The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1885-07-04

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Michael "a up ~ fsoalhai aTef
and laid ID Z gonrfGui Huplt " laHihHs
and whisky ahd sueaf itu ihs HhfFE
INK " The punch which be- knes
wHnli be drank ilke Wairr Whsi
did Hrfnl his attention was The oarfiul
Inspection The Major gave NJ afmary
u durlug.pisiols cleaning md leading
them with oarc, ~ u he we're abuui "
use them Tho servant came io The
cpuoIriann that there was q dispute 10
M settled The nest morning w either
hla master NJ 0ne NJ his guests
The MAJOR received his two friends
with his customary cordially. and
whcn The supper had been disposed "
and the edlblo' were of the choicesi
The most serious business Of tho night
was entered upon namely. thn drink
lng ot the punch. oi which. however,
The host was careful not 10 take mov
than enough 'ro steady his nerves a"
When the fumes u the potent liquor
began 10 rise 10 and atImula,e tho brains
ot the olieerz. ths love which each pro,
icssod 10 entertain for the beautiful
Miss Omen. whose personal fortune
was not less charming In their eyes than
herself came vividly TO their mlnds,
and each began 10 boast Of the favor 10
had found In her-eyess Angry word,
were soon exchanged, and the host, the
soberest of the three Mt tho table, and
that was not saying mitch for his cold.
ness on steadiness, did all that lay In his
power 10 promote the quarrel To hot
words in their liquor Mlohasl. .Magowan
was accustomed, hut was not 10 what
followed them The Lieutenant In the
wlldness OF his rage. seized dscanter
and throw II at the Captain with such
force that, had IL struck him. u would
have killed him outright. II glanced
past his head and cracked against the
wall, pieces OF tho glass buryfng them
selves In the plaster The Captain i'm
agined that Il was the Major who had
hurled the vessel at him, and, sprlnging
TO his feet, and beinga large and phys.
lcally powerful man, with u terrific blow
he felled his superior In grade to the
floor -s--a---ssa--s-r,snsr,..-.s
The quarrel had now passed sll rea-
sonablc bounds. In their hot anger ths
original cause Of the turmoil was for
gotten. Zach demanded the hearts
blood OF his fellows, aud, as there were
three Of them. and No one Of them
would walt for the night TO pass and
meet in the field In the cool OF the NOR
rows morning. 10 was determined with
out seconds, and with no other witnes.
than Michael Magowan.- " settle II then
aud there. Who suggested that the
duel should be- triangular the servant, In
relating the story long afterward, n0tas
u confession In religion to the priest,
but Ms matter of confidence, could mot
say. The apartment was unusually
large and lofty spacious enough fou
an assembly room and uncarpeted.
The man Mcgowan was ordered to
procure piece of chalk and under the
direction Of ths Major himself hs
formed aD acute triangle, the sides OF
which were twenty.odd feet. The Ma
jor, now armed with bis dueling pistol.
took up position at one Of the con.
yergemcnls, and the Captain and Lieu
tenant being similarly armed by the
courtesy Of their host, with pistols, a.
honestly loaded aud os reliable a. bis
own, placed themselves on tho other
angles Mcgowan, nov thoroughly
frightened and trembling In every limb.
was instructed TO hold white hsndkey-
chief or napkin on level with bis head.
II being understood that the antagonists
were 10 lire between its falling and strik-
Ing the floor. But TO make everything
satisfactory u was further agreed be-
fore the signal cloth should drop that
the Mayor should cry ''one," the Cap
tain two" and the Lieutenant "thres, !"
and upon the utteranos Of the last word
Mcgowan was 10 obey instructions.
Every thing had worked much better
than the Major had hoped would be the
case. As we have. said, be had no idea
of receiving hurt, while he believed he
could readily put his antagonists In love
out Of the field in bis raoe for beauty
and booty"-the capture Of the heiress
O'Neil. ll.4 w. yshHi Iu 9fg
Fortune, however, did not smile op
him more than on his enemies The
, words were uttered. and Mcgowan. the
most frightened man present. with Z
nervous twiich dropped the signal
cloth. Before u touched The floor the
pistol shots rang out tlseir messages oi
death. f,st u ,t..
Mcgowan. before the sound OF Tia
combined report had died out. or ths
smoke had ceased 10 ascend. rushed ouI
.. Of the house. and. seeing n . ntfle dis
tance. n coach standing near the post
oilice receiving the mails for BelfaAi
aud more distant places. ran 10 u and
climbed 10 seat on ~ roof He wns 8
tlloroughly.frighlened man. lie knsw
not how the strange fight had resulted
! His only desire was to yet ~ far from
II as possible. even II he should nj q
later day be arrested 81 deserter, for
he was a member Of the regiment, baI
inyslided In consequence Of woun<
received In M engagement. aud whfl
Two days after the duel. tbs Major
Captain and Lieutenant not rsporiin,
for duty. their tsllow-oilicers Of the bat
talon Instituted a search ior them