The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-05-12
A TERRIBLE STRUGGLE.

| u that made my blood run like ice water through my veins. One evening, while in the country, stopped at kind of inn. half tavern aad half something else, just what could not discover. l found the proprietor to be one ofthese old fashioned men who still hang to barn-door pants and speak with touch of sadness of the present vulgarity of dress.
 z, ...Jes' make self atome,' he said. No put on bout me. Been keepin' this house for thirty year. Amt put on none yi, an ain, gwine to. B'long to old stock. m'self. Lize. fetch the stranger a light fur his pipe. Set down. Have snack in short time.
 "l did not care to listen to the garra- lous old man. and immediately after dis patching the promised snack, went yp to my room to kill solitude with solitude. A dark and dismal night set in. Clouds. with the fury of sudden appearance came gathered into a storm. and heavy rain fell with roar upon the roof just above my head. My candle fickered and spuuered. and upon the whole, was not comfortable tried to read. but could not ind interest. A rap came at the door.
 ." Come in
 :" A tall rather we'll dressed young man entered.
 "' Keep your seat, he said. 1 do not care to si, down. l hope that you viii excuse the abrup,ness of this visit and he walked the floor uneasily. 1 have studied the matter over, he wen, on. and though what say or do may have no in,cres, for you, yet have decided to in,rust to you message, which l hope you will conscientiously deliver You are representative newspaper man, 1 believe:
 - cannot lay claim to such dis tinc,ion, replied.
 "' But you are we'll known editor ::
 "' am we'll acquainted in the state
 :" That's all care to know. Before l entrust you with my message, 1t will be necessary to relate a bit of experience. Shortly after l returned from college. announced myself IS candidate for cir cult clerk. The newspapers opposed me- They could ind no scandal to rake up. so they revived an old charge of cowardice. They said had been challenged by a man in every way my equal in society and that shrank from the conflict I was challenged, and did decline, but not through fear. as 1 will presently prove to you. l am opposed 10 dueling. To me it seems brutal to walk out, with ou, the ex,enuation of passion, and de- liberately shoot man down, therefore refused. The newspapers, though. did not concede to me this purity ofpurpose. They branded me as coward. and asked Ihe people if they wanted coward to fill so important an office. They declared that cowardice was dishonesty, and that l man who would not fight would steal. l bore all of this abuse quietly, expecting that the people would vindicate me with election. bu, made sad mistake. | was defeated by an overwhelming ma lority. was Jeered at and taunted. The young lady to whom was betrothed, discarded me, declaring that it was dam rgerous to marry such a coward that she might in alter years, be insulted, and that l might. througa natural abhorrence to shedding blood, fail to asenge her wrongs. This was crushing blow, but there was no remedy. begged and entreated, but she disdainfully waved me away. Twas plunged into fever, and for months lay senseless. recovered slowly. all the time contemplating revenge. thought that l would kill the editors and murder the girl, but could not quite get my own consent. At last decided upon plan and you give me the opportunity. want to prove to you that 1 am not a coward and l want you to publish the tact and request every newspaper in the state to copy your statement
 He drew pistol, cooked i, and con- tinued. N
 "' Now, 1 am going to shoot my head of. This will prove that am not cow ard
 ''' Hold on, for Gods sake 1 cried.
 "'Stand back. have entrusted you with duty and you mus, not interfere with me-
 Il could not allow man to murder himself in this way. would not. I sprang forward just as he raised the pis- tol. l accidentally knocked over the table and extinguished the candle.
 "'Stand back, he cried.
 He might shoot me got down on | the floor. and crawled around the roou