Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-01-30
"Caeey, it would be the happiest hour
Of my life if could shake your hand in
friendship once more, but your apology is
not sufficient to stop the duei."

friendship once more, but your apology is
not sufficient to stop the duel"
II il all have TO offer, and do not
want to stop the duel" On the contrary,
I 1'burn for it, and tell you honestly, that
when we meet, as meet We must, you had
better kill me ut the first fire, it you value
your life, or l intend to take that life if
it lies in my power to do So"
$50 b. it," assented. Blair with a eroan.
In vain Gruwell andI protested. reas-
oned, entreated, threatened and implored.
Both stood rs firm in. their intention to
tpill each others blood az the strong peaks
hat stood around them. We then On.
deavored to have the meeting poytpone ed
until the next day, but without success.
They suspected that steps would be taken
to stor it altogether, and they both daclar.
cd that if prevented now they would meet
again in secret, and that the consciousness
would be more fearful than now: when
there were two persons to requisite them
and see that the articles Of tho duello
were properll obsasy<4. it was agreed
that they should eight.
The preliminaries were soon arranged.
The combatants were to use tho revolver,
distaace:fo yards. They were to stand
back to back, and at q given signal, which
was to be the firing Of . pistol, they were
TO wheel and fire away at each other, nm.
til one or both had fallen. AT this juno
ture Casey took a strange fancy into his
head. Nothing would do him but he mus.
useltho disputed pistol in tho duel. at
should kill the man." he said who had re-
fused to giveit up to him the rightful
owner" On examination it was ascertain.
ed that the bullets Of the other pistols
would fit this one, so it was loaded and
placed in bis hands.
They took their places and were wait
ing for the 81 gnal, to begin thei- bloody
work. The pistol was tired, and both
wheeled and fred as one man.
I saw the blood squirt from the bosom
Of Blair (whose second l was) in small
dark stream and fall to the ground, but
he did not seem to notice it. / cast nv
eyes toward Casey. The blood was spurt-
ing from bis left side, aud streaming down
his clothes. He was rceling, and l saw
he could not keep bis feet much longer.
He still continued to ere, but blindly, and
one of bis bullets came whistling BY in
cloee proximity to my person, and buried
it in tree behind me. Blair was also
firing, but with astonishing GOODNESS and
precision-every shot of his told. They
had fred five shote each and were still
standing. Blair's clothes we're saturated,
and pool of blood lay before him on the
ground. Casey's clothes were also satur-
ated, and his boots were full and running
over. They are both making ready for
their sixth and last shot. IL it possible
they will stand until the End? No! Casey
reels, he falls to his knees, and delivers
his last shot while in that position. Blair
had fred and fallen also. l hurried to
him, while Gruwe]l supported Casey. l
tore loose his shirt and found the wound,
and saw that although dangerous, it was
MT necessarily fatal. The ball had been
truly sent, but had struck some hard SUBJ
stance, and glanced diagonally through
the body, just missing the vitals. I hur-
riedly bound part Of his shirt around the
wound, and continued my search for 9th.
ers, but there were none.
l then turned my attention to Casey, but
he was past all human aid. His iifes
lamp had gone out with the last bullet
examined the body, however, and found
That every Dall had found lod gment there,
four of which were mortal. We did ali
We could to alleviate the pain of the re
mairing sufferer. We made u couch of
grass and leaves and laid him on it, there
to await the coming ofthe steamer
Gruwell seemed half stunned at what
had occurred. and stood gazing at Casey's
inanin,ate form like one in q dream. At
length he said in low Voice, a. if speak
ing to himself, "Poor Casey, he was q
good companion and true man, with q
big, warm. impulsive heart, and ready
purse to relieve the wants Of his fellows
and he is dead"
= Presently the steamer could be heard,
as she groansd and pufed, coming up
against the trent, and soon she appear
ed, rounding bend in the river, We
hailed, and the captain ordered her to be
run up the bank and there asked what
Was wanted. We told him in as few
words az possible what had happened, and
ho all excitement, hurried on shore, and
helped US to remove them on board. Tho
elk and the saddles were alec put on
board, and after aa. explanation oe tho
whole affair, We went ashore. The Chris
tina went steaming on her way.
We were soon in the saddle and head
Ing for Hermooillo Rancho, where we Or.
rived ahead of the steamer with our mol.
ancholly news.
Tho boat soon arrived and the whole
ranch turned out to receive Blair and
Casey, for they were both very much %.
teemed.
Casey was buried in the graveyard near
by. But which one of the mounds within
that inclosure is sacred to bis memory no
one can say, for no headstone marks the
place. Blair, after lingering illness,
arose from his bed changed man. There
was an expression of deep melancholy
depictad on his countenance. He was
meyer known to smile again. In a few
weeks he disappeared from the valley, none
knew whittier, but in note addressed to
her who had unwittningly CAUSED this
great calamity that 80 bowed him down
both in spirit and ambition he said he
had gorc forth into the land of the savage
and the wild beast, there like the Wander.
ing jew, to seek for that rest and peace
of mind that only death can bring.