Mexico weekly ledger., 1881-01-13
THAT DUEL.


Miegie Barr. Her Christian name
was Maggie, but her father always
called her Miggie. so gradually the
people of our town fell into the same
habit. could not do justice to this
young lady's many charms and
points Of beauty, so I will let you.
dear reader, imagine a woman ten
times prettirr than any one you ever
met as true portrait of my heroine.
Of course. Miggie, being pretty
and the acknowledged belle, had
many beaux; IN fact, all the eligible
young men in town bowed down and
worshipped at her shrine. Probabl.''
if it had not been for the romantic
notions which had been inculcated in
Miggie's mind during her three years
sojourn at boarding school in Phila-
delphia she would have accepted one
of these many admirers who were
dead in love with her, and would
have settled down into the drea,y
hum drum existence OF married life,
as the romancists choose to call it,
| but she could never think of such a
thing. No, indeed; ere she died che
would have to be the principal in
some romance, or else her dreams
would always remain fancies, and not
delicious realities.
At the time I write about there
were two young men paying atten-
tion to Miggie, both of whom we're
sapguino OF ultimate victory. She
treated them both alike, and, though
they tried to outrival each other by
the paying of attentions, neither OF
them could boast of any advantage
over the other.
The first young man of whom
write about bore the name of San
; Wark, and the other the title of Ton
Brady. Miggle did not like either
of these names, as they were unlike
the titles Of the heroes in the book:
she had read; yet she comf.r.ed her
self with the thought that. perhaps
ere she died. they would individual,
engage in some romantic action tia
| "otit III lot lbdIi
lance with her. Not that she wanted
them both for husbands, but she de
sired them both TO perform romanti
deeds, and the one that came neares
her ideal she would accept as he
husband.
Sam Wark was big, broad -shoul
dered fellow. with large share c
common sense, and very little 70
nance, pervading his disposition
The fact of the matter was, Sam ha
been used to hard work since child
Y hood, and, consequently, had n
time to think of romance.
Tom Brady was an exquisite i
regard to dress, always weaslng til
finest clothes, but he was no MOI
: romantic than Sam.
O The one thing that Eom Brad
: prided himself on was his shape H
~ had a splendid figure, square shou
: iers, and waist like a woman.
y The two young men, before the
It contest for the hand of Niggie, h'
q been warm friends, but since they ha
entered on this race they had M
been such ardent admirers of eat
u other, but had cen cred all their al
e miration on one divinity, Mlggie. A
3 their love affairs waxed hotter the
:, became dead enemies, and passs
each other on the street witho
} speaking. Miggie, sly little pu
,. that she was, helped on this coolnes
10 in order. il possible, to have a +
, nance woven for her life. At til
o time Miggie was receiving atienti,
from both of the gentlemen. .
N would go 10 a picn.c one day wi
Of Sam, and the next day would go {
D. on an excursion with Tom. The fu
,t .ner would escort her home fro
church one Sunday evening, and L
next week the latter would exerci
H. the same privilege. People We
rs puzzled TO tell which WIS the favor
s. suitor, and / doubt if either of the
ir could settled that vexed questio
:, All this time Miggie was await
!" some romantic action on the part
It. the two suitors that would help her
n decide which she would declare
$. her accepted lover.
70 Time He'd on until one event
Miss Mlggie determined to fo,
~ matters to head. so she got L,
IL Brady, who was pouring honey
d. love phrases into her ear, to talki
pd about his rival, Sam Wark.
-, course Sam was not such bad |
v" low in Toms estimation, hut,
zee ''all iSfair in love and war;" the
OF ter spoke rather roughly about hi
IS, thinking thus to cat him out. NJ
r. gie listened and said nothing, s
Tom thought that his words
carried the 0utposts of her heart, :
i've he went away confident of ullim
re- success.
as The next evening Sam Wark cal
,to to see Migsie, and that worthy
- once repeated the stories which
Vi rival, Tom Brady, had been circ'
les ting about him. Sam was made
our CRY by this, and, when Miggie as
er- him what he intended to do about
replied he would punch his head.
this Miggie got indignant, and as
'no him what kind of a way that was
and resent an injury. Sam said that
for the best way he knew of, bat if
could sugg' st any way out of the
,.,a ticulty he would only be too gla
''' take her advice. Then, in tr;
're' tone, Miggie sale, You must fig
on, duel; it is the only way to setti
late and at the same time the que
tho abou. my hand. TO the victors
ao, long the spoils, and to the victor
een duelist will award my hand
OF Sam looked at her for few
AXE ments, and then blurted out. ~
isan pose one of US gets killed!"
.el whats the ditference?' a.
Miggie ''this is a question of ne
'''t- and only death can wipe out th'
ted, jury. You have been traduceti
I'M 'Fom Brady. and you must chall'
ma him. and at once, too
snt. '.AIi right" said Sam, fully
ever vinced that MIggie would at
and marry Tom Brady should he r.
en- to engage in this duel; ''give n
'cial few points as to the best way to \
by out challenge"
on,i Then Migsie gave him an ids
,,,oy | a., tho nponur uav tn inditt. a ,