River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-07-05
THE LOTTERY OF DEATH.
A DueI Forty Years Age.

IV"D.r1y OF lie, seems W nave paSSeu my
oblivion.
In 1871, outside Of the city proper,
there was, perhaps, tao more delightful
place Of resort than at the Bayou bridge.
It;wes par excelleneesthe great suburban
attraction at THAT time, and between
boating parties on the waters Of the
bayou and card reunions ever the tables
of old Barfedut's gambling saloon out
there, The ieunesse doree of New Or
leans of that day managed quite comfor-
tabIy to while away many a leisure mo
ment. Possibly 10 two young men en-
joyed the quiet hospitality of Barbecue
more. than Alphonse Riviere and Henry
belagfave; in fact, most of their aftera
moons were spent in the eiriy- lighted
saloon Of the Ga gamester, at whose
shrine al the card-loving element of the
city paid homage.
Rivlere was dashing Fellow of %,
with large esttste in the parish of st.
JaIaos, and round account in the old
Union bank He has passed successful
~ through the Ecoie Polytechniote IN
France, had taken e h6tt IN Algeria and
returned e louisiana as an accomplished
etid companionable gentleman as one
could wish to chat with. He was fond
of his horses, his wine, and quiet game
of cards: Refined in his mauney and
dignified in his department. he was
warm fayCrite wherever he went, and
his entry into old Bar,educ's establish
ment was always the aignal for a cordial
greeting from ali who might be present.
~ ~ ion
Riviere, with the activity of a gymnast,
leaped from his buggy in front of tire
saloon, and, throwing tbe rein9 20 his
negro servant, told hiYt 10 drive to the
shade OF the T5ecan trees in the yard.
Swi'ching delicate, iy0ry-headed cane,
with anervous, jerky motion, he crossed
the broad gallery, and unannOunced en-
tered the gambling room. Most of the
players were wrapped in attention TO
thpis game, but ono there was who
turned his head at tbs entrance of the
last conner. @iIs was Delagrave. He
felt that crisis was at hand, bat eyen
with this knowledge he did :Sot strive to
eiude its coming. That morning he had
been accepted as the betrothed lover
Of Nine. Celest'n, one of the most
beautiful and wealthy widtEs
of the lower coast.a and Piy.e1e, who had
been for the p2ss year her most devoted
adralf'3f, was left to nurse his disap,
pointment as an unsuccessful suituf. Ri
Were had had no hesitanCy in letting the
world know that he wanted TO merry the
| coQuettish little widow.and,. further, he,
IN very plain WaS, gave people the in
formation that he dill not want inter
iopers paying their devoirs at the same
shrine, These matters are hard TO ar
I range exactly as one would wish. One
| finds much difficulty in closing all ave-
| nues Of approach, fer love is not unlike
light which The photographer in his
| dark room finds so much difficulty in
| keeping out. IT steals IL Under doors,
through nail hoEs, and even down the
chimney. At least so it had been the
/ case with Nine. Celestin's for jealous
and watehful of rivals as Riviere was,
Delagraye had made the conquest under
| the very eyes of the enemy, and the
| widow had that day SO informed She IN
successful sultor
Riviefe was very pale as he APP
preached the gronp Of men around the
table. What With the yellow light shin
| ing through the curtains and. his blood
less appearance, he seemed rather
CHASTITY corpse than a living body, but
| there was motion and voice in him which
soon dispelled such an illusion.
As he neared Delagrave the latter
turned to confront him, when Riviere,
with voice that seemed, to come from
behind the door Of = tomb, said, "Dela-
grave, we c&nnot live on this globe to-
gether; 1t is not large enough"
Delegraye, quietly pulling. his CT
gazette, in cold and impressive tone
replied: eyes, you annoy me. 1t would
be better if YOU were dead"
Riveriere's face flushed, and reaching
| forward laid the back of his hand gently
| against Delegaye's cheek. The game
was at once interrupted The slap that
was Sc light that it did not even crimson
The young mans cheek, was enough to
call for blood, and leaving Tie house he
sought, an NITRATE friend. To biz. ne
opened MS heart. 1t rust be battle
/ outrance: s5ucn was the enmity be.
! t%%een himself and Riveire. only life
could wipe it out. The old doctor who
| had grown up, il might be said, on the
field, shrugged his shoulders and re-
| monstrated, but at lest ac1uiesced AMI
| said; ''NeFy well, then it shall be the
death.
| Few people knew what sort Of party
| it was driving down the shell road
| bordering Bayou st. John Two car
| riages stopped just on the bridge lead
| ing to the Island formed there by the
| biftirication of the bayou, and four gem
tiemen alighted. Sayale, we'll known
character here forty years ago, accom-
panied Riviere, and old Dr. Rocquet
was with Delagrave. The seconds had
met previously and arranged every
thing. Delagrave as he stepped from the
carriage, looked furtiyely around for the
| cases of pistols, but seeing none, he was
q little disconcerted. After walking about
100 yards from the carriages, the party
stopped and the doctor motioned them
to approach 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 myselffeal satisfied
that there is no solution to the differ
ence between you but the death of one.
The world is so formed that both can
not live in it at the same time" The
men nodded "Theref re-" the doctor
went on, eve have agreed to make the
arbitrament as fair as it is possible, and
let fate decide" He took out q black
Morocco ease and from it produced
pill box containing four pellets. cone
of these, said he, contains a positively
fatal pc e of prlssiC acid, the other three
are harmless. We have agreed that
each should swallow two of the pills,
and let destiny decide" Savalle in
clined his head and said, as the repre-
sentative of Riyiere he agreed.
The two men were pale. almost blood
less, but not nerve trembled or muscle
contracted
Gentlemen" said the doctor, eve
will toss for the first pill Savale cried
cont tails" as the gIittering gold piece
revolved iii the air Ii fell in a bunch
of grass, the blades of which being sep
aratcd, showed the coin with the reyer-
ed head of the Goddess of Ii erty up
permost IN. Delagrave, you have the
first choice" said the doctor.
Reposing in the little box the four
little globes seemed the counterpart of
each other. The closest scrutiny would
not develop the slightest difference. Ma
ture alone, through the physiological
alembic of the human stomach, can tell
of their prophecies. In their rests the
pail of eternity, the struggle for breath,
the failing of sight, the panorama of
years rushing in an instant through the
mind, the silence and peace of sleep for
evermore, the cerements, the burial
case, the solemn co.tege and the close
noisome atmosphere of the grave. All
these were contained in one of these
little pellets. Delagrave, having won
the first choice, stepped forward and
took pill. With calmness which was
frigid he placed it on his tongue and
with cup of claret, handed him 10y the
doctor, washed it down.
And now, NJ. Riyiere," said the doc
tor. Riviere extended his hand and
took pill- Like his opponent he swat