Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-02-08
THE GAMBLTTA DUEL.
How Mark Twain Distinguished I1inssei
aA IA state alan'A SECOND.

How Mark Twain DiAtimEuished I1inseii
aS IA NtaIeai aiAn'A SECOND.
Mark Twain writes for the February
number of the Atlantic Monthly an &C.
count OF his participation in the recent
duel between Gsmbetta and Fourtou.
When he had sheard Of the outbreak iu
the assembly he rays that he called on
Gambetta, whom ne found "pteaped in
profound French c2lm." Mr.. Twain
after being embraced began the couver-
cation:
said supposed he you'd wish me to
act as his second, and he said, "Oi
course" ! said | must be allowed to
act under French name. 80 that / might
be shielded from Obloquy in my country
in case of fatal result. He WINGED here,
probably st the sug Icstiun that dueling
was not regarded with respect in America
However, he agreed to MY requirement
This accounts tor the tact that in Ill the
newspaper reports 81 Gambetta's second
WAS apparently a Frenchman First,
we drew up my principals will. | in
sisted upon this aud stuck 10 my point
/ said had never heard OF man in his
right mind going out to fight duel
without first making his will He said
he had never heard or man in his right
mind doing any thing OF the kind. When
We had finished the will he wished to
proceed 10 choice OF his " last words
He wanted TO know how the following
words, IS dying exclamation, struck
me:
81 die 'or my God, for my country,
for freedom of speech, Tor progress and
the universal brotherhood of m8n!n
objected that this would require too
lingering 8 death il was q good speech
Tor consumptive, hut not suited to the
exlgencies OF the fsld OF honor. We
Wangied 0ger good many uatc-m0riem
outbursts, but | finally got him 10 cut
his obituary down to this, which he
copied in hls moraudum bOok, puI-
posing TO get it BY heart: :" die that
France may live"
sSid that this remark seemed to lack
relevancy; but he said relevancy was a
mstter OF no consequence III last wOids
what YOU wanted WAS thrill.
then wrote the following note and
carried i. To NJ. Fourtou's friend:
SIR-M. Gambetta accepts NJ. Fourtou's
CHALLENGE, AMI authorizes me to propose
PietsiyPiquet as the place Of meeting toN
morrow morning at iaybreak IS the time /;
and axes as the weapons am, sir, with
great re'pect, MARK TWAIN.
NJ Fourtou's friend read this note,
and shuddered. Then be turned 10 me,
and said with suggestion of severity
N his tone
Have you considered, sir, what would
he the Inevitable result o. sucn a meet
ing as thisY"
"Well, Tor instance, what would it
beH"
BloOjshed! !"
"That's about the siz9 of it" | said.
"Now, if it is fair question, what was
you eide proposing to shed2'
had him there he SAW lie had made
a hlunder, 30 he hastened to explain il
away. He said he had spoken jest
iugly. Then he added that he and his
principal would enjoy axes, and indeed
prefer them, but such weapons were
barred by the French code, and 50 l
must change MY proposal.
After proposing GatliEg guns, rifles,
navy pistols AID bricSbats, Mr. Twain
left the choice oi weapons 10 the ot er
second, who flashed out OF his vsSt pocket
couple Of little things, which carried
to the light and discovered to be pistols
They wers sIngle-harreled and silver
mounted and very dainty and pretty |
was not able to spesk Tor emotion ] si>
Iently hung one OF them on my watch
chain and returned the other My com
pani0n in crime now unr0lleO a postage
stamp cOntsiniDg several cartridges aud
gave me one OF them. | asked if he
meant to signify by this tnat our men
we're to be allowed bat one shot apiece.
He replied that the French code per
mitted no more. then begged him to
go ON and suggest distance, tor my
mind was getting weak and confused
uuder the strain which ! sd been put
upon it He named sixty five yards, /
nearly lost my patience. | said
"Sixty-fve yards, with these instrur
ments? Pop'guus wsuld be deadly at
fifty. Consider, my friend, you and I
are banded together to destroy life, not
make it eternal"
But with all my persuasions, all my
arguments, | wSs only able to get him
to reducp the distance TO thirty five
yards; aul even thi9 concession he made
with reluctsnc aud said with sigh:
81 wash my hands OF this slaughter
on your head be il"
There was nothing for me but to 60
home to my own lion-heart and tell my
humiliatug ory. When | entered NJ
Gsmbetta was laying his last lock of hail
upon the altar. He sprang toward me
exclaiming;
The weapon, the weaponl Quick
What is the weapon %
"Thisl" and | displayed that silver,
mounted thing, He caught but ons
glimpse of it, then swooned ponderousIy
to tine floor.
When he came to he said mournfully
"The unnatural calm 20 which have
subjected myself has told upon m,
nerves But away with wesgnel-l
will confront my late like a man aud 1
Fienchman.
He rose to his feet and assumed an at