The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-10-28

vember.
Why DUES ARr Foranr-The fol-.
lowing interesting intelligence was lately
published in the newspapers IAN affair
Of houor came off yesterday on the banks
of the Styx between Sir Lucius O'Trig-
ger and Thomas Noddy, Esquire. Sir
Iucius was attended by his friend Major
O'Gahagan, and Mr.. Noddy by Mr.,
Aspen Pigeon. The affair grew out of
little incident in which Mr.. Noddy' S
Nose and the thumb and fore6nger Of Sir
Lucus' right hand were principal parties.
The conditions Of the meeting were sim.
pie. Upon tossing a copper, Mr.. Noddy
who was the challenger, won the choice
of position. The ccmbatants were to fire
at any time while Major O'Gahagan
counted five. The little preliminaries
having been adjusted the principals were
placed, and the major said, in a clear
voice, Are you ready? Fire one, two,
three, four, five = Mr.. Noddy fred at
the word, and his ball missed Sir Lucius.
Sir. Lucius covered his opponent without
firing and at the word -four discharged
his weapon in the air. Mr.. Noddy hav.
ing expressed himself satisfied, the prin.
cipals shook hands, and the whole party
returned to town by the lightning express
train from Tartarus, playing cheerful
game of poker, and subsequently they
dined together hilariously at Buzzard's
Everything passed off in the most salts
factory manner, and it will crafty a
large circle of friends TO know that Mr.
Noddys Nose is as uninjurcd as his
honor"
Does anybody who reads such para.
graph suppose that Sir Lucius and Mr.
Noddy know much about honor Yet il
the clubs and at tables there Gle
plenty of people who think that this per
Torrance was unavoidable. Sir Lucius
and Mr.. Noddy are merely puppets
=. They would very much prefer to POI
Champagne corks at Buzzard's than fire
pistols at each other upon the field o.
honor. Indeed, their example, and thai
of the kind of people who fight duels ant
figure as principals and seconds, is gen
orally of no more importance than tina
of the brawls or DULLES in the slums
The mischief lies behind them. 1t is il
the justification of the duel by society, OIL
by those in society who ought to know
better. Respectable men and womer
read of a duel or hear of it, and say
gravely, "Yes, it seems rather absurd
and yet there are circumstances tina
make it unavoidable" Sir Lucius ans
Mr.. Noddy are Of the same opinion, ant
they must decide for themselves what thu
circumstances are. a newspaper ex
poses the wicked folly, and calls fol
justice upon those who break the peace
by fighting a duel, and the same senti
ment IN society snccrs at the meannes
of soul which can not see that honor
transccnds the law, and is compaccptly
contented to know that gentlemen" only
can understand the duelo.
Now in our society Mrs. Grundy, ant
Mrs. Grundy alone, makes young mel
fight duels. 1t is she who erects the falst
standard to which the sentiment we arc
considering dclers. What is called The
honor concerned in duel is merely The
fear of what will be said. If Sir Luciu.
pulls Tom Noddy's nose, the young fel
low trembles to think that his set viii
call him coward il he does not chal
lcngc the offender, and his set in turn arc
afraid that they would be thought coward
ly if they declared that a duel was always
and necessarily wrong. 1t is all Mrs
Grundy. 1T is false sentiment said
General Hamilton. in substance, but my
influence would be impaired if were
thought coward. Could a duel prove
his bravery if his whole career had moi
proved it i? And he fell to please a senti
ment that he despised. Certainly the
weakest act Of his life was the last, MOI
for any act did he ever offer so futile Q
plea-a plea which is the most conclusive
argument against the deed, because the
fact of the defense shows that he was con-
scious that the deed must be explained
ard would not justify itself to the honora
| BILE and the wise.