The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-11-04
A DUEL OR A WEDDING.

dth un uTuGuL uuiIilECE Vi tCiluio
beauty. and ought to have been an art
list or sculptor, but am neither. l
was book-keeper for Brown & Co.,
wholesale dealers in hides and tallow.
Henry Bower, q 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 flve 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 rs I am.
could not but be impressed by the beau
ty of it.
Indeed, 1 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 on either
cheek. And then, such a mouth!
What red lips, teeth of pearl, flashing
between the roses. Her forehead was
smooth and broad, and her neck, l
saw, as 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 NJ
She is.a widow of forty, and is the
mother of a certain Miss Segard, famil-
iarly called Clara. l knew that Mrs.
Segard had tried to bring about mar
riage between Clara and myself. and I
believe was not much opposed to the
match. Clara was good girl every
body said; very pretty brunette, with
flashing black hair and eyes, but her
form was short, thick and dowdyish. I
admire handsome form quite as much
as a handsome face. I might have
married her-I really think should.
but for little affair that happened at
u.
The morning I started for NJ, Bow
ers accompanied me to the depot.
While I 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
griZzly-gray, and one of them turned
in just like mine. He had on q tall
silk hat, tipped on one side of his sandy
locks, and so did /; and, furthermore,
he carried in his hand carpet-bag,
with o tag marked u. Med" tied to
the straps. So did l.
1 looked at him, and he returned the
compliment.
II say, SIR" said the stranger, look
ing down at the carpet-bag held, and
examing the tag, ''are you John Nc
Dougal, or am Ip"
MY name is McDougal. 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. 1 can give you reference
as to my character" answered.
Eyes, that's very good. But, Mr..
McDougal, which way are you going
to 60 to?"
ticket"
"Then Pm going up. 1 don't think
we'd best travel together. There's the
train stating now. Goodbye, Mr.. Nc
Dougal, l wish you success, and for my
sake don't spoil your character"
To get to NJ, which, by the way, is a
rather out-of-the-way place. q small,
one-horse town, with one tavern, two
churches and a poor-house, l had to
leave the cars at T., and then take
private conveyance to NJ, five miles
distant. / could have gone by the
stage, but that only leaves u. once
day. at five o'clock in the morning.
So when the cars stopped at u, l
took my carpet-bag in my hand, and
got out upon the platform.
There was quite a large number of
people at the station, but l took no no.
tice of any of them, except a 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 villainr'
"Sir?"
81 repeat it. You're villainr'
"a miserable scamp" said corpu-
lent gentleman, coming forward and
scowling fiercely.
Now, | felt that I 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" asked, trying to smile.
"Yes, WILL" answered the big one,
putting great stress on the ''will."
Certainly" growled the corpulent
gentleman, with smile.
"Come this way, you rascal" said
the tall one, drawing mo 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. 'Tll in
troduce myself. am Captain August
us Boynton. This gentleman is my
father. John Boynton. Do you know
us now?"
swell, 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"
"HushI' said the captain, and he
bent down and Kissed in my ear: II
am Carrie Boynton's brother"
"And l am her father" growled John
Boynton.
"Ah, really. do you say So" Icould
not help smiling, the whole affair
seemed so ludicrous. "Give my re-
CARDS to Carrie"
"Ha! you laugh at us, do you. vii.
lain." cried the captain. 'Look ERE"
said he, lowering his voice to horrid
whisper; .'look at these"
did look, for just then he drew from
the pocket of his brown overcoat o
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.
Was to be murderedp
"Choose quick" urged the captain.
s'Sir," said !, in tremulous voice.
while the cold drops Of perspiration
stood out upon my brow. ''thsre must