The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-11-10
A DUEL OR A WEDDING,

A DUEL Or A WEDDING.
I am an ardent admirer of female
beauty, and ought to have been an art
ist or a sculptor, but am neither.
was book-kceper for Brown & Co.,
wholesale dealers in hides and tallow.
Henry Bower, a young man of very
lively disposition. was employed in the
same Office. We boarded and roomed
together.
One night Henry and attended one
of the lyceum lectures in w. We had
hardly been in the hall ive minutes be-
fore my attention was fixed upon one
| of the ladies in the front seat. She
was little to the right of me, but as
| she was talking very earnestly to the
| Lady next to her, her face was turned
toward us; and, susceptible as l am.
could not but be impressed by the beau
| ty of it.
Indeed. / could not withdraw my
gaze from the beautiful young lady be-
fore me. She had golden hair, and
her bluest of eyes swan full of love and
sweetness. Her nose was small and
straight. and she had just the prettiest
dimple among the bushes OH either
cheek. And then, such mouth!
What red lips, teeth of pearl. flashing
between the roses. Her forehead was
smooth and broad, and her neck, l
| saw, rs the fur cape dropped low on
her shoulders, was white as alabaster
and smooth as marble. In brief. did
not hear word of the lecture.
A month passed without my seeing
anything of the beautiful stranger. But
about that time received an invitation
to visit my friend. Mrs. Segard, in M.
She is q widow of forty. and is the
mother of a certain Miss Segard. famil-
iarly called Clara. knew that Mrs.
Segard had tried to bring about mar
riage between Clara and myself. and 1
believe l was not much opposed to the
match. Clara was good girl every
body said; a very pretty brunette, with
flashing black hair and eyes. but her
form was short, thick and dowdyish. I
admire a handsome form quite as much
as a handsome face. / might have
married her-I really think should.
but for little affair that happened at
u.
The morning Istarted for NJ, Bow
ers accompanied me to the depot.
While was buying my ticket, noticed
another gentleman come into the wait
ing-room. My first thought was that
it was nv shadow that saw before me.
He was about my height, had light
complexion like mine, and eyes of
Srizzly-gray, and one of them turned
in just like mine. He had on II tall
silk hat, tipped on one side of his sandy
locks. and SO did /; and, furthermore,
he carried in. his hand q carpet-bag,
with tag marked u. Med" tied to
the straps. So did /.
looked at him, and he returned the
compliment.
II say, sir,'' said the stranger, look
ing hOwn a+ the ca-pet-bag ] b. Id, ard
sxaming the tag, ''are you John Nc
Oougal, Or am I?'
my name is McDouca'. hope You
are an honest man, for. you see, if you
should happen to rob bank, forge q
note, pick pocket. or cut somebody's
jugular, / might have to suffer, perhaps
swing for it. l can give you reference
rs to my character" answered.
''Yes, that's very good. But. Mr..
McDougal, which way are you going
to go toP''
Down. have just bought my
ticket"
Then Pm going up. 1 don't think
we'd best travel together. There's the
train stating now. Goodbye, Mr.. Nc
Dougal. 1 wish you success, and for my
sake don'tspoil your character.
To get to NJ. which. by the way. is a
rather out-of-ihe-way place. small.
one-horse town, with one tavern, two
churches and . poor-house, had to
leave the cars at T.. and then take
private conveyance to NJ, five miles
distant 1 could have gone by the
stage, but that only leaves U. once a
day. at five o'clock in the morning.
So when the cars stopped at u. |
took my carpet-bag in my hand, and
got out upon the platform.
There was quite large number OF
people at the station, but took no no
tice of any of them, except tall,
brawny man, in a brown overcoat and
slouched hat, who started for me as
soon as stepped off the cars.
was about to move away when the
slouched hat laid his hand heavily on
my shoulder.
"You are a villain"
..Sir?'
II repeat it. You're villainr'
ga miserable scamp" said corpu-
lent gentleman, coming forward and
scowling fiercely.
Now, I felt that was a match for
the latter, but as to the other one. did
not doubt but he might work me up in
to shoe-strings in less than three min
| utes.
.'Will you please explain yourselves.
gentlemen" I asked. trying to smile.
'.Yes. WILL" answered the big one,
putting great stress on the ''will."
Certainly" growled the corpulent
gentleman, with a smile.
Come this way, you rascal" said
| the tall one, drawing me along with
| him.
His companion followed. us out back
| of the station, where we were out of
sight and hearing of the rest of U.
! ..Now." said the tall gentleman,
| turning and confronting me. '.I'll in
troduce myself. / am Captain August
us Boynton. This gentleman is my
father. John Boynton. Do you know
us nowpn
..Well, really" replied. wondering
in my own mind what the deuce was
coming; ..really don't know anything
more about you than what you've just
told"
"Hushr' said the captain, and he
bent down and Kissed in my ear: 81
am Carrie BOynton's brother"
"And am her father" growled John
Boynton.
SAh. really. do you say So" Icould
not help smiling, the whole affair
seemed SO ludicrous. ''Give my re.
CARDS to Carrie"
..IIa! you laugh at us, do you. vii
lain." cried the captain. ''Look ere. v
said he, lowering his voice to a horrid
whisper; ''look at these"
did look, for just then he drew from
tbe nocket of his brown OyercOat q
handsome case, and. opening it, dis
played pair of splendid silver-mount-
ed duelling pistols.
'.Take your choice"
! A cold tremor ran through my frame.
Waa1 e p AHEdarede