The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-01-24

announcer arena was prepared, and the great
act OF the tragedy was ready to come on.
IN the meanwhile the principals had been
away with their seconds in opposite dircc-
tons, prac,icing with shot-guns, loudcsl
WIN Dali, at forty yards-thc weapons and
distance agreed on-and | was ultcrward
told that each had broken q bottle AT the
"ord. l.Ipplncott was low, heavy set
man, with light hair, piercing black eyes,
dclihcralc and resolutc in his speech, and
WIN that most peculiar physical structure
indicating slcadncss and sclf-posscssion.
lie was tho son OF Il clergyman in Illinois,
and was exemplary in his habits, except
the ordinary drinking of that time; was
highly cultivated in mind, and was an cX-
cccdlngly good humorous and sentimental
writer. lie declared he did not wish to
XIII his adversary, TO whom he had never
spoken in person; did not want to fight, if
it could be avoided but the nature of the
pubic insult and the customs Of the time
compelled him to send the challenge.
During previous winter he had been en-
gagged i'll hunting deer and bear, and was
Known to he remarkably good woods
man. In making his choice of wcapons.
Icvis unknowingly selected those with
which his adversary was most familiar,
doublc-barrclcd shot-guns carrying ounce
balls, MIR Tcvis was tall, spare man, of
81 highly nervous and cxcitablc tcmpcra
ment. lie came from Kentucky, and
possessed the ideas Of elivalry and honor
prevailing at the South, and was an excel
lent sporting marksmmn, but too little
skilled in woodcraft TO know that in shoot.
ing down mil one should aim low, else he
VIII oYcrreach the mark. lie was pos
scsscd of good natural abilities, but was
somewhat eccentric in manner, and did not
possess the element of popularity. I'm
walking out with him on the evening be-
fore tho meeting l observed his manner
was nbstrnclcd and his speech confused
ana faltcring rs he talked of his solemn
situation, but his courage and resolution
were unwavcring, and he seemed absolute
~ athirst to spill the blood Of one who had
made him the object of mortifying ridiculc.
mat was our last interview, and his last
night on earth, and the pale shost-like
lace, as it then appeared in the twilight
when we walked under the frowning hills
and beside the rcsoundng river, hangs in
memory to this day. had seen the
bounding deer sink down before the aim of
his iron-ncrvod antagonist, and felt then
That he was dead man walking the lone
~ S"'ohhlS VI tnc WOrlu. Inc combat
ants took their places, forty yards apart,
the ground was II little slopng, and the
highest situation fell to the lot of Tcvis.
The sun was going down upon the peace
and happiness of two families far away,
and upon brilliant young mans ambition
and life. AS his second walked away he
turned toward Tcvis and laid his finger on
his own breast, rs an indication where to
aim, and Lippincott observed the gesture
and fixed his eye on The same place The
word was given both guns cracked at the
same instant. Tcvls sank down, shot d-
rectly through the heart, and Il lock of hair
fell from near Lippincott's ear The
fallen man had not made the necessary al
lowance for descending ground, and his
murderous lead had passed directly over
his advcrsary's left shoulder, grazing his
face. The wound was frightful, rs though
it had been bored through with an augcr,
and tho ground was horrible with its sun
guinc libation. The survivor and his
friends took their departure, and the dead
man was temporarily buried in that lonely
place, which in the gathering twilight,
seemed like the chosen abode of the genius
of solitude.