The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-11-12
THE DUELLO.
Decline Of the Code During the
Last Half Century.
Affairs OF Honor North and South-A Curl.
Gus Creole AFFAIR OF Olden Times
The Barbarism Substantially
Passed Away.
Nashville Americana

tnem,' quobn tne Roman man OF FASHION
who preached the three graces of Pagan
philosophy, "eat, drink and be merry" In
vivid and various verse. 1t is indeed true,
wAtes New Orleans correspondent, that
by the merciful march Of years wrongs and
absurdities are trodden into the ground,
and only exceptionally spring up. Take,
for instance, the duello, concerning which
but 100 odd years ago even so devout q
Christian as the celebrated DR.. johnson de.
clared that without its restraining inhu-
ence society would become a bear-garden.
As the chief bear of his generation the
learned doctor was then accepted for an
authority on this point, and for sixty years
afterward the practice lived In England,
even as late as 1885 IN occasional appeal be.
ing made to it by prominent men. About
the last great cartel was the one dispatched
by young Disraeli to the Irish agitator,
Daniel O'Connell, who, however, having
killed one man, had announced that he
would never fight again.
In this country the duel, especially the
political duel, flourished for the first fifty
years of our National existence-even in
staid New England, where belligerents ad.
journed TO Rhode Island on the same prin.
ciple that bank cashiers favor Canada. In
war the code prevailed, and readiness to
spill or be spilled was the top laurel Of a
mans reputation. Among tho creoles the
duel more than flourished. 1t blossomed
to excess, and many thrilling tale
Of ii remains. Not far from tbo
grounds where the magnificent buildings
of the Worlds Exposition glorify the
landscape with their assurances Of peace
and progress, Is beautiful grove of half
n dozen live oaks, whose green gray plumes
of long fantastic moss possess a strange
funereal suggestiveness. The story holds
that in early years Of this fair State, six
gay young creole gentlemen were strolling
together to the plantation Of mutual
friend. 1t was heavenly night. The
moonbeams were weaving their softening
spell over n scene Of nature soft and
languid TO voluptuousness. In a breeze,
fragrant with the kisses from the blossoms
Of an orange grove not far off, the six oaks
ENhNil ohOOh ihbhnl Dohuhhbo anu
made fantastic shadows ON the velvet
sward. "What place for sword-playw
exclaimed one of the party. 81 echo your
sentiments" replied another lightly.
"Then let us try it," said the first. "a
capital idea ;" answered the other, and he
drew his jeweled rapier. In n moment
they were at it, and the weapons were
weaving in and out with q gaily glittering
rapidity that made mockery Of the gentle
moonbeams.
"What pity for us to stand idly byW
observed another Of the party. "Let us
pair of, them" said No. 4, and they all
drew simultaneously. II must have been
pretty sight-those three pairs Of graceful
and gallant fellows at parry and thrust
hard by those grand old oaks that live
to-day. But the play waxed warm; pres
entity the eyes Of the combatants outflashed
heir swords, aAd when the sun came up
over the rim Of the level, lovely Louisiana
plains with the same suddenness that one
notes in his rise on the ocean, he looked on
the six oaks, not as usual, but on six
chastity, upturned faces, for which those
paks now stand monumental. One man
fingered few hours over day to tell the
story OF the night, and now as the stranger
,teams up the muddy and moody river, the
Creole points 10 those oaks with express
sions compound Of pity and pride. 1t Is
easy enough TO infer that with the descend
ants Of such men, the duello, though dying,
dies hard, especially in a cline where the
blood burns a little faster than In the
North or in Europe. Yes, the poor old
duello Is dying. Public opinion has gath
cred head against II, and 1t must go. A
case In point occurred the other day. The
city editor Of great paper took holiday
and appointed one of the reportorlal
corps his pro TEN. This promoted
reporter requested another of the
corps TO attend TO a certain matter,
which he refused, saying II was the city
editors business, not his. Words multi
piled, a blow was struck, scufIle ensued,
and they were parted Next morning the
temporary editor, grandson Of famous
Napoleon General, sent his brother reporter
what is termed a peremptory challenge,
|. Q. enc that leaves no room for apology,
instead Of one that bears the provision Of
unless or IT, The challenged reporter, son
of a famous Southern Senator, was clearly
In the wrong from the start. His friends
felt so and would have made him apologize,
but no chance Of that was given. With as
much secrecy as possible the meeting took
place under "The Oaks" us the old dueling
ground Of the city Is called, and where
many famous duel has been fought. The
seconds werel measuring Off fairgrounds,
when letter signed by some of the most
prominent citizens and old soldiers OF the
town, was brought to them, praying post
ponement for day and submission Of the
matter TO their arbitration. The seconds
decided to grant It and placed their prln-
cipals under arbitrament. The result was
that the committee ordered the Senator's
oon TO apologize which he did. The
apology was accepted and friendship
reigned again. 10 much for the progress
of peace in Southern society! Tho long
night OF brilliant barbarism Is passing
away, and the day cometh In which oil
men may work.
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Catching Quail In the ohio River.
fCairo (Ill.) Special