The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-02-28

this concession he made with reluctance, and
said with sigh:
81 wash my hands of this slaughter on
your head be it"
There was nothing for me but to go home
to my own liop-heart and tell my humiliat-
ing story. When l entered NJ. Gambetta
was laying his last lock of hair upon the
altar. He sprang toward me, exclaiming:
"The weapon, the weapon Quick what
is the weapon %
"Thisw and / displayed that silver
mounted thing. He caught but one glimpse
of it, then swooned ponderously to the aoor.
When he came to he said, mournfully:
"The unnatural calm to which | have
subjected myself has told upon my nerves.
But away with weakness! | will confront
my fate like man and Frenchman."
He rose TO his feet and assumed an atti-
tude which for sublimity has never been ap-
preached by man and has seldom been sur.
passed by statues.
After long silence he asked
"Was nothing said about that mans fam
lily standing up with him as an offset to my
bulk? But no matter; | would not stoop
to make such a suggestion if he ia not
noble enough to suggest it himself he is well
come to this advantage, which no honorable
man would take"
"At what hour is the engagement to be-
gin ?"
"Halt-past nine"
VERY good indeed. Have you sent the
facts to the newspapers?"
"Sirl If after our long and intimate
friendship you can for a moment deem me
capable of 80 base treachery"-
"Tut, tut! What words are these, my
dear friend? Have / wounded you? All.
forgive me; am overlooking you with la
Dor. Therefore go on with the other details,
and drop this one from your list. The
bloody. minded Fourtou will be sure to at
tend to it. Or | myself-yes, to make GER
tain, | will drop note to my journalistic
friend NJ. Noir"-
"Oh, come to think, you may save your
self the trouble; that other second has in
formed NJ. Noir."
"H'm! might have known it. It's just
like that Fourtou, who always wants 10
make a display"
| At half past nine in the morning the pro-
cession approached the field of Plessis-Pi-
quet in the following order First came our
| carriage-nobody in it but Gambetta and
myself then carriage containing M. For
tou and his second ; then a carriage con-
tanning two poet orators who did not believe
in God, and these had MS. funeral orations
projecting from their breast-pockets then
= carriage containing head surgeons and
tue, cases of instruments; then eight pri-
vate carriages containing consulting sur
geons then hack containing the coroner
then the two hearses ; then a carriage con-
tanning the head undertakers then train
of mutes and assistants on foot and after
those came plodding through the fog long
procession of camp-followers, police ant
citizens generally. 1t was a noble turnout
and would have made fine display if W,
had had thinner weather.
The police noticed that the public hat
massed themselves together on the hight anC
left of the field they therefore begged de
lay, while they should put these poor peo
pie in a place of safety The police having
ordered the two multitudes to take position
ready The weather growing still NOR
opaque, it was agreed betw cen myself an
the other second that before giving the fata
signal we should each deliver loud whoo
to enable the combattants to ascertain eac
, others whereabouts.
now returned to my principal and wa
distressed to see that he had lost good b
of his spirit. l tried my best to hearte
as bad as they seem. Considering the char
acter of the weapons, the limited number G
shots allowed, the generous distance, the in
penetrable soldity of the fog, and the ado
ed fact that one of the combattants is on,
eyed and the other cross.eyed and near-sigh
ed, it seems to me that this conflict need n,
necessarily be fatal. There are chances tn
both of you may survive. Therefore, che
up do not be down-hearted."
: This speech had so good an effect that n
principal Immediately stretched forth b
i hand and said:
81 am myself again; give me the wea
u on"
/ laid it, all lonely and forlorn, in t
centre of the vast solitude of his palm. l
gazed at it and shuddered. And still mour
fully contemplating it he murmured in
= broken voice
"Alas it is not death l dread but mu
lation."
" | heartened him once more, and with su
III success that he presently said Let t
tragedy begin. Stand at my back do I
Dc desert me at this solemn hour, my friend.
'' gave him my promise. | now assist
him to point the pistol toward the spot win
| Judged the adversary to be.standing, a
cautioned him to listen well and furtl
guide himself by my fellow seconds who
as Then propped myself against NJ. Gamb
ta's back, and raised a rousing 'Whoop-e
a This was answered from out the far dist
". ces of the fog, and Immediately shoutt
he One-two-three-fire %
oy Two little sounds like spit spit br
ch upon my ear, and in the same inst
ie, | was crushed to the earth under a mo
tain of flesh. Buried as | was, / was
wv able to catch a faint accent from above
he this effect:
no 81 die for-for-deuce take it, what
tie | die for ?-oh, yes-France die I
lis France may live ?"
le' The surgeons swarmed around with t
cry probes in their hands and applied their
sak croscopes to the whole area of NJ. Gam
EN- ta's person with the happy result of finC
Ter. nothing in the nature of wound. Tn,
'st- scene ensued which was in every way q
and flying and inspiriting,
ant The two gladiators fell upon each OF