Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-27

Soon after the Cubans were comp elled
TO surrender the Virginius to Uncle Sam
| landed in Havana as the agent nj an
American agricultural works. Fortu-
nately for me, in this case, could chatter
away in Spanish with any OF them. and
though l was born and reared in Ohio |
was supposed to be an Englishmau.
Had l given out that | was straight
haired Yankee the chances OF being
mObbed or knitted or shot would have been
excellent. The feeling AGAINST Ameri-
cans was so very bitter that one from the
States was liable to insult and violence on
the public streets.
bad been there about a week when an
American named Charles Whitley, from
Michigan, arrived with his wife. Whit
Icy was an invalid and had come TO Cuba
by the advice OF his physician. Iremem-
her him as a tall, paleta and extreme
| ly courteous gentleman. while she was a
little bit of a woman who was all hope
and sunshine. 1t so happened thar /
made their acquaintance on the first day
they landed, and felt it NV duty to warn
Whitley of the feeling entertained
against our nationality. My advice to him
was to keep close for time and to care
fully avoid being mixed up in any discus
sion of public nature. He had been there
a week without anything being said to
him. when one day as we sat in the hotel
reading room couple of Cubans who
spoke very good English came in and took
seats neRrus.
There was no doubt In my mind from
the first that they intended to draw Whit.
ley into trap. They began by abusing
and malgning Americans and wish ing
| for war, and when be persistentlv refused
To take notice OF them one OF them de-
liberately turned upon him and said:
"Havana Ia no place for such a. you"
''The gentleman is an invalid,n | re-
piled.
tine Cuban. ''Our government should
not permit them to even land on the is
land"
Whitley's face grew paler, and he bit
his lips TO keep back the hot words which
wanted 10 come, but he made no reply
! Toe larger Of the two m m, who appeared
10 be native fire eater, waited for mo-
ment, and then rose up and said to the
! Michigander:
"AU Yankees aBe towards. | insult
you, Demand satisfaction if you dare ="
~ do demand i'll" answered Whitley, in
p low voice. "YOu evidently want duell
| YOu shall have itv'
'Goodw Kissed the other. MY friend
here will arrange the details with your
| friend. You have more courage than /
! thought"
ana
was followed by his friend, who promised
10 return in half an hour.
"TOu can't mean II fight him ~ [ IN.
| QuirPd OF Whitley, when we were alone,
But do. Heinsulted me as an Ameri-
| can. hoping 10 provoke a duel, aud as an
American will fight him."
"But your health?"
"Nevor mind my health. All want is
to keep the affair from my wife until it is
| n ~ 20
morning"
"With what weapons"
IL have never bad ii sword in my hand,
and | have had no experience with pis.
| tolls. Choose pistols. however. | know
( enough to sight and fire one, and must
take my chances"
| There was no doubt that the man was
/ an experienced due ist, but the more
| argued with Whitley the more he was de-
| termined to fight. Under all the circum-
srances IL would have been M disgr ace
| for him 70 refuse, but from the very fitst
! bis mind was made 10. Such affairs are
easily and quietly arranged in Cuba.
| When the second returned we settled on
/ pistols for weapons, and he was Kind
enough to say that he would arrange fer
Il surgeon to DC present. We were to be
at Il certain spot about four miles distant
ut certain hour in the m rning. TIE
follow was a pink OF poiteness. aud car.
! ried the idea that had b zen mixed up in
several affairs OF the 70 and that my prin-
clpal was not green hand on the ield Of
/ honor.
| ] did not see Whitley again until we
/ took carr age in the morning to drive to
! the grounds. lie WAS calm and self-pos.
sessed, and on the way out arranged with
me about sending his wife homo in case
O. bis death, and crowded for other emer.
| gercies. The little woman hRd not re-
ceiyed the slightest hint OF what was on
the tapis.
We found the 9th n parties W d'ing 70.
u, and the details wele sp,rG,lF ar
r n"ed. The laeu were placed ECoou
PAGES apart, and II WIS unders .o,t that
the, We e to IRE unit ono pr zee nor
was kill'd or wOu ode /. In cas-, cit ler
was wounded aud wanted to continue the
ig the duel should 20 on.
The t"o pistols were 10 AIDED and band d
t. the principals, and the awkward ma
ner N which Whitlev hald his made the
Cublns smile. / had told him how 10
sand so as 20 present the smallest DOS l.
Bile iarSet TO his opponent, but as they
{ 1ok their places | W shorrihed 10 see him
present his full front.