The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-02-28
From az Old Magazine.
MY FIRST DUEL.

University, in the north, and in the
course of his conversation spoke Of duel
which you and friend of yours fought
while there. How was it? What was
the cause? Tell ME, wont your"
"Well, my boy, it was one of those
affairs Of honor as they are now called,
which | thought brave and chivalrous
thing to enter into, and for which | am
now heartily ashamed. However, | will
relate 1t to you and bid you be careful
lest you fall into as dire and unneces-
sary snare as J, from the impulse of my
oyer-quick temper and revengeful spirit,
became entangled in. Mother, do you
wish to hear it," This was addressed
to my wife-a clear, blue-eyed dame,
now looking with eyes of strange alarm
on me and her boy, this having been the
first time she had ever, during the course
of our married life, even dreamed of such
an adventure of her husbands.
Oh. yes. | should like to know
something of that myself"
Well, then, here it is: Twenty wears
ago saw me member of the Freshman
class at NJ University, a careless,
reckless, fearless boy of sixteen. Nv
father, God bless him! presented me,
when left his roof-tree in Florida, in
order to amuse myself in my leisure
hours, fearing | might OverwOrk myself
IT had no inducement otherwise, with
a fine light rifle, suit of Indian-dressed
deerskin, powder and bullet-pouch, and,
to crown all, large, magnificently-mad
dog, which he had brought home with
him from Ireland, whittier he had been a
year or two before. The hound was of
mouse color, with a fine fox nose,
long, thin legs, and stood nearly four
feet high. His eyes were never STILL al
ways watching some object, even at his
meals, and as to his general reputation
among the fellows, he could outrun, out
scent, outlay any dog within a hundred
miles OF M. Satan was the name he
bore at home, and for old remembrances
this diabolical name followed him where
ever he went. Among the members of
the acknowledged secret and sporting
club to which | belonged, yclcpt The
Provincial Government was George
E, Il rather fast and INSCRIPTIONS
sportsman, whose whole time was spent,
instead of at his books, with rifle or pis-
tol. acknowledged no superior at that
time, for | was then perfect marksman.
Strange feats | could tell you as to my
aim and general proves, but they have
no connection with the present marathon.
One Saturday morning George came
to me and said: We'll, Jim, there was
fine tall of snow last evening, and the
rabbits and squirrels will be plentiful
this morning; shall we TT. the woodsY
gave him no answer for a moment.
and he resumed: If you do not wish to
go | Will take Satan and 90 alone
Now, Satan had great difficulty
IN distinguishing between us rs to who
was his master, George assuming as much
control over him as did myself, and the
dog would follow him with as little per-
suasion as he would me-
Well, George, wait minute till
dress myself and ! will accompany YOU
| went to my room, equipped and
started out, rifle on shoulder, for the
p,ney woods
" forgot to tell you in my preamble
that George father was one of the pro-
tcssors III the university. and that in col
lege order George outranked me- The
house he lived in was situated within the
college grounds, and Immediately be-
hind the boundary of the same the woods
commenced thick and uncleared. 1t was
the season when the farmers gathered, in
balls and buckets, the sap of the sugar
maple, and iboiled the saccharine Juice
unit the consistent sugar was obtained.
1t was q tavorite amusement of ours 10
90 TO the sugar camp far away in the
woods, and sit around the big fires and
listen 10 the stories of the boilers and
taste the steaming syrup. 1t had been
our custom every day to 90 at the even
ing cleaning and stay till late at night,
smoking our short pipes and drinking
our old rye out of leaf noggin, and
we never thought ourselves far from
home until we had left the sugar-boil-
ings tour or five miles behind
Distant from our domicile was the
largest and most complete sugar camp in
the country. Towards this we now bent
our steps. Satan coursed on before, rae
ing here and there, sometimes starting a
/. deer or rabbit which we endeavored to
kill and bag with varied success, while
on he went, yelling and scouting as if all
were but play to him. Leisurely We fol-
lowed, often excited by the break of
deer across our path, but never VARYING
from our accustomed track, save to pick
the camp, and around the fire made in
the snow and composed of combustible
substance of every description. we found
our old cronies, the sugar boilers, and
were heartily welcomed, as Just in pud-
ding time. There in the snow, some
halt dozen yards from the fire they were
sitting upon branches and logs eating
their noonday meal. We were. of
course, invited 10 partake, and quickly
dlsposing of our rifles. accoutrements
and game, fell to work in right hungry
andmasterly style, and did our dutywith
the best among them, our long march
having Sharpened our already gnawing
appetiteS. Satan received as much of
welcome as his masters, and was RECALLED
with his share, never scrupling TO take
his bit from one more than another.
Conversation now turned upon the
state of the woods and the quantity of
game, and where il were best found. and
in the greatest quantity. This camp was
honored with the cognomen of The
Eagles Nest, 1t being the topmost evrie
in long range of hills which stretched
toward the eastward from us, far as the
could reach, and on various occasions the
great bald eagles, illustrious emblems of
the liberty OF our country, had made il a
consecrated spot whereon TO build their
enormous nests. Still on the height of
the assures, betwixt two great rocks.
could be found moses and twigs. rem
nants OF The last resting place of these
gigantic birds. Many shot had George
and | at these fea thered aristocrats, from
the very spot on which We now stood.
and although marksmen of superior
ability, yet neither had been able to
oblige one of them to stoop from his high
flight. We were told game had been
seen that very morning making range
toward another track of highland some
FIVE miles distant, and that without doubt