The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-04-10

"No."
"Sort of a lawyer, eh ~
81 am a student of the law"
81 am kind of a DOCTOR" said he.
eff you ever need my services, call on
me-"
81 hope that shall never need you"
Probably not, but in a country town
like this smart Young chap never
knows how soon he may need physi-
cian."
"Sirw said I, arising.
''Be seated. Supper is not ready. No,
a doctor. Such peculiar atmosphere
in this country" and turning his face
fall upon me he grinned like pos
sum.
"Thc other day." he continued, 81
had to fill smart young man full of
stitches. Lawyer, too, believe. Kept
fooling around knife. Yes, sir, they
need doctor every now and then. Don't
forget me, sir; in case you should get
hurt"
'Sir, l am not ruffian."
ooh, no, of course not The ruffians
don't get hurt. Only the smart men
Lawyers, mainly. Strange, isn't
it?"
81 do not care to talk to you,
sir"
SITS only through politeness that 1
am talking to you. The physicians
business is to carve rather than to court
fool"
sprang to my feet in a rage. Just then
Jassamine entered.
"What is the matter, gentlemen" she
excla imed.
"Oh, nothing replied the doctor.
"This young Bacon wants to fight. |
have not thought much of the subject,
but | will consider it. Chancellor"
turning to me, my friend will call on
you"
''For what purpose7"
"To make suitable arrangements, my
dear Chancellor"
"To fight a duel!n
eyes to arrange mild encounter
81 will not accept" | exclaimed. 81
am no shot, while you doubtless are"
II will give you time to practice-or,
perhaps you prefer the sword. The
choice of weapons, you know, my dear
chief justice, will be left entirely with
yourself"
II will not accept. l was taught to
look upon the code as an arrangement OF
murder"
Then it will be my painful duty to
post you as coward"
"You are right. 1t will be a painful
duty"
"What will the jurist do"
eff you refer to me, | can tel you. He
will beat you with his tist-beat you
within an inch of your life"
THAT is the way towards fight"
at is the way towards meet with just
punishment.
Jassamine, without excitement, stood
regarding us. "You certainly do not
refuse to fight him" she said, turning
to me.
81 will fight him in a civilized way"
l replied.
YES" he suggested, "and with the
weapons of brute"
/ could no longer stand his taunts.
With blow which he did not expect |
knocked him down Jassamine screamed,
but by the time the judge and his wife
had run into the room, had given the
doctor what the men in the east would
have called a sound thrashing,
soon learned that the doctor bore the
name or desperate character. He had
fought several duels. | expected that
lie would post me as a coward, and he
did So but he kept out of my way. The
people, | saw, attached great importance
to what they termed the defense of
honor, No matter how promptly man
resented an Insult ard knocked the
other down, he was not to he taken into
the fold of brave men until he had
shown his willingness to burn danger
Gus powder. When anyone reproached
me for not fighting the doctor, l at
tempted to laugh it off, but to my sor-
row found it was a serious matter.
Gle would have killed me-" | said
one day to an acquaintance who sat IN
my Office.
"Presumably," he replied.
"Well, then, do you suppose l want
to be klied!n
"Of course not, but what is life unless
it is honorabic"
"Do you mean that since l have re-
fused TO fight duel with that desperate
man, my life is no longer honorableW
The fact that people do think you
have acted dishonorably, you cannot
deny"
~ don't believe that Judge Blake
thinks So"
But warrant you that Miss Jas
samine does
My blood tingled; my face burned.
"Why should she pay any attentions to
the unfortunate aifairl'
/ Il don't suppose she pays any more
attention to it than she can help.
Gray loves her, and regards you as a
rival
but she cannot love him."
Il don't know. Stranger surmiscs
have proved to be true. Miss Jassamine
is rather peculiar girl. You cannot
tell her by her actions. Once, thought
| could. | thought she loved me.
When asked her, though, she told me
contidentially that she did not. AS
rode home, l ricd to recall Jassamine'
looks and expressions since the doctor
had challenged me, but comparing them
with her previous actions, could de-
tect no change. | could disguise ii
from myself no longer. | loved the