Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-12-19

all who have fallen in with him by
sea or land will attest, that he might
be seen in all climates, in the Arctic
regions or the tropics, on the prai
ries or the pyramids, in precisely
pitched. This earth seems little
spot to a man in a passion; he inev-
itably looks below or beyond it.
"Nothing," writes Sydney Smith,
"can exceed the fury Of the Wings
/ ION being thrown OUT; they mean
not only to change everything upon
1 the earth, but to alter the tides, to
suspend the principles Of gravita-
tion and vegetation, and to tear
down the solar system"
Almost Duel.
| Some ten or twelve years before
the cropping out Of the late Sun
pleasantness," there came to New
Orleans a very remarkable speci
men OF the genus yclept in French
cheyalier d'industrie. Hi. name, or
at least the name he went by, was
De Sard. He sported huge
moustache, and gave himself the
general airs and bearing of a half
pay military officer. He was "a man
Of plausible address, rather well ed
ucated, and was endowed with an
unlimited supply Of "brass." Hav-
ing wormed himself into the good
graces of the highly respectable and
intelligent, but somewhat over con-
fiding, proprietor of the Rropaga-
te,r Catholique, he became chief
editor and general manager of that
influential Catholic journal From
that moment De Sard-still pre-
serving his fierce moustache, how
ever-assumed kind Of semi-cler-
ical garb, although he continued to
live as bon oiyant, and to frequent
on the sly great many places not
fit to be mentioned to ears polite.
About year or SO after he had
become II member OF the journal
istic fraternity Of New Orleans, he
had a difficulty with a French edit
or, who is now no more, and with
whom he had some monetary trans
actions, the upshot of which was an
outstanding claim Of about 5000
against his late associate. Instead
OF resorting to the courts, De Sard
wrote very insulting letter to his
unfortunate debtor, which letter,
We believe, he went SO far as to
publish. L***, the recipient of
the ferocious epistls, Immediately
called upon two members of the
New Orleans press, whom we shall
designate here as X. and Y, and
requested them to bear challenge
to DeSard.
The mission was accepted. X.
and Y. made their appearance at
DeSard's Office, and were at once
admitted into luxuriously fitted up
room, looking more like fashiona-
bic lady's boudoir than the editorial
sanctum of newspaper. DeSard
wore red Morocco slippers, Turk
ish cap, a gorgeous robe dc cham
bre with gold tassels, and sat in
well-stutfed armchair, inhaling the
fragrance of an unmistakable Ha-
vAna cigar. Being informed by X.
and Y. Of the nature of their err
rand, he at once gave each Of them
hearty shake of the hand, and,
before proceeding to business, IN
sisted upon their partaking Of some
choice Madeira wine he produced
from liquor case, and accepting
fragrant puros from his authentic
siempre .feI cigar box.
"Gentlemen," said the clerico-be-
ligerant editor, "the occasion which
procures me the honor of your visit
is one which appeals to the highest
instincts of a yentilhomme's nature,
and l am truly happy that you
should have been selected for the
purpose. But, gentlemen, permit
me one single remark before we 20
any further. Mr.. L*** owes me
5000. That, l believe is not denied"
X. and Y. nodded assent. Silence,
gentlemen" pursued the indomita-
BILE DeSard, "you, with the fine
sense Of honor of true cavaliers,
will at once perceive how unequal a
mortal combat between L*** and
myself would be under the circum-
stances. Should / kill him-as it is
highly probable l will shall lose
the last chance of ever getting back
my money. Should he kill me-a
barely possible event, l admit-he
at once wipes out his debt and his
enemy. With due Difference to your
decision, gentlemen, it appears to
me that L***'s first move should
have been to settle that little BILL"
X. and Y. looked at DeSard, and
then at each other, and finally broke
out into laugh. They conceded
the point raised by DeSard, how
ever, and retired to report to their
principal.
The next morning L***, having
procured the required amount,
handed it to his friends, who once
more proceeded to DcSard's office,
and rendered payment OF L***'s
debt,-renewing at the same time
his demand for satisfaction. De.
Sard was as grand, as chivalric as
before. His choice wine and cigars
were again produced, and a receipt
in due form was written out by him
and gracefully presented to L***'s
seconds.
SNOW, sir" said X.,-tho senior
sccond-"will you please indicate
to us tho friends with whom We are
to arrange the terms of the duel ?"
DeSard's face was picture at
that moment. A genial smile over
spread his features. He rose, bow.
ed with dignitied elegance, and
said: "Gentlemen, now that the real
cause of the unfortunate misunder-
standing between Mr.. L**# and
myselfno longer exists, l feel bound,
as 'gentiIhomme,' and a vrai chev-
alier, to tender to him my humblest
apologies. Pray dictate the terms,
and they are adopted by me at
once."
At this unexpected solution of
the difficulty, X.'s -risible faculties
oOul1 M lournv ho Oouct.o:o..l l..