The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-08-31
Why a Duel Was Not Fought.

Opposite the city resides Mr.. j. M.
Harvey, a gentleman who has lived a
very adventurous life. Emigrating from
a Northern or Western State more
than thirty years ago, he came to New
Orleans, where he settled, marrying
into very wealthy and prominent Gre
ole family Previous to his settlement
in Louisiana Harvey was engaged in
the merchant service and had sailed on
several whaling voyages. Having mar
ried a creole, Harvey strove to conform
to creole ideas and usages, which were
quite opposite and repugnant to his old
notions and feelings. The transition
was certainly a very violent one, from
an old skipper, whose tastes had been
acquired aboard a Nantucket whaler,
to the highly refined rules and GUS
toms which govern creole society in
Louisiana
At a gay party at creole neighbours
one evening, where Harvey was pres
ent, game of cards was proposed, and
the game was proceeding quite pleas
antly when an alteration arose between
Harvey and creole gentleman of high
position and for many years an editor,
Albert Fabre. The dispute finally be-
came very hot, winding up in words of
insult from Fabre to Harvey and in a
knock-down from the heavy fist of the
latter, the blow inflicting a very dark
''black-eye' upon the unfortunate Gre
ole. The next day Harvey was waited
upon by a friend of Fabre with a de-
mand for satisfaction and request to
be referred to his seconds, with whom
the terms of an early meeting might be
arranged. Harvey asked what this all
meant The second replied that he
wanted him to meet Mr. Fabre in honor
able combat, and thus atone for the blow
he had given him.
But" replied Harvey, ''he grossly
insulted me and l returned the insult
with a blow. / think that makes us
even, or, if we amt even, I'll pay up
the balance"
The second was surprised to hear
such a response from a gentleman who
had married into creole family, and,
as a mutual friend. warned Harvey that
if he persisted in this view of the affair
he would be tabooed by all his wife's
relatives. The suggestion somewhat
alarmed Harvey, and he asked his Wis
itor what would be the terms of the
proposed combat.
The second, frightening up at the sue
cess of his appeal to the better feel
ings'' of Harvey and at the prospect of
a lively affair, quickly responded: ''Oh,
of course, being the challenged party,
you have the choice of weapons"
This announcement was a great relief
to Harvey, who knew Fabre to be an
experienced duelist, skilled with the
pistol and rapier. He therefore asked,
with an air of great simplicity, what
were the weapons usually employed by
gentlemen on such occasions.
Pistols, swords, rifles, shot-guns, or
any dangerous weapon in which you
may be skilled"
Il understand YOU" Harvey replied,
''and my weapons are harpoons-h
DRY handles, ten feet in length; distance
twenty feet apart. l have q brace of
them, from which your friend can take
his choice"
The creole was astounded. shocked
and puzzled; still more Mortified was he
when Harvey showed him one of these
weapons, which had seen good service
on the Pacific.
"Why," he exclaimed, "do- you
think my friend is fish to be struck by
such tool as this?"
Fish or no 1ish," Harvey replied,
g that is my weapon. Your friend is
quite as skillful in handling sword or
pistol as | am with the harpoon. When
l challenge him, he will have the choice
of weapons, and now claim the right.
as the challenged party, to choose the
only one which I feel | can use with
skill and effect"
g But, sir, your proposition is bizarre
| and ridiculous, and will bring contempt
on all who are engaged in it. This is a
serious affair. sir, and i expect you to
treat it seriously"
You'll find harpoons serious
enough, replied Harvey, at the same
time going through the harpoon exer-
! else as practised on whaling ships.
The indignant creole retired in ex-
treme disgust And the next day every
body in the city knew of this spoiled
duel 1t may indicate the radical diff
ference of ideas of the two races that
while Fabre's creole friends reported
the incident as one which reflected great
disgrace on Harvey, the Americans
laughed over it most heartily as a rich
joke and fair commentary upon the
absurdity of the duello.-Nea0 Orleans
Cor. PHILADELPHIA Times.