Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-11-05
A DUEL.

One pleasant afternoon In the summer
of 1877, party of young people were
enjoying themselves upon the broad
azotea, or fiat roof. of we'll to do for
eigner in the city of Mexico. 1t was a
feast-day, and the people were in the
streets. A holiday air hung over the
oity, and the valley was lovely in the
brown haze which stretched away, over
lake and wood, to the far-off snow-peaks.
Dancing had been going on upon the
housetops but, as the day wore away,
and the old Mexican musician began to
nod over his harp, the young people
turned their attention to other modes of
amusement. Among those present was
a handsome young Canadian, who, on
some pretext OF other, had drifted away
from his northern home, and was now
permanently located at the Mexican
capital. For convenience, we will call
him the doctor. He was the life of
every social gathering, favorite alike
with ladies and gentlemen, and withal a
most lovable good fellow. In thus al
luding to him, am saddened by the re-
Election that he afterward came to most
untimely death, his young life being de-
stroyed by the accidental discharge of a
pistol in the hand of a friend.
The wall of an adjoining house rose
above the roof on which our party was
located, and its blank exposure was
broken in one place by small window
which overlooked our position. This
window was heavily barred with iron,
as are all Mexican windows, and 1t ap-
parently led into an unoccupied room
for no one was seen to look out, although
we had been froI1cking beneath for sew
eral hours. 1t was when the dancing
was nearly over, and we were about to
go down, that the doctor approached me
and proposed that we should practice
throwing a knife against the wall re-
ferred to. He, by the way, was an ex-
pert at such things, and could send his
blade singing through the air and stand
1t quivering in the wall with unerring
precision. /, on the contrary, had no
practice In this doubtful accomplish
ment, and not only failed four times out
of five to strike my blade into the wall,
but my throwing was so wild that /
finally managed to toss the knife against
the window, where, glancing from one
of the iron bars, it fell inside with a
rattle and a crash, and then all was
still.
For moment we all stood speechless
In contemplation of the probable mis-
chief which had been done; but as nc
one came to the window, and all remain
ed quiet inside, we concluded that thu
room was empty, and thought no more
about it.
The next morning was sitting alon,
in my Office, when servant entered anC
placed note and parcel upon my table
and stated that he was told to wait for
reply. The name signed to the note wa
strange to me, and hasty glance showed
that the writer was or pretended to be
the occupant of the room into which m,
erratic knife had flown. lie stated tina
on the previous evening he was sittin
with his wife, by the table, reading
when his window was suddenly broker
in, and the knife-which he inolosed-
struck the lady ON the temple, inflictin
painful wound. He had made in
quiries, and learned that l was the as
sailant, and as he was desirous of know
ing what motive l had for the assault, h
took this meansof finding out. Furthe
more, he wished to say that he was nc
actuated by curiosity alone in maxim
this inquiry. My act was not thing t
be lightly overlooked, and unless coul
make sufficient explanation, he shoul
demand the personal satisfaction whic
one gentleman never refuses anothe
The note was courteous, but very firm
and as its authenticity was corroborate
by the presence of the knife, and l fe
myself to be clearly in the wrong in IL
matter, did not hesitate as to my actic
but replied to 1t at once, explaining tt
circumstances of the accident, and assn
ing him of my regret at its occurrence.
stated that / would cali with his permi
sion, to make my personal apologies
him and his wife, and that l was reat
and willing to make such reparation
l could for my carelessness. told hi
and with truth, that l would ha'
called before, but for my impression th
the room was unoccupied, and that !
i. harm had been done. This note seal
d and sent back by the servant, who b,
been waiting.
!. 1t may be well to remark just here th
:. the code duello is in full force among t
upper classes of our sister republic, al
9 that desperate encounters are of freque
: occurrence. Foreigners are often fore
d to adopt this mode of adjusting person
grievances, and any disposition to ave
responsibility is sure to be followed
social ostracism. AS will be seen, / to-