Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-09-29
4 VIRGINIA DUEL.

| the bachelor editor OF tne hlcnmOnu Illus
trated paper which is making such sharp
fight against Wise and Malone. Capt. Nc
Carly is very we'll known in Washington.
He has spent number of winters there. He
is now in the neghborhood of forty years
of age. He is man slightly above the
medium in height and has well rounded
! figure He is very quiet and unobtrusive.
His fresh-colored face and tWnkling blue
eyes have always pleasant expression.
He has a very low voice, and the precise
| gravity of man to whom elaborate polite
| ness is second nature. His smooth shaven
| aquiline- featured face is ornamented with
dropping yellow mustache. He is cne of
the leading political writers of Virginia.
He has very keen sense of humor, and is
one of the most charming of companions.
He is believer in the code, and has served
as a second in a number of duels aud as a
principal in one of the historical duels of
his time He is the reverse of quarrelsome.
He never could be an aggressor, but 10000
devils could not make him bulge one inch
to avoid a quarrel. He has been at the
front in nearly every campaign in Virginia
during the last ten years. None of the
| Malone people have ever dared to seek
quarrel with this quiet-voiced, easy-going,
cultivated gentleman. His reputation ac
ouired in the celebrated McCarty- Mordecai
! duel has made him q shield against ambi-
tious duelists. No one has challenged him
from that fatal day.
The duel was one of the most dramatic
duels known in the history of the code.
Mordecai and McCarty were lifelong
| friends. They were representatives Of two
of the best families in Virginia. They had
fought together during the civil war upon
| the Confederate side. Both had regulations
for the most reckless and unquestioned cou-
rage. After the war they were bright, par.
ticular stars in the very best society of Rich
mond. Mccarthy became engaged one win
ter with one of the bellies of the season. She
was handsome, proud and very high spirit
ed. For some slight reason, not known, the
two lovers quarrelled. The engagement was
broken. Hardly had the news of this es.
| arrangement gotten out, when the gossips
| were startled by the news of the engage
ment of the young lady to Mordecai. This
was doubtless the result of a fit ofpique. A
deadly GOODNESS at once was established be-
tween the two young men. This is the pre-
lude to the drama.
One night, not long after this, at a German
given at one of the leading houses in Rich
mond, the evolutions of the figure danced
brought McCarty and his former Detrothed
together. She, with q hearty turn of the
head, left him. refusing silently and per-
emptorily to dance with him. This marked
cut naturally made adisagreeabe social sem
sation The nextevening, at another house,
there was also German. Fateagain brought
the two-once lovers, now enemies-to this
house. The same fate wove figure which
was once more to bring them face to face as
mariners. The leader Of the German,
an amiable young man, saw that the two
were coming together again. He passed
near to the young lady in the dance and
whispered in her ear: Dance with him this
time, l beg of you. Don't make scene"
The young lady complied. The two lover
enemies, without word, embraced each
other coldly, and for the last time, in the set
figure, they for moment waltzed together.
The next morning there appeared in one
of the Richmond papers brief poem. 1t
described the bliss of lover who holds his
dearly beloved in his arms as they are whirled
about to the passionate measure of flying
waltz. This poem was signed "P. McC."
' The young lady read this poem, and thought
that she read between its amorous and
glowing lines caustic satire from her for
mer lover, and that he had seized upon the
occasion of her dancing with him the night
before to revenge himself for her insulting
refusal to dance with him upon the previ-
GUS night. She told Mordecai of the fancied
insult. He. spurred on by the indignation
of his lady love, called upon McCarty and
reproached him in wild and violent Ian
guage. A challenge was passed. The sec
onds who were gentlemen, examined care
fully into the affair before taking their men
upon the field. They found that the poem
in question had been written for a long time,
and had been actually in type for more
than week previous to the affair of the
German.
AS matter of course the seconds declared
that there was no cause for 8 duel as Nc
Carty was wholly innocent of the most re.
mote intent to insult Mordecai or his lady
love. The seconds drew up an agreement
in which it was stipulated that Mordecal
should apologize to McCarty for his ipjus
tice and that the duel should be declared
off without any reflection upon the honor o.
either of. the combatants The friendship
between the two men had now turned tc
such bitter hate through their mutual love
for the same woman that the reconciliation
was of the coolest character. 1t was ir
effect the covering over of the hottest O
fires with thin layer of ashes. The two
, proud Young men stipulated in the agree
ment that henceforward they were to b'
, strangers and to show no sign of recognition
. when they should meet. The two comrades
who had with the hearty affection of broth
ers faced death with the cheerful courage 0
brave men upon many bloody field, were
!. now separated never to meet except as TIT
r fercest of enemies.
Here under ordinary circumstances shoult
have been an end to the whole affair. Bu
the undercurrent of Richmond society wa
cruel. The odor of tragedy had been il
> the air and no peaceful commonplace dram'
could take it's place without public dissatis