Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-09-26

My position was a peculiarly disa-
greeable one. Up to the last moment
/ had believed that the whole business
was only rather cruel practical joke
on the part of the man with the
moustache, and as my curiosity was
excited to follow this adventure to its
conclusion, had volunteered to be the
ed-faced mans second but it seemed
now that one or the other, or both,
must be killed.
''Sir," said the man with the cigar,
turnlng to me, " / believe Master
Jacques to be an honest man, but
though / can vouch for his wine, 1 can't
vouch for his pistols. Before that
gentleman and | make a target of one
another, be SO good as to throw that five
france piece in the air, to see how my
pistol carries"
did as he desired, and tossed the
money about seven yards high.
heard the report of a pistol, and the
piece of money fell indented.
Bet" said the man with the
moustache, ''that | pierce that leaf
vibrating at the extremity of yonder
bough."
| And before the other conld answer,
the trigger was pulled, and the leaf
was pierced.
"Bet," continued the man, with the
most ridiculous GOODNESS, that [ shoot
you clean through the pupil of the left
eye, and lay you dead, and that you
miss me-"
| The other was as white as ghost.
81 believe YOU" he said, trembling
! from head to foot, and throwing his
| pistol down. 81 guess your motives
and admire your stratagem, and, as
am not prepared to die, shall take the
road back again to Marseilles."
In fact, we saw him deposit himself
in the iD,periate of the diligence.
/ turned to the moustached gentle
man for an explanation. He invited
me take glass of wine with him in the
travellers room, and with great good
humor proceeded to solve the enigma
He was friend of the young lieu
tenant, and famous as the deadly shot
in France. He had received letter
| the day before from his friend begging
him to come to F. and help him to
carry out ruse which he trusted would
enable him to marry the girl he was
passionately in love with.
The moustached gentleman complied,
! left Paris, and reached F. in time
to receive from his friends lips parti
culars of the stratagem he and the
young girl had concerted between
| them
That stratagem was perfectly sue
cessful. The little red faced man, as |
afterward heard, on his reaching Mar
| settles, wrote to the father of his IN
tended bride, apologizing for not hav-
ing been able to keep his promise to
go down to them. You may believe he
! took good care not to inform the faith
er of the real reason that had prevent
ed him from paying his duties to his
! betrothed.
! The red-fa man, however, had no
intention of breaking of his marriage,
until he was accosted one morning in
the streets of Marseilles by the NOUS
tached gentleman, who asked if he
still persisted in his intention to marry
the young lady.
Certainly" was the reply.
"Then," said the other, eff you
want to reach her hand You will have to
mount first on my dead body, ard,
secondly, on the dead body of the lieu
tentant. Are you prepared to scale
| these fortresses ~
Certainly not
"Then go home; write to the lady 8
father that circumstances compel you
to abandon your promise to wed her.
l shall know by the day after to-mor-
row ii that letter has been written. If
yes, | will be your friend, and help
you, as / have helped the lieutenant, III
any love scheme you may choose to
enter upon; if no, be prepared to meet
me in the evening.
The letter was written, and SIX
months after the young lady was mar
ried to the lieutenant.