The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-07-11

During this long period many quar-
rels had taken place al the mess-table,
some of which had been settled by the
colonel acting as ARBITRATOR" and 9TH
ers stood over for his permission to
fight "a permission which he refused to
grant until the result of Lord Vellum's
illness should become known. In the
meantime Colonel A. had commune
Gated with the Duke of Wellington,
from whom he received explicit instruc-
tions to carry the matter to the bitter
end, as the only means of putting stop
to matter which was fast becoming q
worldwide scandal.
Lord Vellum was carefully attended
to during his illness by his 'sfriend and
enemy" Ensign Warbottle, to whose
efforts Lord Vellum not only owed his
life, but was enabled at the end of two
months to take short walk every morn
ing. His recovery then proceeded rap
idly, and he soon became enabled TO
walk without any support whatever.
The two friends were walking together
one morning, when they suddenly found
themselves face to face with Colonel
A.
"Ah, gentlemen, good-morning p ex-
claimed the latter. -"I am delighted to
see his lordship out again, especially as
it will now enable you to finish your
afaire d'honneur in more. satisfactory
manner"
The young officers, scarcely believing
their own ears, were for time struck
dumb with astonishment, and they
gazed at each other and at the colonel
with looks of bewilderment and despair.
"You see, gentlemen" said the
colonel, gravely, "that this question of
the Life Guards helmets is Of such i'm
portance that I deemed it advisable,
since his lordship's illness, to write to
the Duke of Wellington on the subject
and I have here his grace's orders that
the duel should be renewed again and
batants has been forfeited" As he
spoke, Colonel A drew from his
breast-pocket of his coatee a. large letter,
bearing on its envelope the words "On
His Maiesty's Service in large black
letters, and in one corner the notice in
red ink, every Urgent"
"But," said the young ensign, his
lordship has not recovered yet; be-
sides"
"When one can walk" interrupted
the colonel, Zone can also fire off a
pistol; and it is not conducive to the in
terests and dignity of the service that so
important question as the equipment
of his majesty's body-guard should any
longer be left undecided"
The two young officers, who had
oa,,, opfaI fbofr frio obi,, o,,au, ~
the period of illness, here took each
others hands and gazed long and silent
ly into each others face. Colonel A
turned away to hide his emotion; for be-.
ing really possessed of kindly disposi-
ton, he began to regret the stern and
unbending part he had been oalled upon
to perform. Brushing the signs of his
weakness away from his eyes, he turned
once more towards the young officers
and said:
Gentlemen, I have orders from Eng
land to supersede you in the regiment
to which we all have the honor to be-
long; and I am only to wave the execu-
ton of these orders on condition that the
duel is renewed, as already stated.
Your honor is absolutely in your own
hands. leave you to decide, gentle
men, what that course shall be, and bid
you for the present adieu."
So saying, the colonel left the two
friends to decide upon their own fate.
They ultimately decided to consult with
their brother officers on the subject, and
to be guided by the general opinion.
This opinion turned out to be in favor OF
another fight; and they once more pro-
ceeded to the place of meeting, each
mentally resolving not to injure the
other, but each exchanging portraits and
letters for their friends. The fatal wea-
pons were discharged, and Ensign War,
bottle fell to the earth with shot buried
in his heart.
The grief of Lord Vellum knew nc
bounds, for he had been led to believe
that the balls had been withdrawn from
the pistols. He threw himself on the
inanimate body of his friend, and could
with great difficulty be removed there.
from. At length he was conducted to
the house of a married officer; and from
there he indicted letter to Colonel A,
rendering his resignation, and reproach.
ing the latter with the death of his
friend.
The same afternoon, Colonel A
assembled the other officers, and address.
ing himself especially to those whose
applications to fight were in suspension,
declared himself ready to grant one
more permission on the same conditions
as the other, namely, that "for honor'f
sake" the combatants should fight to
the death. In the pause which ensued,
one officer after another saluted the col,
onel respectfully, and then retired as
silently as they came, leaving him alone
in the mess-room, and master of the
situation.
1t was rude lesson which these off.
GERS had received, but it fully accom-.
plished its purpose; and from that day
to this dueling has been almost unknown
in the British army.