Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-08-07

Plessis, on the road to Versailles, is
quiet enough place. 1 will supply the
keg of powder for your use and you will
supply the one for mine."
every well, sir" said Foulon, bow
ing. ~ shall be there. The terms to
be rigidly adhered to? To apply the ci-
gar which one has just been smoking to
the open hole in the keg?"
Precisely" answered the Colonel.
81 presume" said the Lieutenant,
with a sinister smile, "that in any event
the services of doctor or surgeon will
be unnecessary"
81 am sure of it," said the Colonel
with grin.
Foulon left the room, and when he
had gone Colonel Skerrett said: "Ill
fight this here devil, but / amt gwine
to let that there fool blow himself to
atoms" The three friends took meas
ures accordingly.
The next day, at the appointed time,
the five men, all smoking vigorously,
were on the ground. Each party had
brought Its powder-keg along. The Ma
jor and DR.. Vicaire tossed up. The Ma
jor won.
Foulon turned CHASTITY pale, but walk
cd firmly to the keg which the Ameri-
cans had brought and sat down on IL.
1t was an ordinary cider keg, and Major
Marsh knocked out the Oung. All then
retired to a safe distance except the
Colonel, who remained standing by
Foulon's side. The latter, down whose
livid face the sweat was rolling, took
his cigar from his mouth and advanced
it, still glowing, toward the open bung-
hole.
"Hold oil there" said the Colonel,
"that ere cigar is lit"
Certainly it is," gasped Foulon, his
lips quivering in spite of himself.
"Well," said the Colonel, with grin,
"you be Mt such darncd fool as to pot
lighted cigar into keg Of powder, be
you? When was you born?"
"Sir," replied the Lieutenant, vainly
endeavoring to hold the cigar motionless
in his shaking hand. 81 have given my
word that if / lost the toss-up should
put this lit cigar"
"Hold on; you didn't say lit."
"Well, the cigar was smoking"
"Put it out then"
"Sir, you have run the risk that |
ran. have lost, and but do as you
would have done. will put this lighted
cigar into this bung-hole-"
"Put in the chawed. up end, them,
"You insult me again, SIR"
"Bless your heart. You fire up a
darned sight easier than this ere powder
ever will. Do you think tha: | would
ever put the burning end of cigar into
the bung-hole OF keg full of powder?
Great Jerusalem!"
~ have told you again, and repeat
it, that you are no gentleman. But l.
/ am a man of honor. Bah You shall
see me die as one, keep my promise. /"
Foulon slowly advanced the burning
cigar toward the opening in the keg be-
meath.
$50 way here, you shall be killed ~
shouted Vicaire to the Colonel, but the
latter remained quietly beside the VIC
tim. Vicaire covered his face with his
hands, and waited for the awful moment
which was to blow his friend to atoms.
There was a dead silence, and then
slight hiss was heard. Vicaire looked
up. Foulon, his face purple with rage,
was holding his cigar, after repeatedly
poking it into the Bung-hole. The Col
onel was on a broad grin.
"Is this powGer?" asked Foulon.
"Tooth POWDER" answered the Colo
mel; "cost almighty"
"But," said Foulon, shaking now with
rage instead Of fear, "if you had lost the
toss-up our keg was full Of gun-powder.
| What then?"
"I'd have put the cigar out before !
put it in," said the Colonel.
"Ahv" murmured Foulon.
"Or stuck in the chawed up end.
Hold on to the terms you."
Foulon calmly walked to his carriage.
He and Vicaire hoisted in their keg Of
gunpowder and followed 1t themselves.
"Sir :" shouted Foulon to the Colonel,
81 said you were no gentleman. l say
now you are a coward" 70,
The Colonel smiled. o..
For three days the friends walked
about Paris and saw both FoulOn and
Vicaire several times. They were not
posted in the cafes, for the Frenchmen
feared the storm of ridicule which
knowledge of the grotesque duel would
bring upon them. Neither were they
horsewhipped, for vicaire argued that
they would probably retaliate, and In
such a case the whipping would be only
a modified form OF the duel la club
rempli.
On the fourth day after this "duel"
the three friends happened % be on one
of the large and beautiful steamboats,
carrying excursions down the Seine,
Colonel Skerrett, like a consistent Yam
kee, was in the pilot-house watching
the working Of the wheel. He came
down afterward aud sauntered back to
where his two friends were standing.
Near them were no less individuals than
Foulon and Vioaire. Neither party adj
dressed the other. The boat was in the
middle Of the river. For long distance
on either side the banks were straight,