The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-08-06
A MAN OF HONOR.

n MAN oF HONO6.
Colonel Skerrett, Major Marsh. and
Captain Pickering were sitting in their
room at the Hotel Anglais, Paris. They
wero Americans on their travels, all
three rough-looking down-easters, who
had gone through the worst fire of the
civil war. DR.. Vicaire, surgeon in the
French army, was standing in front of
them, regarding them with a severe
air.
II come to denounce to you as you
have insult my friend, NJ. lie Lieutenant
Foulon. He demand 20 satisfaction"
said DIR. Vicaire, particularly address
ing Colonel Skerrett. You have kick
his dog. You write apology, yer goot.
You write no apology, you choose ze-
ze-ah! vat you call rarme-ze."
"Weepons. said Major Marsh. COM
ing to his assistance. DIR. Vicaire
bowed.
Apologize for kicking his darned
curl" shouted the Colonel "What did
it como swapping and barking at my
heels for? l would kick Mr.. Foolong
himself if he did that"
"Ahr" replied the doctor, "ver gooti
Insult additional;" and he blew his
,
Colonel Skerrett was as brave a man as
ever stood in boots, but besides his con-
scientious objections to a duel, the
cause of quarrel was so ludicrous that
he only answered with a burst of
laughter.
..Ah!" said the Doctor, calmly, but
reddening. "Insult tree" And he
took prodigious pinch of snuff.
ha f.in oh
other. Major Marsh took the word.
"My friend will allow me to act for
him. We have the choice of weapons?"
Yes"
"Then l choose them that nature
provided. Fists?"
"Foest" said the doctor, pondering.
"You mean ze-ze-
Major Marsh explained in panto-
mime.
Sir" cried the fiery doctor, "you
make ze game of me! SEQ you after
my friend have re satisfaction
s'Don't get so hot, now. What do you
say to stuffed clubs in a darkened
room?'
1t took long time to make the doc
tor understand this proposition, but
when he did he rejected it with con-
stantly increasing wrath. Captain
Pickering suggested a rough-and-
tumble in pit-kick, scratch, bite,
claw, and gouge. Major Marsh thought
an excellent way of settling, the diff
Guilty would be Tor the two ~dversaries
to go into shallow water ant hich
could draw the other. Finaff, Colo
mel Skerrett suggested that they should
bring keg of powder on the field; cast
lots; and whichever lost should sit up
on the keg and apply the cigar he had
just been smoking to a hole in the key.
DIR. Vicairc tore his hair and rejected
one and all.
Why" said the Major. sit pears
TO mo that we haven't got the choice
of weapons at all.
.'Of re weapon, yes! But this is no
weapon. Swords, dagger, peestol.
gun-zey all weapon. But re gouge,
zn fecst, re clup rempli, or vat you call
Ae stuff clups-eh, monsieurn' and the
worthy Doctor stamped with rage.
Doctor" said the Major quietly,
''th' last suggestion of Colonel Sker-
rett is one that has been acted on, in
at least one case in one of the Southern
States of America. If your friend
wants an out and out dooel. he will ac-
cept the offer of barrel of powder I'M
| der them conditions. If he don't he is
| only foolin' with the matter. People
blaze away at each other here for half
an hour and shoot nothing but the
| pigs. When we du a thing in the
States we du it"
| .'Sir!' shrieked Vicaire with concen-
trated rage. You coward. you pol
troon, secirat! post you in &c cafe, re
hotel. and my friend whip you with
ze-eh!-ze whip of &c horsei" an he
rushed from the room, swinging his hat
frantically in one hand and plucking
| at his hair with the other
Left to themselves, the three friends
laughed heartily. AS for the doctor 8
threat of personal chastisement, Major
Marsh alone looked strong enough to
horscwhip the National Guard if it
were called out For the posting in the
cafes they cared exactly nothing. They
chatted and smoked and were begin
ming to forget the whole affair.
But an hour later the writer an
nounced IN. Lieutenant Foulonr'
M. Foulan advanced into the room,
bowed courteously to the two, and ad-
dressing Colonel Skerrett, said in per-
feet English:
II have just seen my friend Vicaire.
Possibly ho misunderstood. From
what he told me, l understand that
YOU made propositions which no gentle
man would make. Therefore you are
no gentleman. 1t remains TO be seen
if YOU are a coward as well. | am
aware that your last proposition is 4
mode of the duello practiccd in some
parts of your country. OF that my
friend Vicaire was ignorant. Although
the practice is irregular, | waive that
consideration, and personally accept
your proposal of keg ofpowder under
the specified conditions. 1ou will
oblige me by naming the time and
place.
Say tomorrow at o'clock in the
afternoon. | reckon the little wood o
Plcssis, on the road to Versailles, is 8
quiet enough place. l will supply the
Eeg of powder for your use and yor
will supply the one for mine.
..Very well, SIR" said FOulon, bow
ING. Il shall be there. The terms tC
be rigidly adhered to? To apply the
cigar which one had just been smoking
to the open hole in the keep"
PRECISELY" answered the Colonel
Il presume" said the Lieutenant
with a sinister smile, that in any
event the service of a doctor or sur
geon will be unnecessary.
II am sure of that" said the Colonel
with grin.
FoulOn left the room, and when h
had gon. Colonel Skerrett said: '.Pl
= fight this here devil, but | amt gwin'
to be blowed to atoms, nor L ain
gwine to let that there fool blow him
self to atoms" The three friends tool
measures accordingly
The next day, at the appointed time
the five men, all smoking vigorously
were on the ground. Each party ha
: brought It's powder-keg along. In
Major and DR.. Vicaire tossed up. Th
+ Major won.
y Foulon turned ghastly pale, bu
walked firmly to the keg which tn
Americans had brought and sat dow
on it. 1t was an ordinary cider ke2
and Major Marsh knocked out tn
| IN. - of