The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-02-28


he could haveperhaps passed it by. Bl
he to be called carpet-bagger! That W;
too much. 1t was more than the Coo
had stipulated for any man to do to
, Spanish majah and live. But + col
7 fess to you Sanco, sub rosa, that i
entries '~0~s, (Which is Choctaw fC
il strictly private, you know,) that
{ never believed in the theory of m
c compatriot Pedee, that Col. Hornibu
o would exhibit the white feather. HI
impressed me forcibly as a reckles
daredevil who would just as soon GU
: our throats and scuttle our ships a
not. However, l yielded to their as
surance that he would never be seel
) on the ground, or if seen, that h
: would be sure to run before the fir
opened. Acting under this impression
l wrote out challenge and gave it tC
my friend, Senor Pedee. And sure
enough a prompt acceptance came
back with u villainous stipulation foi
Winchester rifles. This was begin
ming to look squally to me.
ITS all mere bluff" remarked
Pedee, " "on the part of the Hornerizer.
He is playing it fine, but he don't
mean to fight. / know these fellows.
He expects mutual friends. to step in
and arrange cartel or process
verbal, whatever that is, of ad-
justment. But let's not accommo-
date him. [ want to see him run.
" But, ) said I, it would suit me
very well to accommodate him if it is
nothing but bloodless apology that
he wants. Are you quite sure that he
is going to run?' .
Certainly, he'll run, said Pedee
with emphatic emphasis. They
always do.
'"' My surgeon and two seconds re-
paired to the appointed rendezvous, one
OF the lovely orange glades of this floral
land, at sun-up last Monday morning.
There was the bugle Horn of Liberty,
and his surgeon and seconds, looking
as cool as Icelanders. L didn't like
the picture. 1 never saw man, in
fact, who seemed to be less inclined to
absent himself hurrieily than this
same Col. Horn. / communed with |
Pedee, on the situation, observing to
him:
"'That there burned old cuss don't
intend to run. You are mistaken
There is gun-powder and saltpetre in
his eye, and Iye got enough of this
foOlishness.
"'Oh, nonsense!' replied Pedee,
you don't know the true inwardness
If these valiant knights of the goose
luill like [ do. l tell you they are
'ound to run when the fire is upon
hem. Keep a stiff upper lip. Re-
member your caste, and the blessed
fountain of Perpetual Youth, and
lefend the honor of Castillian chiv-
lry!
"Thus assured by Pedee, consented
)r the business to proceed. 1t was
ranged that the Winchcsters should
e loaded with conical slugs, such as
zen. jackson used against the British,
Novelle Orleans, and that the prin-
pals should place themselves back
back, and at word walk forty
ards each, turn and fire. Now had
ome the accepted time for Col. Hornis
test the swiftness of his two natural
'comotives, and while we were stand
lg there, back to back, l took occa-
on to reach down and gently feel of
is legs to see if could detect any I
intimation of design on Y
leir part to get away with an accel- d
ated speed. Not nerve twitched!
hey were as steady and unshaky. "
the pillars of our great Madrid =, =,
athedral! My hand followed, up the
'inal column and rested at last on
$ breast with the expectation of
lding a palpitation of heart there %
hich would prove that the pressure y
as too great and must be thrown off IL
fight. But there l was mistaken g
ain. The pulsaton was as natural II;
id regular and undisturbed as the
b and flow of the mighty ocean. I'll
''The word was given-'one, two,
ree,-March And while he was "a "a
arching forty yards l marched four fe
Indred.
~ did not return to see what be- cl
me Of the rest of that tea party. In -
llity it did not turn out to be the sa
Ist to which was invited, and its CC
was little different from III
e one expected by me. And let me re
re, friend Sanco, whisper word of an
Ition IN your ears. Don't rash1y ce
lclude that an absurd editor won't %
hit. vi,
present my love to Doctor Ger va
ntes and Esqr. Panzer, and believe Co
:, truly your faithful friend,
"CARLOs JOSE"
To RE CONTINUED NJ.