Louisiana capitolian., 1880-02-14

Mr. Tevis was tall, spare man OF
highly nervous and cxcitablc tempera-
ment. He came from Kentucky, and
possessed the ideas of chivalry and hon
or prevailing at the South, but too little
skilled in wcOdcraft to know that in
shooting down hill one should aim low,
else he would Overrcach the mark. He
was possessed of good natural abilities,
but was somewhat eccentric in manner,
and did not possess the element Of pop
ularity. In walking ont with him on
the evening before the meeting observ-
cd his manner was abstracted and his
speech confused and faltcring as he
talked of his solemn situation, but his
courage and resolution were unwavcr-
ing, and he seemed absolutely athirst to
spill the blood of one who had made
him the subject of mortifying ridicule.
This was our last interview and his last
night on earth, and the pale, gEost-like
face, as it then appeared in the twilight
when we walked under the frowning
hills and beside the resounding river,
hangs in memory to this day. | have
seen the bounding deer sink down be-
fore the aim of his iron-nerved autagO-
mist, and felt then that he was q dead
man walking the lonesome outskirts of
the world
Tho combatants took their places, for
ty yards apart; the ground was q little
sloping, and the highest situation fell
to the lot ST Tevis. The sun was going
down upon the peace and happiness of
two families far away, and upon bril-
liant young mans life and happiness
As his second walked away he turned
toward Tcvs and his finger on his own
breast as an indication where to aim,
and Lippincott observed the gesture and
fixed his eyes on the same place. The
word was given; the guns bNh cracked
at the same instant. rovis sank dead,
shot through the heart, and lock of
hair fell from near Lippincot'scar, The
fallen man had not made the necessary
allowance for descending ground, and
his murdcrous lead had passed directly
over his advcrsary'sle left shoulder, grazing
his face. The wound was frightful, as
though it had been bored through with
an auger, and the ground was horrible
with it's sanguine libation, The survi-
vor and his friends took their departure,
and the dead man was temporarily bur
led in that lone place, in the gathering
twilight, seemed like the rhosen abode
of the genius of solitude.
On tho following day .hc body was
taken up, properly incloscd, packed on
mule to Downicvillc and inferred in
the bleak hillside cemetery. The funeral
was very large and demonstrative, aud
seemed to be death-ritc performed by
the Know Nothing party, and, although
the duel had been fair enough according
to the murderous code, the better class
of citizens regarded Tevs as the victim
of that fell and devilish spirit which had
stained our State with human blood.
Tippincott fled to Nevada; and when he
afterwards returned to Downievillc he
felt himself like another Ish1nacl; old
friends extended their bands reluctantly
and the man of sensibility felt that he
was 0vershadowed by the voicelcss,
noiseless, horrible thing which made q
coward of Macbeth. Miss Pellet, re-
garding herself as the innocent cause of
the duel, stood courageously by her
friend, visited him III his exile, excrted
all her personal influence to reconcile
public opinion to the. survivor, and be-
havcd altogether like brave, true
hearted woman, AZ she was, and still is,
in her fancied missel of rcform.
After completing,his term in the State
Senate Mr.. Lippincott returned to his
home in Illinois to find his reverend
father dying. | heard that his sons
connection with lhc fatal duel broke
the old mans heart, and he died. At
the outbreak of! the war Lippincott
joined the Union armies, distinguished
himself in battle by his reckless daring,
and became a I'figadier General. He
was afterward tn, Republican Auditor
of Illinois. If tl,is brief sketch should
come to the notice of his personal or
political friends, let them know that he
was respected aid beloved by his ac-
quaintances, and that his unhappy en-
gagement in the!ducl resulted from his
position and the prevailing spirit Of Dor
der life. At that time politician who
would have sutfy fyred himself to be pub
lished a liar and a slanderer, without
prompt resentment, would would have
been considered disgraccd by most of
his fellow-citiztns. Mr.'Lippincott was
an intimate friend and supporter of the
late Senator B1dcrick, and was by him
regarded as his ablest advocate aud par
tisan.
Miss Pellet vent to Oregon, and there,
while gallant settler went to pilot and
protect her through the, wilderness, the
savagos came: upon and murdered his
family and barned his house. SO did
disaster seem, to follow the poor girl.
Aftcrward sh. returned across the plains
to the East, and l have lately heard of
her at a Won!an's Suffrage Convention
in Syracuse. Her temperance division
at DOwnievillc has melted away; some
of her cold-water converts are dead;