Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1881-09-15
At TIE SWORDS ?0IHTl. !.
Are You ready gentlemen?'


tAre you ready gentlemen?'
'Ready
Then, when you see the handker
chief fall, begin your work, and may
Heaven be with the right
The silence Of death ensued.
Not a note from a bird could be
heard in tree or bush. Then the
white handkerchief left the hand Ct
the spec. ker.
Hardly had it commenced it's de-
scent Eefore there was sharp clash
Of steel heard as ofsteel shifting up
on steel, and then the two long
blades of the duelists were twined
together, writhing, twisting, and
squirming like couple Of serpents.
The scene was dramatic one.
One Of the duelist had thrown off
vest and coat, as if realizing the i'm
portance Of the occasion; the other
had buttoned his black coat over
his slender form, and looked almost
ministerial in his bearing.
The contrast between the duelists
was alarming.
He who stood there receiving and
parrying the thrusts Of his opponent
so coolly, and with such ,dexterity,
that one forgot his slender frame in
the admiration his wondrOus skill
evoked, had face as white as that
ola corpse, and yet it was classic in
its contour, and beautiful rather
than handsome.
The other was man Of some
thirty-fve years. stoutiy built, yet
with a frame that spoke Of great
strength and agility.
Be had q face that would have
been reconed handsome, but for the
marks of dissipation that could be
easily traced upon it. The blonde
sidewh skers and mustache gave
him an English look, and Dayton
Musgrave claimed to be scion of
a noble house.-ff this were true, it
failed to reflect any honor on bis
kinsmen, fer he had gained no little
notoTiety in New York as an adyen-
turcr, though he I'D always been
we'll releiv, d in society, as he had
plenty OF money and had brought
uuexceptional reference.
He had met this young man for
the first time on the preceding night
Here was small company Of con-
vival friends assembled at the
house of Godfrey Willis, and this
slim youth had made one Of the mess.
While they were in the midst of their
social entertainment, the English
man, led on by remarks of the host,
arose and proposed to drink to the
coed health Of their loves of the
past
This was done, and then it was
further proposed that each one
should individually toast some girl
who had in the past been all in all
to him, which the Englishman spec
dily seconded, and then the host ap-
pointe,l him to begin the novel en-
tertainment.
Through the years that come and
go, | will ever be haunted by the
bright eyes OF a maiden fair, who
Tell in love with me one summer at
Brighton. Gentlemen, | drink the
homer CT my conquest, Barbara
Richmond, the queen OF beauty.
Directly across the table sat the
slender youth, and as this name fell
from the lips of the Englishman, he
sprang quickly to his feet.
Leaning forward, he looked
straight into the eyes of the En-
glishman. The raising aloft his
wine glass full of ruby liquid, he
said in clear, cold tones, that seemed
to cut the air like knife:
Gentlemen, I brand that declar-
alton as lie, and the one who gave
utteranca to the sentiment as an in
famous coward
swift as the fight of the hawk
when in the pursuit Of his prey, the
youths aim few down, and the
wine that had been in the glass flew
across the table.
When they turned their atten-
tion to the English braggart, they
saw that it had struck him full in
the face, and was streaming down
upon his clothes.
There is my card sir; if you are
not the coward | branded you, make
use of it,
AS the strange youth uttered
these words he threw q card upon
the table, and left the scene of fes-
tivity.
OF course the Englishman ranted