The Osceola times., 1879-02-08
THE GAMBLTTA DUEL.
How Mark Tw sin Disti"guiAhed Himself
ms n state mmn's SECOND.

How Mark Tw sin Dating uiAhed utmsei
as - state mans SECOND.
Mark Twain writes for the February
number OF the Atlantic Monthly an ac
count OF his participation in the recent
duel between Gambetta and Fourtou.
When he had heard of the outbreak in
the assembly he says that he called ou
Gambetta, whom ne found "steeped ia
a profound French calm" Mr. Twain
after being embraced began the conver.
sstion:
Isaid | supposed he would wish me to
act as his second, and be said, "OI
course" | said | must be allowed 70
act under French name, 30 that might
be shielded from obloquy in my country
in case OF fatal results. He WINGED here,
probably at the suggestion that duelir &
was not regarded with respect in America.
However, he agreed to my requirement.
This accounts for the Iact that in all the
newspaper reports NJ. Gambetta's second
was apparently a Frenchman. First,
we drew up my principals will. l in
sisted upon this and stuck to my point.
! said had never heard of man in his
right mind going out to fight duel
without first making his will. He said
he had never heard OF man in his right
mind doing any thing Of the kind. When
we had finished the will, he wished TO
proceed to choice OF his last words "
He wanted to know how the following
words, as a dying exclamation, struck
me:
"I die for my God, for my country,
tor freedom of speech, tor progress and
the universal brotherhood of mani"
Iobjected that this would require too
lingering death 1t was good speech
ior a consumptive, but not suited to the
exigencies OF the field of honor. We
wangled over a good many ante-morfem
outbursts, but finally got him TO cut
his obituary down to this, which be
copied in his memorandum book, pur'
posing to get it by heart: 81 die that
France may live"
said that this remark seemed To lacl
relevancy but he said relevancy was :
matter OF no consequence in last word,
what you wanted wss thrill.
then wrote the following note and
carried il TO NJ. Fourtou's friend:
| SIR-M. Gsmbetta accepts NJ. Fourtou's
challenge, and authorizes me to propose
Plessi--Piquet as the place Of meeting to,
morrow morning at iaybreak Ms the time
and axes AS the weapons. am, sir, with
great respect MARX TWAIN.
NJ. FOurtou's friend read this note,
and shuddered. Then he turned to me,
and said, with a suggestion of severity
in bis tone:
Have you considered, sir, what would
be the inevitable result OF such meet.
ing as this 7" t
"Well, for instance. what would it
bei"
Bloodshed |"
"That's about the siz, of it." said.
"Now, If it is fair question, what was
you side proposing to shed ~
had him there he saw he had made
a blunder, 50 he FASTENED to explain it
ingly. Theu he added that ne and his
principal would enjoy axes, and indeed
prefer them, but such weaoons were
barred by the French code, and 80 l
must change my proposal.
After proposing Gatling guns, rifles,
navy pistols and brlckbats, Mr. Twain
lett the choice oi weapons to the OF er
second, who flashed out OF his vest pocket
a couple of little things, which carried
to the light aud discovered to be pistols.
They were single-barreled and silver
mounted and very dainty and pretty !
was not able to speak for emotion. si-
lently hung one OF them on my watch
chain and returned the other My com.
psnion in crime now unrolleu postage
stamp containing several cartridges and
gave me one OF them. / asked II he
mesnt to signify by this that our men
we're TO be allowed but one shot apiece.
He replied that the French code per
mitted no more. then begged him to
go on and suggest distance, tor my
mind wss getting weak and confused
under the strain which nd been put
upon it He named sixty five yards. ]
nearly lost my patience. said:
"Sixty-fve yards, with these instru,
ments? Popguns wsuld be deadly al
fifty. Consider, my friend, you and
are banded together o destroy life, mol
make it eternal"
But with all my persussions, all my
arguments, was only able to get him
TO reduce the distance to thirty. fvs
yards aud even this concession he made
with reluctsnce, and said with sigh:
al wash my hands OF this slaughter
on your head be it,"
There was nothing for me but to u
home to my own lion-hesrt and tell m,
humiissiug story. When 1 entered NJ
Gsmbetta was laying his last lock Of hal
upon the altar. He rprang toward me
exclaming:
The weapon, the weapon! Quick
What is the weapon 7"
"This " and displayed that silver
mounted thing. He caught but on
glimpse of 1t, then swooned ponderousl
to the floor.
When he came tobe said, mournfully
"The unnatural calm to which | hav
subjected myself has iold upon m
nerves. But away with weasnes-i
will confront my late like = man and
j Fsenchman. .
! H soss to his fsst aad assausd = q