Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-01-15
WOODBURY., n. J., THURSDAY, JANUARY Is, 1885,

insulted him by sending Objectionable
| letters to a member of his family. Do
You admit the fact that you wrote those
letters? and will you grant Mr..
! Travers the satisfaction which one gen
tleman expects from another in such
casesP"
:" I admit nothing and deny nothing,
but if by satisfaction you mean will |
give some unknown or for that matter,
| well=known-man an opportunity to
murder me, j shall unquestionably an
swer, MOI" 49, S.. N....
:. Mr.. Fowler, my friend and 1 were
officers in the same Confederate regi-
ment, and from long acquaintance with
! him / can assure you that he is a man
of his word. His directions and my in
clinations were to treat you as court
eously as possible, and i only employ
positive action it it became positively
necessary. Your reply forces that alter
native; SO must inform you that he
has absolute proof that you are the man
| whom he has been seeking, that he is
determined to treat you as he believes
you deserve, and that no evasion or
quibble will turn him from his purpose
which purpose is explained in this
letter." ti
Will blanched little as he read the
document, but he handed it to me and
quietly said to the stranger:
IF you'll return in half an hour /
will give you an answer, or, if you pre-
fer it, / will send you one through a
| friend.n
The man of war accepted the first ar
ticle and retired. The letter read as
follows:
SIR: Feeling sure that, although you hold
the position OF a gentleman, you do not pos
sess the spirit of one and will not be willing
therefore, to offer the redress naturally ex-
pected from one. / send you the following hint
in writing, that my friend may be relieved
from the disagreeable task of delivering it
personally. Ii you have spark OF manhood
you will accept the proposition which he has
delivered 10 you verbally, and / will treat you
as though / believed you to be man of cour-
age; but il you refuse | solemnly swear that
will Eorsewhip you in the public streets, and
brand you as q coward
(The Man Whom You Know
GEORGE TRAvERs.
We looked blankly at each other for II
few moments, and then Will said:
"Great heaven! This is the devils
own. What am / to do? The fellow
seems to be in earnest, and his deputy
certainly doesn't look like black
mailer, and it's nice pickle, anyhow.
If accept the challenge I'm sure to he
disgraced, for, of course, the whole
muddle will get out in the papers, and
by the law in this State | will forfeit all
chance of promotion, officially or pro-
fessionally. Ii, on the other hand, re-
fused to have anything to do with this
absurd business, run the chance of be-
ing attacked on the street, in which case,
as have no great physical strength, j
shall certainly shoot the man, and
either be shot myself or be hauled into
court dripping with scandal"
The situation certainly was not en-
couraging. and felt quite sorry for Will
as he raved along in an incoherent ium-
bic of IFS {" and ands," until finally |
said:
"Brace up, old fellowi This sort of
thing won't do. The chief need now is
time for consideration; 50 why don't
you put a bold front on the matter and
accept his challenge, referring him to
me for the arrangements? If there is
anything fishy l. the business this viii
stop their little game, and if it prove to
be what it seems, a real case, why
should fail. you'll be no worse off than
you are low, and can fight or decline,
as you see fit.
Fowler adopted my suggestion, and
when Powder-and allsreturned, Will
said to him, in a quietly fierce manner:
You will be kind enough to inform
Mr.. Travers that it will give me great
satisfaction to lodge bullet in his im-
pudent body. My friend, Mr.. -,
has kindly undertaken the management
of the affair, so for further particulars
must refer you to him."
The ambassador looked at me rather
curiously, and asked if 1 could call on
him at the Sherman house in an hour.
Receiving an affirmative reply, he de-
parted.
| did not find him at the Sherman
house, nor did we ever hear again from
either him or his principal, nor could
we find their names in the Milwaukee
directory. 1t was decidedly curious
affair. ard Will puzzled over it inn
mensely, even going so far as to write
another letter to Josie Mason" asking
for an explanation; but none came.
A month later / went to Iowa on
long chicken hunt. From the first sta
tion sent back a package by express to
Fowler. Among its contents was this
letter:
DEAR WILL: You have played practical
joke on me, for which have long been your
debtor; now think we can cry quits. Here
with inclose the entire correspondence be-
tween yourself and " Josie Mason" and her
fiery brother. Her letters and his were the
joint composition of Miss - and myself,
and much trouble it has given us TO please
your critical literary taste. It was good prac-
tice, however, and not such bad Jun, SO we did
not grudge the labor. The challenge was
brought by cousin of hers. Allow me to re-
peat the advice which you 50 curtiy rejected
at the beginning OF this little experience, viz.
the impropriety and possible risk of epistolary
ventures on the part OF a married man.
If you'll take the joke kindly wen promise
not to peach.
Your sincere friend and old chum,
Our handsomest wedding presen
came from Will. 1t was large secre-
tary, beautifully inlaid, and fitted with
a gorgeous array of writing material =