Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-10-02
A BLIND MANS DUEL.

eminence. the NJ sjor. Wa tue most
n,ted du - the dsy A 4 ad
shot, a . RE ma - sena.,. - d
n his :. mi.ies a ler,y teia,tiees h.s
nsmo hsd hec me isrro o all who
/ knew him
Ia the midst Of = krot e = mr.
'ng trends one day, Tn NJ j" sas
discus ing biz la>. flair aud CEN
piac n,iy XII ming h." came
lhat he mGrta IL wouh.it Il his aover
: r. Instead II killing him en- me
/ spot. When one of The Two gentle
men ssandlrg wnbin hearing sud
deuIy advanced aud struck him in
toe face. The spectators stood
;bast. What could have tempted
tne stranger to rush thus madly on
his fate He was an old man. AL
ready TO appearance, had three score
and ten years passed over his head.
He must, indeed have been weary of
life, whose brief remnant he was
ready to cast away so reeklessly.
The Major was astonished. The
very audacity of the attack struck
him with amaZement.
is this prevocation sufficient, or
must repeat it 2 inquired the as
sailant.
The Majors first impulse was to
return the blow. But fierce and
violent as were his passions be
schooled himself to complete mas
terry over them and a moments res
| Election told him how bootless under
the circumstances would be pub
lie braw. The indignity ho had re-
ceived would admit of one reparation
and that he determined to lose no
time in seeking.
The insult is sufficient he an
swered with forced calmness. Oblige
me b. naming q friend
And the two strangers took their
leave together.
At sunrise on the following
morning. the principals and their
seconds made their appearance On
the ground selected. No one else
was preseDt-not even surgeon.
The Major ia his own experience,
never had need one; and his op,
ponent it was plain was careless OF
the consequences.
There was no necessity for delay
The prelininaries had 3eeD settled.
The parties wero 10 fight with pis-
tolls at ten PAGES, the combat to con-
tinue till one or both had fallen.
One condition had been insisted
on by the stranger which called an
indignant blush TO the Majors cheek
as it seemed to imply imputation on
his honor though he submitted to it
with the best grace he could. 1t
was that before PLACING the COM
batauts the bodies of both should be
iUsected to see that no secret pro.
tective device was employed by
either.
The ground was measured, and
the mon placed. There was mark
ed contrast between the two in more
respects than one. The old man
erect and motionless as u statue, his
whitened locks floating in the breeze
never once looked st his antagonis,
though his side was turned. Hi-
! face was stern and determined, but
nothing malignant in it. The Ma
jor. on the other hand, glsred fierce.
| ly at his foe, and seemed even to
grudge him the few moments of life
uaf aLad ont m him
Were he my father | would kill
him. he answered audibly to some
whispered expostu alton of his sec
ond, who was evidently touched by
the old mans venerable appearance.
rbe pistols we're put in the hands
of the principals and the giving of
the word explained.
'Gsutlemen, are you resdy?'
Ready both answered.
Still the old man moved not, nor
did he direct single glance at his
adversary. His eyes were fixed in
front. His attitude was one of
wraDt attention. He seemed liked
one listening intently.
Fire
Without changing the direction
of bis gaze or other movements than
that of bis arm, which rose up the
precision of a nicely adjusted ma
! chine, the old man brought his pis-
toll TO tt Q level of his enemy's breast.
For an instant he held it there. Still
the same appearance of eager lis
teDing.
The Major wac in no hurry. He
could afford TO take his time with a
man who held his pistol at random,
without looking witherward. He
was determined to make sure work.
If his ball missed his adversary's
heart, even fraction of an inch,
he would never make any preten.
sion to skill again.
/ The sharp report of the strangers
pistol was followed by convulsive
jerk of the Majors arm, causing the
discharge of his weapon far wide OF
the mark, while be, sta g gering a few
PAGES back wards, fell heavily to the
ground.
| Conduct me to him. said the old
man to his friend.
The latter took bis principals
arm, and led him to the PROSTATE
form of the Major. whose second
kneeling by his side had torn open
bis garments, exposing TO view the
fatal wound in his breast mads by
the strangers bullet.
is your friend seriously hurt?' the
latter inquired coolly.
| 'You can see for yourself, SIR the
second answered.
There you're IN error, replied the
other. Il am totally blind
The wounded man, who had BY
this time revived little and his
second looked at the stranger 10
astonishment. There was no visi.
bic defect in his organs of vision ;
but there was a fixity Of look
that bending of his eyes Oh vacancy
which so Enthusiastically evinc es
the absence of sight.
| who are you, and what ia your
motive 10 seeking this encounter 2
the Major family murmured.
| First, arc you in condition to
! ranau IL % inouired the strangar