The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1874-04-15

claimed Logan, in uncomfortable
FpassioD, drawing z back his hand ,anc
making a motion as if be were
about to slap the other in the face
The eyes Of Wilson quailed not
nor was the smallest quiver of {
muscle perceptible From som,
cause the course Of Logan was no
| executed. Instead of giving .
blow, he assaiied his antagonist
with words of deeper insult, seek
1 ing thus to provoke an assault. BuI
Wilson was not TO be driven from
the citadel in which he had en-
| trenched himself.
"If I am q coward, WELL" be
said. II would rather be o COW
ard, than lay my hand in violence
on him whom once called friend.
At this moment light girls q
laughter ard the ring Of merry
voices reach the ears ofour excited
young men, and. their relation of
antagonism at once changed. Lo.
gan walked away in the direction
from which the voices camo. while
the other two remained where
they had been standing.
"Why didn't you knock him
DOWN." said the companion of
Wilson.
The latter, whose face was now
very sober and very pale, shook
his head slowly. He made no
| other response.
Il believe you are u coward"
exclaimed the other, impa,iently ;
and turning of. he went in the di-
rection taken by Logan.
The moment Wilson was alone
be seated himself on tho ground,
concealed from the party. whose
voices had interrupted them, by 3
large rock, and covering his face
| with his hands, sat motionless for
several minutes. How much he
suffered in shat little space Of time
| we will not attempt 10 describe.
The struggle with his indignant
impulses had been very severe.
He wxs no coward in heart. What
was right and humane he was ev-
or ready to do, even at the risk to
himself Of both physical and men.
tai suffering. Clearly conscious
was he of this. Yet the conscious
ness did not and could not protect
his feelings from the unjust and
singing charge of cowsrdice so
angrily brought against him. In
spite Of his better reason he felt
humiliated and there were mo-
ments when he half regretted the
forbearance that saved the inso-
lent Logan from punishment
They-were but moments Of weak
ness; in the strength of q manly
character he was quickly himself
again.
The occasion of this misuuder-
standing is briefly told. Will
son made one of a little pleasure
party for q neighborlng village,
that was spending an afternoon in
a shady retreat on the banks of d
mill stream. There were three
or four young men and half doz.
en- maidens; and, as it happens on
such occasions, some rivalries were
excited among the former. These
should only have added piquaucy
to the merry intercourse Of all
parties, and would have done so,
had not the impatient tempera-
nent ofLogan carried him a little
beyond good feeling and a gene
rous department toward others.
Without due reflection, yet in no
sarcastic spirit, Edward Wilson
made a remark on some act Of Lo-
gan that irrltated him exceeding
ly.
An angry spot burned instantly
on his cheek, and he replied with
words ofcuttiug insult; so cutting g
that all present expected nothing
less than q blow from Wilson as
| his answer to the remark. And
to deal q blow was his first i'm.
pulse; and it. required more cour,
age to do this than to have strick.
on the insolent young man to the
ground. A moment or two Will
son struggled with himself, and
then turned off and marched slow
ly away.
His flushed and then paliny face,
his quiveriug lips and unsteady
eyes, left on the minds OF all who
witnessed the scene an impression
somewhat untavorable. Partak.
ing of the indignant excitement Of
the moment, many Of those pre-.
sent looked for the instant punish,
ment for his unjustitiable insult
When therefore, they saw Wilson
turn away without even q defiant
answer; aud heard the low, sneer
ingly uttered word, "Coward !
from the lips OF Logan, they felt