The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-02-06

rejected, reflected while, and sareas-
tically suggested brick-bats at three
quarters of mile. j always hate to
fool away humorous thing on person
who has no perception of humor; and il
filed me with bitterness when this man
went soberly away to submit the last
proposition to his principal.
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 of the dan
ger to disinterested parties passing be-
tween. Then said:
!" Well, am at the end of my string,
now. Perhaps you would be good enough
to suggest weapon? Perhaps you have
even had one in your mind all this
timer
His countenance frightened, and he
said with alacrity:
"Oh, without doubt, monsieurp
So he fell to hunting in his pockets
pocket after pocket, and he had plenty
of them-muttering all the while,
/" Now, what could have done with
them 7"
At last he was successful. He fshed
out of his vest pocket couple of little
things, which l carried to the light and
discovered to be pistols. They were
single-barreled and silyer-mounted, and
very dainty and pretty. l was not able
to speak for emotion. / silently hung
one of them on my watch-chain, and re-
turned the other. Ny companion in
crime now unrolled postage stamp con-
tanning several cartridges, and gave me
one of them. l 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 60 on and suggest
a distance, for my. mind was growing
weak and confused under the strain
which had been put upon it. He named
sixty-fve yards. / nearly lost my pa
tience. said: sr X
" Sixty-fve yards, with these inst-u-
ments? Pop-guns would be deadlier at
fifty Consider, my friend, you and
are banded together to destroy life, not
make it eternal"
But with all my persuasions, all my
arguments, was only able to get him to
reduce the distance to thirty-fve yards;
and even this concession he made with
reluctance, and said with sigh: 3
@ / wash my hands of this slaughter;
on your head be it."
There was nothing for me but to 60
home to my old ion-heart and tell my
humiliating story. When 1 entered M.
Gambetta was laying his last lock of
nair upon the altar. He sprang toward
me, exclaiming:
I "You have the fatal arrangements
Isee it in your eye."
"I have" M
His face paled trihe, and he leaned
upon the table for support. He
breathed thick and heavily for moment
or two, so tumultuous were his feelings;
then he hoarsely whispered:
The weapon, the weaponl Quickl
what is this weapon p
"Thisp' and | displayed that silver
mounted thing. sHe caught but one
glimpse of it, then swooned ponderously
to the floor.
When he came to, he said mournfully:
"The unnatural calm to which l have
subjected myself has told upon my
nerves. But away with weaknessI 1
will confront my fate like man and a
Frenchman."
He rose to his feet, and assumed an
attitude which for subimity has never
been approached by man, ami has seldom
been surpassed by statues. Then he
said, in his deep bass tones:
Z" Behold, l am calm, am ready; re-
veal to me the distance"
Thirty-fve yards"
l could not lift him up, of course but
I rolled him over, and poured water
down his back. He presently came to,
and said:
"Thirty-fve yards without a rest? :?
But why ask? Since murder was that
mans intention, why should he palter
with small details? But mark you one
thing in my fall 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 an of.
set to my bulkf But no matter; /
would not stoop to make such sug-
gestion; if he is not noble enough to
suggest it himself, he is welcome to this
advantage, which no honorable man
would take.'
He now sank into a sort of stupor of
reflection, which lasted some minutes,
after which he broke the silence with:
"The hour-whatis the hour fixed for
the collision %
Dawn, tomorrow"
He seemed greatly surprised, and i'm
mediately said:
"Insanityi | never heard OF such a
thing. Nobody is abroad at such an
hour"
THAT is the reason I named it. Do
you mean to say you want an au-
diencef"
1t is no time to handy words. am
astonished that M. Fourtou should ever
have agreed to so strange an innovation.
Goa once and require later hour"
II ran downstairs, threw open the
front door, and almost plunged into the
arms of M. Fourtou's second. He said
az have the honor to say that my
principal ssrenuously objects to the
hour chosen, and begs that you will
consent to change it to half-past nine" "
"Any courtesy, sir, which it is in
our power to extend is at the service OF
your excellent principal. We agree to
the proposed change of time."'
"I beg you to accept the thanks OF
my client" Then he turned to a per.
son behind him and said: "You hear
M. Noir, the hour is altered to half-pasi
nine" Whereupon NJ. Noir bowed
expressed his thanks, and went away
My accomplice continued:
:" If agreeable 10 you, your chief sur
geons and ours shall proceed to the felG
in the same carriage, as is customary
tits entirely agreeable to me, and
am obliged to you for mentioning tn,
surgeons, for 1 am afraid I should no
have thought of them. How many
shall l want? | suppose two or thre
will be enough?'
"Two is the customary number fo
each party. ] refer to schief SUI
geons; but considering the exalted posi-
tions occupied by our clients, it will b
we'll and decorous that each of us ar
point several consulting surgeons, fron
among the highest in the profession
These will. come in their own privat
carriages. Have you engaged a hearse? I?