Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1875-07-08
KIRWAN'S DUEL.


Dublin, in which the celebrated tire-eater and
champion of the Dublin Corporation, ID Es-
terre, afterward shot by OConnell, came out
in "a new way to pay old debts, and had his
, overstrained notions of chivalry turned into
successful ridicule by an honest, plain-deal-
ing mans mother wit and common sense.
: ID Esterre used to put his name to paper with
out thought OF payment. One day Billy Kir-
: wan, IL well-knOWn bill-brOker, was offered q
, bundle of bills for discount. 1t was MIR. Kir-
vans boast that he instinctively knew bad
''paper" by the feel of it.
''There's bad paper in your lot, l can
perceive, sir, without taking the trouble to
look over it sers-ah-ttna ct Hte-rah-tim," re-
marked Billy, who had been orig ginally inten-
ded by his pious Galway parents for the
Church, and had, in his boyhood, decent
converse with the preliminarles Of the class
: les. "Fornum Aabet IN cernu, he continued,
"as body nigh: say to a spawned horse
You had better remove it, if you playse, sir,
before l have anything to say to you; for l
wouldn't touch it with pair Of kitchen tongs,
much less dirty my hands with it.
IL am astOnished to hear you say SO, sir,
said the merchant; ''and would you be pleased
to mention what it is in my hand that encoun-
ters your objectiOn?"
''Why, q certain acceptance signed IL.
D'Esterre, and, if you must know my opin-
; ion, would not advance the value of brass
button on all that a jackass could draw on the
same security"
''Good heavens! and why not2"
''For a rayson have; and nobody knows
it better than Mr.. D'Esterre HIMSELF an
swcred kirwan.
AS Mr. Kirwan was sitting alone after din
ncr the same evening, enjoying his pipe and
his glass of punch over one of McGhee's late
leaders in the Eyening Post or, just as prob
able, one of Dan O'Connell's earlier speeches
in favor of Catholic emancipation, the servant
!came in with card from COL Henry.
"Who's Col. Henry?' demanded Kirwan.
"Fai,h, and it's meself doesn't know him
.from the man in the moOn.'
':Rowl in the Colonel, and lay another
'tumbler," said the master Of the house.
Col. Henry, tall and gentlemaniy looking
MN Of middle age was ushered in.
Mighty glad l am to see you, Colonel,
whatever you've come about said our host: !:
''but before you begin would advise you to
mix Il tumbler of that excellent Johnny Poace7'
that's forenent you. If you take it off at
once, it will pull you through the opening
part of your business pleasantly and comfort
ably; and then you can mix a second at once
to prepare you for contingencies.
NOOuCI AACuIy udFlIIS Uthcu All du au'
vice SO far rs mixing, but not suddenly ab-
all the grandeur of perfect Sir Lucius, as in
days long gone by Jack johnson used to
enact the part, not Tyrone Power.
The Colonel very much regretted that 1t tell
to his lot to have to deliver hostile message
toa gentleman Of such responsibility as Mr..
Kirwan from one equally respectable and es-
timable as Mr.. DEsterre. He repeated the
injurious and insulting expressions which the
gentleman whom he had the honor of ad
dressing had made use Of in speaking of his
friend during the day to certain merchant
in the Commercial Buildings, and which had
travelled the rounds of the city before night
fall. He pointed out, moreover, the utter
impossibility Of Mr.. DEsterre's allowing such
an outrage on his name and character to be
uttered and sent forth to the world without
demanding the satisfaction of a gentleman.
Then, Colonel. honey, come to the point,
and just tell me what is it that We want de-
manded Kirwan.
"An apology or the alternative"
(Which means that l must cat my words
or fight?'
''Most decidedly"
lit can't be done for the money"
"For the money!"
'Yes, for the money. I'd be glad to &C.
commodatc you, my dear Colonel, in any way
in my power; but the money stands In my
way most completely and entirely"
Colonel Henry looked bewildered. Kir-
vans drgumentum ad cg,tmenam was evi-
IDENTIFY beyond him, ''What money? whose
money!" he exclaimed.
"Why, my money, to be sure; the money
that your respectable friend, Mr.. D'Esterre,
owes me this last couple of years-nothing
more nor less than cool hundred, independ-
ent of interest and expenses. lent it to him
at first not as matter of business, but on bis
pledged word of honor that he'd return it ia
me at the time he promised; and, upon my
honor and sOwl, he hasn't done so from that
day to this"
The Colonel doubted what he had to do
with the money question