The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-08-02
PILLS INSTEAD OFBULLETs.
ROMANTIC AND FATAL DUEL AT OLD
NEW ORLEANS.

pals and yet novel in nature, is de-
tailed by a writer in the New
Orleans TSmes-Democrat. It was be-
tween two young men of Crescent
City. and occurred over forty years
ago. The young men were Henri
Delagrave and Alphonse Riyiere,
and the cause of the duel was the
success Of the former in wooing
Nine. Celestin. Riviere sought out
Delagrave and found him in a
gambling saloon. Riyiere was very
pale as he approached the group of
men around the table. What with
the yellow light shining through
the curtains and his bloodless ap-
pearance, he seemed rather a ghast-
ly corpse than living body, but
there was motion and voice in
him which soon dispelled such an
illusion.
AS he neared Delagrave the lat
ter turned to confront him, when
Riviere, with a voice that seemed
to come from behind the door of a
tomb, said, "Delagrave, we cannot
live on this globe together; it is
not large enough"
Delagrave, quietly putting his
cigarette, in cold and impressive
tone replied. eyes; you annoy me.
1t would be better if you were dead.'
Riviere's face flushed, and reach
ing forwards he laid the back of his
hand gently against Delagrave's
cheek. The game was at once in
terrupted. The slap, which was so
light it did not even crimson the
young mans cheek, was enough to
call for blood, and leaving the house
he sought an intimate friend; to
him he opened his heart: s'It must
be a battle to the DEATH Such was
the enmity between himself and
Riviere only o life could wipe it up.
The old Doctor who had grown up,
it might be said, on the field, shrug-
ged his shoulders and demonstrated,
but at last acquiesced and said I:
every well, then; it shall be to the
death"
Few people knew what sort
Of party it was driving down the
shell road bordering Bayou St.
John. Two carriages stopped just
on the bridge leading to the island
formed there by the bifurcation of
the bayou, and four gentlemen
alighted. Savalle, well known
character here forty years ago, ac-
companied Riviere and old DR..
Rocquet was with Delagraye, The
seconds had met previously and
arranged everything. Delagraye,
as he stepped from the carriage,
looked furtively around for the
cases of pistols, but, seeing none,
he, was little disconnected. After
walking about 100 yards from the
carriages the party stopped and
the Doctor motioned them to ap-
proach closer. When they had
done SO, he called them by name
and said: Gentlemen, We have
discussed this matter nearly all of
last night, and both Mr.. Savalle
and myself feel satisfied that there
is no solution to the difference be-
tween you but the death Of one.
The world is so formed that both
cannot live in it at the same time -
The two nodded. Therefore" the
Doctor went on, s'we agreed to
make the arbitrament as, fair as il
is possible and let fate decide" He
took out black morocco case and
from it produced pill box contain
ing four pellets. "One of these
said he, contains positively fatal
dose of prussic acid, the other three
are harmless. We have agreed,
that each shall swallow two of the
pills, and let destiny decide"
Sayalle inclined his head, and said,
as the representative of Riviere, he
agreed.
The two men we're pale, almost
bloodless, but not nerve &rembled
or muscle contracted.
Gentlemen, said the doctor, "we
will toss for the first pill" Sayalle
cried out ''tails," as the glittering
gold piece revolved IN the air. It
fell in bunch Of grass, the blades
of which, being separated, showed
the coin with the reversed head Of
the Goodness of Liberty uppermost'
aMr. Delagrave, you have the first
choice" said the doctor.
Reposing in the little box, the
four little globes seemed the eoun