The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-03-19

| The stOutest of my foes, ......-s
But heaven defend me from the friend
Who never-never gOes!' a. t
THE FIGHTING DOCTOR.
The hero of the following sketch was
native OF Kentucky. His father was
farmer in moderate circumstances, living
few miles from Louisville. who managed
by great labor and scrupulous economy
to give his favorite and frst-born son an
excellent education, embracing the degree
of doctor of medicine. Young Menefee
had young and beautiful sister, who
was betrayed by fashionable william of
Louisville, one James Murray, a lawyer,
and universally regarded as the most des-
pcrate, brave duellist that Kentucky, the
land so prodigal Of such heroes, ever
produced.
While the father and mother of the
ruined girl were weeping tears of despair,
John, then only twenty years, armed him
self and proceeded in search of his enemy.
He found HIM in the courthouse, imme-
diately after an adjournment, and, with
out uttering single word, attacked and
belabored him dreadfully with cowhide.
Murray, on his part, fought like fend,
but in vain, for the fiery desperation OF
fierce and concentrated wrath appeared
to have given young Menefee the strength
of dozen men. He blinded his antag
onist with quick and countless blows,
, dashed from his hand every pistol the
other succeeded in drawing from his
pocket, and flagellated him till he was
, literally covered with blood.
| nho1 70
Menefee accepted on these conditions
8 That the meeting should take place at a
certain spot the ensuing morning, direct
l ~ after sunrise. Three pistols were to
be loaded; each was to take one and fire
!. by turns at mark ten PAGES distant.
4 Whoever hit nearest the centre Should
r then have the remaining pistol, .an2 shsoa
at his adversary's head. If he missed,
y the other should be entitled to a shot,
and so on by alienation till one of them
y should fall dead! These ferocious terms
were mutually settled, and the principals
o and their seconds met accordingly on the
It banks of the Ohio River, six miles below
; the falls.
The seconds measured off ten PAGES,
" and then made black spot with moist
e ened gunpowder, about as high as mans
I heart, on slender oak tree. They then
loaded the three pistols, handed one t.
j. each principal, and retained the third tt
> be given to the successful marksman
It The antagonists then cut pack of cards
,e tor the first shot. Murray drew tb'
al queen of diamonds, Menefee the ace O
spades, and so won the first fire. He i'm
e. mediately took his stand, turned hi
right side to the tree, let the hand which
r grasped the weapon, now at full cock
IN fall until the muzzle reached below hi
knee, fixed his flashing blue eyes steadil
q? moment on the mark, and then, swift
r. thought, raised and pulled the trigger
'e, Unfortunately, the pistol "hung fire." a
it is called in the backwoods-thati il
Id the flash in the pan was seen first, an
d, then the explosion of the load in the bal
ny rel, sounding long, like double repor
lis Under such circumstances most person
D. would have missed the tree; 1.ut as it wa
lat Menefees bullet barely cut the uppe
ne edge of tile mark. An excellent shot!
ed Murry now took his position. He VIZ
;ur famous ''level shooter,' having prev
Dr.. ously slam three men in as many duel
YER sending his ball directly through the
Jed brains. He raised slowly, poised d.
DR.. lberate aim, stood several seconds m
to tionless as the tree at which the muzz
: a of his pistol was pointed, and fired. TT
crack was short and sharp as the peal
on a bell, and when the blue wreaths of cul
us ing smoke we're cleared away, the blat
as spot on the oak was not to be seen-t
ate white bullet-hole bored into the splinter
an wood occupied its place. FL.
nd The seconds then gave Murry the thi
re- pistol, and he stationed himself ten ste
re- from his unarmed adversary, who in
meanwhile seemed calm and fearless,
cid if an unconcerned spectator, without t
reat slightest symptoms of either alarm
,ery surprise. According to the terms stiI
DR.. lated, Murray might choose his own tin
rlie after the elevation of his weapon, to Fl
him and the thought appeared to cross
reat mind to torture his antagonist by CT
k OF and unnecessary delay. He raised
and right hand gradually, and fixed NOR
eed- aim at Menefees head, in which post
he continued for more than two minut
,ked But Menefee still betrayed no emoti
Not a nerve shook-his face paled nc
ohns shade. A bitter smile of scora writl
his purple lip, and his cleaning blue e
said gazing fercely into that of his deadly
and seemed to the wondering seconds lik
GU ball of fire, go intense and vengeful
enty it's glare. At length he called out
or ii, voice piercing and shrill as the shriel
,um- trumpet:
have MURRAY, you id coward, why d,
=. you shoot2 Are you afraid to shoot2'
doc And whether it was that the positio
ve it, Murray's arm, so long extended, affet
IRE is the nerves, or that he became excited
the hooking taunt. or was surprised
,lded the terrible tones of his enemy's vo
He or quailed with preternatural dread
trem- fore the lightning of his burning