Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-01-31


ut three-quarters Of a mile. | always
hate to fool away Il humorous thing on
person who has no perception of
humor; and ii filled me with bitterness
when this man went soberly away To
submit the last proposition TO his prin-
cipal.
He came back PRESENTLY, and said
his principal was charmed with the
idea OF brick-bats at three-quarters OF
a mile, but must decline on account 81
the danger to diSintereSted parties pass
4 ing between. Then | said
Well, | am at the end Of my string,
now. Perhaps you would be good
enough 70 suggest weapon? Perhaps
You have even had one i'll Your mind
all the time?'
4 His countenapce frightened, and he
said with alacrity;
oh, without doubt, monsieur
So he fell to hunting in his pockets
pocket after pocket, and he had plenty
Of them, all the while,
Now, what could | have done with
them r.
At last he was successful. He tished
out of his vest pocket a couple of little
things which carried to the light and
discovered to be pistols. They were
single -barrelled and silver-mounted, and
very dainty and pretty. Twas not able
! to speak for emotion. l silently hung
one of them on my watch-chain, and
returned the other. My companion in
crime now unrolled a postage stamp
containing several cartridges, and gave
me one of them. | asked if he
meant to signify by this that our
men were to be allowed but one shot
apiece. He replied that the French
code permitted no more. | then begged
him to 50 on and suggest distance, Tor
my mind was growing weak and con-
fused under the strain which had been
put upon il. He nalaed sixty-tiye
yards. | nearly lost my patience.
said
SiNty-tive yards, with these inStru-
ments? Pop-guns would be deadlier n
fifty. Consider, my friend, you and |
are banded together to destroy life, not
make it eternal"
But with all my persuasion, all my
arguments, | was only able to get him
to reduce the distance to thirty five
yards; and even this concession he
made with reluctance, and said with Il
sigh
l wash my hands of this slaughter;
on your head be il.
There was nothing for me but to so
home to my old lion-heart and tell my
Illuminating story. When | entered, NJ,
Gambetta was laying his stock Of hair
upon the altar. He sprang toward me,
eXclaiming:
You have made the fatal arrange
ments-I see it in your eye"
:" have.
His face paled tritle, and he leaned
upon the table for support. He breathed
thick and heavily for a moment or two,
SO tumultuous were his feelings; then
he hoarsely whispered:
"The weapon, the weapon. Quick,
What isthe weapon 2"
"This," and ! displayed that silver,
mounted thing He caught but one
glimpse of it, then swooned ponderously
to the floor.
When he came to. he said mourn
fully;
"The Unnatural calm to which | have
subjected myself has told upon my
nerves. But away with weakness!
will confront my fate like man and Il
Frenchman."
He rose to his feet and assumed an
attitude Which for sublimity has never
been approached by man, and has sci
dom been surpassed by statutes Then
he said, in his deep bass tones
Behold, ! am calm, am ready; re-
veal to me the distance"
"Thirty-five yards.
could not lift him up Of course, but
| rolled him over, and poured water
down his back. He presently came to,
and SAID
"Thirty-tive yards without rest p
But why ask? Since murder was that
mans Intention, why should he palter
with small details But mark you one
thing; in my fate, the world shall see
how the chivalry Of France meets
death"
After long silence he asked
"Was nothing SAID about that mans
family standing up with him, as All off
set to my bulk? But no matter;
WOulu H0tstoOp u Hldkc su@H u sub-
gestion; il he is not noble enough to
suggest ii himself he is welcome to the
advantage, which no honorable man
would take.
He now sank III sort Of stupor or
reflection, which lasted some minutes,
after which he broke silence with;
"The hour-what is the hour fixed
for the collision ~
"Dawn, tomorrow"
He seemed greatly surprised, and inn
nediately said:
INSANITY! / never heard of such n
thing. Nobody is abroad ut such an
hour"
"That is the reason ] named it. Do
you mean to have an audience"
at is no time to handy words. am
astonished that NJ Fourtou should
ever have agreed to SO strange an in
novation. Go Mt once and require a
later hour"
/ ran downstairs, threw open the
door, and almost plunged into the arm
of NJ. Fourtou's second. He said
81 have the honor to say that nv