His eyes
were red as mad dogs and the mus.
oles Of his fAoc qu,vered but his
body and limbs seemed to have the
rigidity Of marble.
"He will fight now," rung in an
eager whisper through tho excited
crowd, as they saw tho terrible to
kens Of the ficud which lurks, at dif.
forent depths, in all human nature.
elf you are not a coward, why will
you not fight p asked tho duclist,
somewhat struck, in spite OF his
thorough desperation, hardened in the
hot gore, Of Il dozen murders.
"Then you accept my challenge p
"I do. Will any one present be
so good as to aot as my second T. in
quired the lawyer, addressing the
spectators.
For minute or two no one spoke,
so great was the DIR, ad IF the duclIat
Mike Johns III.
"WIil no one in such a mass Of
generous men he my second 2rcpeated
the lawyer Ill lund t"ue.
81 wiil,' said II ~h1il, trumpet like
voice on tue outskirts OF the crowd,
and tall comma nding form, bravery
written on his brow, and the eae rs
eye beneath it, made his way to- the
centre Of the contention, aud stnod
close fronting J'hnsou, with q su.i-
ling glance, before which the latter,
! for au'instant Gnai' cd.
The question "Who is he - who is
bc p circulated among the lockers
on. But no one could No Que had
ever seen him teforc aud yet every.
body would have sworn to his
courage, so bold yet tranquil was his
bearing.
"Who are you ~ inquired the
duelist, recovering. bis presence Of
MUD.
| "a atranper from Texas"