The Rock Island Argus., 1881-10-29
A DUEL OR A WEDDING.

beauty. and ought to have been an art
ist or u sculptor, but am neither. I
was booK-keeper for Brown & Co.,
wholesale dealers in hides and tallow.
Henry Bower, a yowng 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 five minutes be-
fore my attention was fixed upon one
of the ladies' in the front seat. She
was a 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 / 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 on either
check. And then, such q mouth!
What red lips, teeth of pearl, flashing
between the roses. Her forehead was
smooth and broad, and her neck, /
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 I received an invitation
to visit my friend. Mrs. Segard, in NJ.
She is widow of forty. and is the
mother of certain Miss Segard. famil-
iarly called Clara, / knew that Mrs.
Segard had tried to bring about mar
riage between Clara and myself, and /
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. l
admire handsome form quite as much
as handsome face. might have
married her-I really think l should,
but for a little affair that happened at
y.
The morning I started for NJ, Bow
ers accompanied me to the depot
While was buying my ticket, I 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 a light
complexion like mine, and eyes of
grizzly-gray. and one of them turned
in Just like mine. He had on tall
silk hat, tipped on one side of his sandy
locks, and SO did l; and, furthermore,
he carried in his hand a carpet-bag,
with tag marked '.J. Med" tied to
the straps. 80 did l. s..5 -
/ looked at him, and he returned the
compliment.
II say, sir,'' said the stranger, look
ing down at the earpet-bag ] held, and
examing the tag, ''are you John Nc
Dougal, or am I?'
My name is McDougal. hope you
are an honest man, for, you see, ii you
should happen to rob bank, forge
note, pick pocket. or cut somebody's
jugular, / might have to suffer. perhaps
swing for it / can give you reference
as to nv character" answered.
Yes, that's very good. But. Mr..
McDougal. which way are you going
to go topn
'.Down. L have just bought my
ticket
'Then I'm going up. I don't think
we'd best travel together. There's the
train stating now. Goodbye, Mr.. Nc
Dougal, wish you success, and for my
sake don't spoil your character.
To get to M, which, by the way. is
rather out-of-the-way place, small.
one-horse town, with one tavern, two
| churches and q poor-house, l had to
leave the cars at T., and then take a
private conveyance to NJ, five miles
distant. / could have gone by the
stage, but that only leaves u. once q
day. at Eve o'clock in the morning.
So when the cars stopped at u,
| took my carpet-bag in nay hand, ana
rr0f fha lat
There was quite n large number OF
| people at the station, but took no no.
| tice of any of them, except tall,
| brawny man, in brown overcoat and
slouched hat, who started for me as
soon as / stepped off the cars.
I was about to move away when the
| slouched hat laid his hand heavily on
my shoulder.
4sYouare a villainn'
| 'sSirP''
az repeat it. You're villainr'
IA miserable scamp" said q corpu-
lent gentleman, coming forward and
scowling fiercely.
/ Now, j felt that / was a match for
the latter, but as to the other one. j did
not doubt but he might work me up in
/ to shoe-strings in less than three min
/ utes.
s.Will you please explain yourselves,
| gentlemen" I asked, trying to smile.
s.Yes, WILL" answered the big one,
putting great stress on the ''will. -
Certainty growled the corpulent
/ gentleman, with q 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. Il IN
troduee myself. I am Captain August
us Boyntou. This gentleman is my
father. John Boynton. Do you know
/ us now2"
.Well, rcally," [ replied. wondering
in my own mind what the deuce was
coming; ..realiv don't know anything
more about you than what you've just
| told
..Hushr' said the captain, and he
bent down and Missed in my car; Il
| ana Carrie Boynton's brother
..And am her father growled John
Boynton.
sAh, really. do you say So" Icouid
not help smiling, the whole affair
seemed SO ludierous- 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; ..iook at these /"
I did look, for just then he drew from