The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-03-16
THE DUEL ABOUT MISS MOGENE.

ISL v--lalaaret j. Prsstol IN Century AadSaz'nc-
THE DUEL ABOUT MISS IMOGENE.
Miss Imogene De Forest was eighteen
years old, beauty and belle. Girls
.--E of all kinds, if they live, can be eighteen
years old; but to be beauty and a belle
needs concurrence of favorable cir
cumstances. In Miss ImOgene these fa-
yoTable circumstances were of decided
order She had lovely face, a grace
full figure, and she the only child of
the Hon. Lysander De Forest, an ex-
Governor, an ex-senator, and proba-
bic foreign minister.
Besides, she had a very respectable
private fortune, though young Jefferson
Duval and Captain Milton Fontaine both
averred that was the very least point in
her charms, and not worthy to be named
with her dark eyes and her bewitching
smile. Girls of eighteen are not all
s. wise, and perhaps Miss ImoCene be-
lieved this; at any rate she looked as if
she believed it, and both DuYal and
Fontaine had many hours in which they
certainly firmly believed it. When
wandering in the moonlight under the
. orange trees, or when whirling through
49, the waltz in some splendid feast they
were both quite certain that nothing but
Miss ImOgene's personal loveiness en-
tered into their dreams concerning her.
Hitherto, though both pretenders to
Inogene favor. they had preserved the
wished to do SO; it gave him an honora-
bic opportunity of watching his rival S
chances; and Fontaine was of that order
of men who like little opposition He
intended at some favorable opportunity
to make coup n etat and at once and
forever put poor Duyal out of the pain
full uncertainties of love. For somehow
he regarded his own success as certain,
and if the confident heart wins the fair
% lady, and the faint one loses her, he had
some reason for his blissful security.
One lovely evening in the charming
May-for May is charming in Central
q .ebrH Texas -lmogene was slowly riding
across prairie that was one billowy sea
ofgrass and flowers Duval was by her
side, recItlng Byron IN a very touch
ing manner. Imogene had casually
noticed that two horsemen had emerged
from little wood, and were slowly fol-
lowing them; and she had also noticed
that they had passed, at rather closer
quarters than she liked, herd of cattle
feeding. Whether the magnificent bull
leading them irritated by DuvaT s
floating scarlet necktie, or by the poe
try, or by motives beyond human COM
prchensiOn, is uncertain, but his anger
was positive enough. Believing and
tearing up the ground, he came furious
1y after the lovers. Poetry and senti-
ment collapsed, and the first law of
nature promptly asserted itself.
Both put their horses to their utmost
speed, but the prospect was not cheer
ing. In fact, the question was this:
Would the bull or the horses have the
best Of it in race over two miles of
open prairie?
.'Ho is gaining on us, Duval, and I
am turning sick and faint. oh, what
shall do?'' 4. =. .s--s.
Let us separate. He cannot follow
both, and perhaps he win select me-"
Suddenly the shouts of the men be-
hind attracted their attention Imo-
gene glanced fearfully around. The
two hOrsemen she had noticed were
coming on at a laundering pace; and
before she could check or turn her
horse, one of them had risen in his
stirrups, and thrown lasso around the
furious animal 1t was now evident
chat Governor De Forest was one of
these horsemen; the other, who still
held the rope, was quite unknown both
30 Duval and Imogene.
The Governor quickly dispatched the
bull with his rifle, and then as the herd
we're evidently growing uneasy, the
whole party rode rapidly home. Thanks
and introductiOns were practically de
layed, although the stranger knew thai
no thanks and introduction would
ever be more satisfactory to him thar
the glance and smile he had received il
the swiftest moment from Imogene,
Duval was very unhappy. He won
dered if he had behaved in a cowardlv
manner. The whole affair had been $,
sudden and rapid he could neither ana
lyze his feelings nor his actions. limo
gene had only said that she quite ex
cused him" Had there been anythin.
to excused And then this stranger! II
was quite as ineXpiieable. Governor d.
Forest had simply introduced him a
Mr.. John Winthrop" lie was httl
man, with plain, positive face. Hi
skin was tanned, his hair light, and hi
eyes of that steely blue which always an
noys weak and incapable persons,
a Mr.. Winthrop made very light of tn
adventure, and gave all the credit of thu
rescue to the Governor, except perhap
for one moment. in which Imogene an,
he once more changed eyes. The new
soon spread through the little town, an,
Fontaine was very indignant at fate
- If only Re had been with Miss limo
gene! Managing wild cattle was a trifl
10 him He would rather have cnjOye
such an encounter than otherwise. ii
had half a dozen plans always ready 70
such emergencies etc. And really h
did look so gallant and so handsom
that most girls would have been willn
-e to face Il herd of wild butfaloes undo
his protection
Duval felt Fontaines bravadO pei
sonal slight. but he did not wish limo
gene the subject of a quarrel, and afte
rather unsatisfactory visit the two me
went home together
However, next morning Captain Fon
taine had the most graceful little not
from Miss ImOgene, asking him to brin
his guitar and assist her in entertaining
few guests that evening. Duval hs
also one, equally catering; for il touch
ingly referred to their mutual DANCE
and escape, and hoped he would com
prepared to finish the exquisite pOer
which had been so terribly interrupted
The evening was remarkable one j
many respects Scarcely ever had tn
ex-GovenOrs mansion been so profuSe
ly decorated and so brilliantly illumin
ated, and to the magnificent feast pre-
pared all the principal magnates of tn
neighborbood had been invited.