American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-10-31

should avail me nothing, and producin:
Il brace of pistols he challenged me t
fight him.
Il explained to him that if he had any
cause of complaint against me, whicl
was absurd, he had his remedy at law
that the practice of ducling was foolish
unchristian and obsolete; that no on,
had fought with deadly weapons in this
country for a quarter of century; tha
if we now revived the custom, the sur
vivor would be hung.
Not So said your husband; we arr
alone, and in desolate part of the noun
tain. The one who falls might lie here
for months before his skeleton was dis
| covered; and who would suspect how he
came by his death? But the safety o1
the survivor can be yet further secured
he has but to drag his defeated enemy t6
the brink of yonder mine-shaft; little
| force would suffice to tumble it into the
| gulf; and then, what trace would he pos
sible? But l am here to fight, not to
argue. Here is your pistol-loaded but
not capped-and here are caps. Stay
where you are, and | will take up my
| position near the edge of the shaft
which will save you trouble if luck at
| tends YOU
80 Do not fiatter yourself that your pre-
cautions will avail, | cried, in consid-
cradle trepidation. Murder will out and
you will forfeit your life for mine.
"' That makes no odds to me- he re-
piled. 'Fops like you have made life an
insufferable burden to me-"
Poor mani How he loves mer' sighed
the lady.
81 could hardly believe that he was in
earnest" continued Mr.. Peters but
he retired to the spot he had mentioned
near the mouth of the hole, thirteen or
fourteen yards off, and presently called
out:
"'Have you capped your pistol.'
81 had not but did SO mechanically
do not know why; for think l had no
intention of firing at him. But, in truth,
l was like one in a dream.
after have counted five it is law
full to fire, he cried presently.
81 had seen The Rivals performed
and knew from Bob Acres how to stand
SO as to show the smallest front to the
adversary. also held my pistol pointed
toward him. covering my body with it
and my right arm as well as could.
AT that moment l remember that Il
CLEAN of comfort shot across my mind
Was it all a practical joke?
g One, two, three, four, five"
e felt sharp pang in my right leg,
which, l suppose, caused me to clutch
the weapon held convulsively, for it
exploded as l fell to the ground. KNEW
that | was hit, and determined to lie
quite still and pretend to be insensible.
l had heard that such plan answered
with bears, and thought it might with
duelists. Only-oh, horror!-he might
come and drag me to that awful hole
and thrust me over the edge. l have a
far greater dread of falling from
height than of any other kind of death,
even that by fire. 1t is very foolish and
illogical, for such an ending must be
painless but it is not matter of reason.
The cause is purely physical and has
something to do with the brain or stom-
ach. l have often experimental upon
myself, and observed-on the brink of
precipice l lose my humanity and be-
come the most ignoble of reptiles. l
don't suppose there is any meanness,
any crime, l would not swear to commit
to save myself from being showed over
l determined to grapple with my foe in
good earnest when it came to that. How
l regretted that my pistol had gone off.
was quite ready now to shoot him with
it when he stopped over me.
but he did not come. When a min
ute, suppose, had elapsed, l opened my
eyes and glanced around-he was not
near. | cautiously raised my head, SO as
to see in the direction where he had last
stood-he was not there. l sat up.
Where had he gone to-
"The blood was flowing rather freely
from a wound in my leg, just above the
knee. l tied my northumberland as
got on to my feet. My hurt did not, to
my surprise, prevent me from walking,
so l advanced to the edge of the shaft
and saw-his pistol"
"Well, WE'LL" said the lady, "pray go
on. Here, take another glass of sherry.
That is it. Now, what next"
My first idea was one of relief-that
if he was prOwling in the neighbOrhOod,
he was at least unarmed. My second
oh, madam, you can guess what my dread
was, and, alas! is. My pistol went off; it
was pointed in his direction; he was
on the edge of the pit. Oh, the
thought has been wearing me to death
ever since, though | have never before
uttered 1.-THE thought that perhaps |
am a murderer"
And MIR. Peters buried his face in his
hands.
"Then you never saw him again?' the
lady asked, when she was calmer.
Never. l looked up and down the
and to either side; but l was
alone. l kicked the pistol into the shaft,
and threw the one l still held in my hand
after it, and listened; but never heard |
them fall. Then l went on my way and
struck the proper path; but before had |
gotten thousand yards higher, pain, the
loss of blood, and horror caused me to |
faint. When l came to my senses again |
a man was STOPPING over me with flask |
in his hand. In reply to his questions, l |
told him that / had met with an acct |
dent while pistol practicing, which was
literally true. With great difficulty he
helped me to the top of SnOwdon, and |
there | got a pony, which had carried up |
some lady who kindly consented to walk
where Il surgeon dressed my wound, and
attended me till was fit to leave. Glad
enough was to get rid of him, for l was
always dreading lest he should ask how 1 |
to int1ict a wound with such a
direction on myself; but, happily, the idea
never occurred to him"
why did you feel that dread?" the
lady asked soothingly. "Why did you |
attempt to conceal what had happened? |
Wy unfortunate husband brought his fate
upon himself. You could not possibly |
incur any blame?"
Could l not, though?'' inquired Mr.. |
Peters. "Ah, madam, you know little |
Of the English law, which would never |
enter into the rights of the matter. Two |
men met and had duel; one was killed |
therefore the survivor must be hung. |
1t would not take into account that this |
survivor was forced into his |
unlawful condition against his will. He |
must trust to the jury for that, and Il jury
is generally hysterical and guided by its |
sympathy rather than its reason. If my |
counsel put forth your husbands ante
ccdents, cXpatiatcd on the virtues of his |
prosecuted wife and the innocence of |
former victims with more persuasive |