The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-01-16

piled the Doctor.
The principals were placed, ten PAGES
apart, wearing that decidedly uncom-
Portable look a man has who is in mo-
mentary expectation Of being shot.
You will fire, gentlemen, simultane-
ously when / give the word" said the
Captain. Then, in an undertone, TO the
Docter, "Quick, the pistols"
The Doctor, STOPPING over and ium-
bling at the valise, appeared to find
something that surprised him.
why, what the devil"
"What's the matter ?" asked the Cap
tain, standing. "Can't you find the
caps p"
hDeuce a pistol or cap, but thisp'
He held up lady's night-cap!
"Look here-and-here-and-herew
holding up successively a hair brush, a
long white night gown, a cologne-bottle
and q comb.
They were greeted with long whistle
by the Captain and blank stare by the
two principals.
"Confound the luck ~ calculated the
Captain, "if we haven't made mistake
and brought the wrong Yaliseu
The principals looked at the seconds.
Nobody volunteered a suggestion. At
"Well, what's to be done?n
"D-d unlucky ~ calculated the Cap
tain. HIhe duel can't 90 on.u
Evidently not" responded the Doc
tor, ''unless they brain each other with
the hair brush, or take a pop at each
other with the cologne bottle"
"Hou are quite sure there are no pIs-
tolls in the valise >" said one OF the prin-
cipals, with suppressed eagerness, and
drawing a breath of evident relief.
1--WE might go over to the city and get
pistols" proposed the Captain.
"And by that time IL will be dark -
said the Doctor.
"D-d unlucky," said the Captain
again.
"We shall be the laughing-stock of
the town IL this gets wind" cOnsolingly
remarked the Doctor.
Zone word with you, Doctor here
lnterposed his principal.
They conferred.
AT the end OF the conference with his
principal, the Doctor, advancing TO the
Captain, conferred with his principal.
Then the seconds conferred with each
other. Finally, IL was formally agreed
with the two contending parties that a
statement should be drawn up in writing
". L
surance that the offensive words, you
are a liar" were not used by him in
any personal sense, but solely as an alb
stract proposition in q general way in
regard to the matter OF fact under this
dispute. To which Principal No. ap-
pended his statement Of his high grdti-
hcation at this candid and honorable ex-
planation, and unqualifiedly withdrew
the offensive words "You are a scoun-
drel,n they having been used by him
under Misrepresentation of the intent
and purpose Of the remark which pre-
ceded.
There being no longer a cause of quar-
rel, the duel was OF course ended. The
principals shook hands first with each
other, and next with the seconds, and
were evidently very glad to get out of it.
And now that this is so happily set
tied, 'said the Doctor, ,chuckling and rub
bing his hands, sit proves to have besn a
lucky mistake after all, that We have
brOght the wrong valise. Wonder what
the lady that owns it will say, when she
opens ours and finds the pistols"
Very well for you to laugh abOut,u
growled the Captain; "but it's no Joke
for me to loose my pistols. Hair trig-
gers best English make, and gold
America"
"Oh, we'll find 'em. Wen 20 on a
pilgrimage from house to house, asking
II any lady there had left a night-cap
and found pair OF dueling plstols.u
In very good spirits the party crossed
the river, and inquired at the baggage
room In reference to each and all black
leather travelling bags arrived that day,
took notes OF where they were sent, aud
set out to follow them up. In due tine
they arrived at the Continental, and as
luck would have il, met the unhappy
bridal pair just coming down stairs in
charge of the policeman.
whats all this ," inquired the Cap
tain.
"Oh, a couple Of burglars, caught
with valise full Of stolen property"
"A valise-what kind of a yalise 9iI
IA black leather wallis. That's IL
there"
"Here!-Stop!-H o!-Policeman!-
Landlord! It's all right. You're all
wrong. That's my valise. It's all n
mistake. They got changed at the
depot. This lady and gentleman are
innocent. Here's their valise with =
i'm it,"
Great was the laughter, multifarious
he comments, and deep the interest OF
he crowd in all this dialogue, which /
hey appeared to regard as a delightful (
got up expressly for their /
'rhen you say this 'ere is yourn ~ /
aid the policeman, relaxing his hold on /
he bridegroom and confronting the /
captain.
ayes, it's mine"
"And how did you come by the
poons ?''
"Spoons, you jackanapesr' said the
,aptain. "Pistolsi-dueling pistolsw
''Do you call these pistOlsi" said the
policeman, holding up one Of the silver
pOons marked "T. B."
The Captain, astonished, gasped, ats
he wrong vslise again, after allr'
''Stop! Not so fast" said the police
unctionary, now invested with great
ignity by the Importance of the affair
le found himself engaged in. "If so be
$ how you've got this 'ere lady's vaIise,
he's all right, and can 20. But in that
asei this Is yOurn, and il comes to YOU
o account for them 'are stolen spoons.
lave to take you in charge, all four of
why, you impudent scoundrelui
Dared the Captain, all zee you in-I
slsh l had my pistols here, I'd teach
lis fist.
The dispute waxed fast and fIrious
ne outsiders began TO take part In II.
M there Is no telling how il would
ave ended, had not an explosion. FOL 5
owed by heavy fall and q scream of
ain, been heard in an adjoining room.
The crowd rushed to the scene OF the
ew attraction.
The door was fast. It was soon burst /
pen, and the MYSTERY explained. The
llef. who had carried off the Captains !
alise by mistake for his own, had )