Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-11-05
advantage of this fact, a little later, to


further purpose Of my own.
Several hours after dispatching the
note which l had written, my friend Py-
thias sauntered into the room and flung
himself lazily upon a lounge. he had
been with US the evening before on the
azotea, and knew of the knife accident.
l told him what had happened since,
and handed him the note which l had
received. He took 1t, and pretended to
be deeply interested; but there was
something In his manner which was not
entirely natural. His acting was not
good, and 1t suddenly flashed across my
mind that had been made the victim
of practical joke. accused him oft; ;
and, after trying for hfew minutes to
evade me. he acknowledged the truth of
my suspicion. As ! had surmised, the
doctor was the prime mover In the mis-
chief. He had managed somehow to OBJ
tain the knife from the vacant room,
where had thrown 1t, and then, calling
together a number of the boys, had pro-
ceeded to write the note, in choicest
Spanish. Pythias described to me the
hilarity which my reply had created,
and finally acknowledged that he had
been sent around to spy out the land,
and see how took 1t, and that the boys
were awaiting his return and report at
the Iturbide.
l was not so much angered as morh-
fled at the trick which had been played
upon me. and for some time was at
loss how to proceed. An idea at length
occurred to me, and l sat down and
wrote the following nots:-
DR.
"Sir-1 have Just learned OF the de-
ception which you this morning prsc-
tioed upon me. Your joke Is no Joke;
nor will l permit such liberties to be
taken with me. l demand of you per-
sonal satisfaction, or such immediate
and full apology for your insult as my
friend Pythias may consider adequate.
I am, SIR" etc.
Pythias entered heartily into my plan,
and undertook to deliver the above note,
and to act as my second in the proceed
ings. 1t was agreed between US that no
explanation by the doctor should be COR
sidered adequate" and that meeting
should be brought about. In order to
have no hitch in the programme, we
sent for friend of the doctor, whom we
knew he would call upon as his repre-
sentative In case of serious difficulty.
This gentleman consented to play part
In case he was selected and thus we Inid
the scheme for turning back upon the
doctor the joke which he had initiated.
1t will not be necessary to describe
here the CONSERVATION which my note
caused In the little circle waiting at the
lturbide. Nor can I stop to speak of
the negotiations which preceded the
final meeting. 1t is sufficient to say that
the terms proposed by my second were
so exacting, in fact, so humiliating, that
man of spirit, as the doctor undoubted-
ly was, could not accept them. Not
wishing to fight, and sincerely regretting
his action, the poor fellows position was
most unhappy, and several times found
myself on the point of relenting before
the climax was reached. Pythias, how
ever, and the few conspirators who were
with US, including the doctors second,
insisted on seeing the fun out, and so
"darkened counsel' and confused the in
tercourse of the two principals that
reconciliation seemed impossible, and
the doctor felt bound to meet me In dead
ly combat.
Everything was done expeditiously
and quietly, and 1t was arranged that
the meeting should take place in the
woods of Chapultepec, in the early
dawn of the following morning.
Promptly at the hour, was on hand,
accompanied by Pythias and young
Mexican physician who had been let In
to the joke. The doctor, with his two
friends, arrived few minutes later, In a
coach, and all dismounted in an opening
in the wood. The huge trees trailed
their long white moss down over our
heads, and the scene was impressive,
even to those of us who knew 1t was to
be farce. To the doctor, however, it
was serious matter, and his admirable
department under the trying ordeal In
spired us all with the deepest respect. ]
wanted to 60 up and throw my arms
around him and cry "quits," but the
others prevailed on me to refrain. and SC
l let matters take their course. The
ground was quickly measured, pistols
prepared, and, taking our positions. We
both fired promptly at the word. Will
an exclamation of pain I sank to the
ground, and the doctor, after standing
moment like one petriaed, was hurried
into his coach by his seconds and driver
away. AS soon rs the coach was out o
sight, I arose from the ground and wen
back to the city. The pistols, as TIN
. reader will readily understand. wer
loaded only with powder. The poor doc
I tor was, however. not yet out of trouble
Thinking he had killed me, and, fearin
. prosecution, he hailed an outgoing stage
' and, saying hasty good-by to hi
q friends, went over the mountain-sixt
\ miles-to Cuernavaca. Here he pre-
Q posed to conceal himself until he coul
t learn the extent Of my injuries, and dt
n eide upon the proper course to pursue.
A was not disposed, however, to let ma
:. | tn,. 90 f,rthnr In xuhinh alrnndu Enlt n, :