Daily globe., 1879-03-16

AC oIOuGCoU VI uJ lOcS,
But heaven defend me from the friend
Who never-neVer goes!"
THE FIGHTING DOCTOR.
The hero of the following sketch was a
native OF Kentucky. His father was a
farmer IN moderate circumstances, living
few miles from Louisville. who managed
by great labor and scrupulous economy
to give his favorite and irst-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, LAWYER,
and universally regarded as the most des-
perate, 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, imnle-
dlately after an adjournment, and, with
out uttering single word, attacked and
belabored him dreadfully with cowhide.
Murray, on his part, Tough like a fiend,
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 f1agellated him till he was
literally covered with blood.
A challenge was the consequence.
Menefee accepted on these conditions
That the meeting should take place at a
certain spot the ensuing morning, direct
~ after sunrise. Three pistols were to
be loaded; each was to take one and fire
by turns al mark ten PAGES distant
Whoever hit nearest the centre should
then have the remaining pistol, and shoot
at his adversary's head. If he missed,
the other should be entitled to shot,
and 80 on by alienation till one of them
should fall dead! These ferocious terms
were mutually settled, and the principals
and their seconds met according ly on the
banks of the Ohio River, six miles below
the falls.
The seconds measured off ten PAGES,
and then made black spot with moist
ened gunpowder, about as high as mans
heart, on slender oak tree. They then
loaded the three pistols, handed one to
each principal, and retained the third to
be given to the successful marksman
The antagonists then cut a pack of cards
tor the first shot. Murray drew the
queen of diamonds, Menefee the ace of
spades, and so won the first fire. He i'm
mediately took his stand, turned his
right side to the tree, let the hand which
grasred the weapon, now at full cock,
fall until the muzzle reached below his
knee, fixed his flashing blue eyes steadily
a moment on the mark, and then, swift
a thought, raised and pulled the trigger.
Unfortunately, the pistol "hung fire." as
it is called in the backwoods- is,
the flash in the pan was seen first, and
then the explosion of the load in the bar
rel, sounding long, like double report.
Under such circumstances most persons
would have missed the tree; hut as it was
Menefee's bullet barely cut the upper
edge of the mark. An excellent shot!
Murry now took his position. He was
famous ''level shooter,' having previ-
ously slam three men in as many duels,
sending his ball directly throug gh their
brains. He raised slowly, poised de-
liberate aim, stood several seconds mo-
tionless as the tree at which the muzzle
of his pistol was pointed, and fired. The
crac k was short and sharp as the peal of
a bell, and when the blue wreaths of curl
ing smoke were cleared away, the black
spot on the oak was not to be seen--the
white bullet hole bored into the splintered
wood occupied its place.
The seconds then gave Murry the third
pistol, and he stationed himself ten steps
from his unarmed adversary, who in the
meanwhile seemed calm and fearless, as
If an unconcerned spectator, without the
slightest symptoms of either alarm or
surprise. According to the terms stipu-
lated, Murray might choose his own time,
after the elevation of his weapon, to fire
and the thought appeared to cross his
mind to torture his antagonist by cruel
and unnecessary delay. He raised his
right hand gradually, and fixed mortal
aim at Menefee's head, in which posture
he continued for more than two minutes.
But Menefee still betrayed no emotion.
Not nerve shook-his face paled not a
shade. A bitter smi:4@ of scorn writhed
his purple lip, and his cleaning blue eye,
gazing tiercely into that of his deadly foe,
seemed to the wondering seconds like a
ball of fire, so intense and vengeful was
its glare. At length he called out in a
voice piercing and shrill as the shrek OF
a trumpet:
"Murray, you id coward, why don t
you shoot2 Are you afraid to shoot?"
And whether it was that the position of
Murray:s arm, so long extended. affected
the nerves, or that he became excited by
the mocking taunt. or was surprised at
the terrible tones of his enemy's voice,
or quailed with preternatural dread be-
fore the lightning of his burning blue
eye, it is impossible to say; but at least,
whatever might be the cause, remark
able change passed over his features.
His cheek grew palid-his pale lip qulv-
ered-hls hand shook. He fired The
ball merely grazed Menefees left temple
without iajury.
Then the seconds reloaded the pistol
and placed it in the hands of Menefee,
and the parties again assumed their prop
er stations. The youthful avcnger of a
sisters shame waited not an instant He