The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-10-15

posed, was rejected; she would never
marry. He persisted with All excess of
passion an ardor that induced her to tell
him her story, and wrung from him a
promise of revenge.
She had been betrayed, she said, by
Col. Sharpe. Her case was peculiarly
sad one. Col. Sharpe had been raised in
her fathers family. The sacred rites of
hospitality he had repaid by filching the
daughters virtue. And she, like many
another, became mother ere she was
wife, She had been famed for her beau
ty, yet her disgrace had withered its
charms and crippled its power. Her
family had been wealthy, but adversely
had overtaken them. Her father and
male relatives were all dead. There was
no one to avenge her wrongs. Beau
champ, tied to her fate by the silken
cords of desperate love, as well as by
the romantic notion of chivalric tenn
perament that urged him to wash out
by assassination or challenge the wrong
done, readily took an oath to hurl Col.
Sharpe to the doom he deserved.
Sharpe will not fight" said Miss
Cooke, when Beauchamp announced his
intention of calling him out; I" he is too
great coward" That was in 1921.
The Legislature was in session at
Frankfort. Beauchamp readily found
Col. Sharpe at the Mansion House. The
Colonel recognized him cordially.
"I've come to Frankfort to see you
on important business" and Beauchamp
took him by the arm, saying, Lets
take walk"
They went to a retired spot by the
river side. The bell at the Mansion House
rang for supper.
Beauchamp turned upon Sharpe with
a nervous manner and eye sparkling
with anger.
Do you remember the last words
Miss Cooke, whom you ruined, spoke to
you ?"
Sharpe stood as if transfixed.
81 am the avenger whom, in the
spirit of prophecy, she, the last time you
ever saw her, warned you would right
her wrongs"
Sharpe stood still, deigning no reply.
"Will you fight a duel with me ?"
my dear friend" cringingly spoke
the Attorney General, Il cannot fight
you on Miss Cookies account"
Defend yourself, then, coward and
villain that you are,' shrieked Beau
champ, drawing an enormous dirk.
&C. have no weapon but penknife," !"
said Sharpe.
Beauchamp threw him Spanish
knife.
My dear friend i cannot fight you,"
still urged Sharpe.
You id villain, what do you
mean by thatY That she is not worthy
you should fight her friend and aven-
ger ?"
My friend, meant that never can
fight the friend of that worthy, injured
lady. Had her brothers murdered me, 1
would not have raised my hand to de-
fend myself. And if you are her hus-
band, can never fight you."
. am not her husband but her friend
and avenger. She sent me to take your
life. Now, you ID villain, you shall
die !"
He raised his dagger. Sharpe ram
Beauchamp seized him by the collar
Sharpe fell upon his knees and begged
for his life.
g Take NV 1nronartu NV yyhoIa astata
is at your command, but, oh, let me
live" he cried.
Beauchamp released his hold, slapped
Sharpe's face, and kicked him as he
arose. "Get up, you coward, I'll pub
licly horsewhip you tomorrow in the
street, you Internal coward" he said.
Beauchamp meant to be as good as
his word. He procured horsewhip,
and presuming that Sharpe, surround
ed by his friends, would make a show of
resistance, provided himself with pistols,
with which to finish him. Sharpe felt
that:
He who fights and runs away,
May live to fight another day.
So before break of day he was on his
horse en- route for Bowling Green. Beau
champ returned to his home. Miss Cooke
now resolved to take vengeance in her
own hands. Daily she practised with
pistols, till her aim became deadly. She
tried to lure Sharpe to her house. He
avoided her. Beauchamp refrained from
any further attempt on Sharpe's life to