The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-03-13
STAUNTON. VIRGINIA. MARCH 13. 1879.
friendship, you can fora moment deem me

| capable OF so base treachery-
Tut, tut. What words are these my
dear friend? Have 1 wounded you? All
forgive me; am overlooking you with la
Dor. Therefore, go on with the other de-
tails, 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 journa llstic
friend NJ. Nor
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 is just like
that Fourtou, who always wants to make a
display
| At half-past nine in the morning the pro-
cession approached the field of Plessis Pr
quet in the following order: First came
our carriage. nobody in it but NJ. Gambetta
and myself and then carriage containing
NJ. Fourtou and his second; then carriage
containing two poet-orators who did not be-
| lieye in God, and these had MS. funeral ora
lions projecting from their breast pockets !;
then eight private carriages containing con-
sulting surgeons then hack containing
the coroner; then the two hearses; then a
carriage containing the head undertakes !;
then train of assistants and mutes on foot !;
| and after these came plodding through the
fog long procession Of camp followers,
police and citizens generally. It was a no.
BILE turnout, and would have made fine
display if we had had thinner weather.
The police noticed that the public had
massed themselves together on the right
and left OF the field; they therefore begged
delay, while they should put these poor
people in place of safety. The request
was granted. The police having ordered
the two mulitudes to take positions behind
the duelists, we were once more ready. The
weather growing still opaque, it was agreed
between myself and the other second that
! before giving the fatal signal we should each
deliver loud whoop to enable the combat
ants to ascertain each others whereabouts.
now returned to my principal, and was
distressed to observe that he had lost a good
deal of his spirit. tried my best to heart
en- him. 1 said: Indeed, sir, things are not
as bad as they seem. Considering the char
acter of the weapons, the limited number of
shots allowed, the generous distance, the
impenetrable solidity Of the fog, and the ad-
ded fact that one Of the combatants is one
eyed and near-sighted, it seems to me thai
the conflict need not necessarily be fatal.
There are chances that both of you may
survive. Therefore, cheer up; DO not be
down hearted
This speech had so good an effect that my
principal Immediately stretched forth his
hand and said: 4 am my self again !; give
me the weapon
laid It, all lonely and forelorn in the
center Of the vast solitude of his palm. He
gazed at it and shuddered. And still mourn
fully contemplating it he murmured in a
broken voice:
ALAS it is not death 1 dread but mutila-
tion.'
heartened him once more, and with such
success that he presently said: Let the
tragedy begin. Stand at my back; do not
desert me in this solemn hour, my friend
1 gave him my promise. now assisted
him to point his pistol toward the spot where
judged his adversary to be standing, and
cautioned him to listen well and further
guide himself by my fellow seconds whoop.
Then propped myself against NJ. Gambet-
ta's back, and raised a rousing 'Whoopee =
This was answered from out the far dis
tances of the fog, and Immediately shout
ed:
'One-two-three-.1ire =
Two little sounds like spit spit! broke
upon my ear, and in the same instant was
crushed to the earth under mountain Of
flesh. Buried as was was able to catch a
faint accent from above, to this effect:
4 die for-for-perdition take it, what is
it die for? Oh, yes-FRANcE I die that
France may live p
The surgeons swarned around with their
probes in their hands, and applied their mi
croscopes to the whole area OF NJ. Gambet-
ta's person, with the happy result Of finding
nothing In the nature of wound. Then
scene ensued which was in every way graft
flying and inspiriting,
The two eladiators fell upon each others
necks. with floods Of proud and happy tears !;
that other second embraced me; the sur
geons, the orators, the undertakers, the po-
lice, every body embraced, every body con-
graduated, every body cried, and the whole
atmosphere was filled with praise and with
joy unspeakable. 1t seemed to me then
that would rather be the hero of French
dael than crowned and sceptred monarch.