The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-01-24

At last we began to hear pistol shots near
by in the next ravine. We knew what
they meant. The other party were out
practicing, too. Then I was in the last
degree distressed; for of course, those
people would hear our shots and would
send spies over the ridge, and the spies
would find my barn door without wound
ora scratch, and that would simply be the
end Of me; for Of course, that other man
would be as bloodthirsty as was. Just
at this moment little bird, no larger than
sparrow, flew by and lit on q sagebrush
about thirty PAGES away, and my little sec
ond, Steve ellis, who was matchess
marksman with q pistol-much better than
| was-snatched out his revolver and shot
the birds head off. We all ran TO pick up
the game, and sure enough, just at this mo-
ment some of the other duclists came recon-
noiteripg over the little ridge. They ran
to our group to see what the matter was,
and when they saw the bird, Lords second
said:
"That was a splendid shot How far off
was it 2"
Steve said, with some indifference, ooh,
no great distance. About thirty PAGES"
"Thirty PAGES Heavens alive, who did
2"
MY man-Twain."
"The mischief he did Can he do that
often ?"
"Well-yes. He can do it about-well
about four times out of five"
| knew the little rascal was lying, but
never said anything. l never told him so.
He was not of a disposition to invite conf
dences of that kind, so | let the matter rest
| But it was comfort to see those people
look sick, and see their under,jaws drop
when Steve made these statements. They
went off and got Lord and took him home :;
and when we got home, half an hour later,
there was note saying that Mr.. Lord
peremptorily declined to fight!
1t was narrow escape. We found out
afterwards that Lord hit his mark thirteen
times in eighteen shots. If he had put
those thirteen bullets through me, it would
have narrowed my sphere Of usefulness q
good deal-would have well nigh closed it,
in fact. True, they could have put pegs in
the holes and used me for hat-rack but
what is hat-rack to a man who feels he
has intellectual powers | would scorn
such position.
| have written this true incident of my
personal history for one purpose, and one
purpose only-to warn the youth of the
day against the pernicious practice of duel
ing, and to plead with them to war against
it. If the remarks and suggestions | am
making can be of any use to Sunday School
teachers, and papers interested in the moral
progress of society, they are at liberty to
use them, and 1 shall even be grateful to
have them widely Disseminated so they
may do as much good as possible. 1 was
young and foolish when 1 challenged that
gentleman, and l thought it was very fine
and very grand to bea duelist, and stand
upon the "field of honor" But am older
and more experienced now, and am infex-
ible opposed to the dreadful custom. I
am glad, indeed, to be enabled to lift up
my voice against it. think it is bad,
immoral thing. think it is every mans
duty to do everything he can to discourage
dueling. l always do now; I discourage
it upon every occasion.
If a man were to challenge me now
now that 1 can fully appreciate the iniquity
Of that practice-I would go to that man,
and take him by the hand, and lead him to
quiet retired room-and kill him.