The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-10-07
OLD TIME DUEL.
A Believer I'm tho Code HIS Something TO Say
on the Dueilo as II Was.
(From the New York Star

| Believer I'm the Code HIS Something TO say
on the Duello as 1t Was.
(From the New York star)
sis dueling still popular among gen
tlemen?" was asked by Star reporter
the other day of O military man who has
been prominent in several ''aflairs."
"No, times have changed marvelously
During Jackson's second tenn the Dem.
ocrats, flushed with victory at the Prcsi,
Dental election, were rather arrogant
Many dashing and gallant young men
had been elected from the Western and
Southern States, and conscious of their
great numerical superiority were some,
what disposed to carry matters with q
high hand. Dueling in those days WEI
much in vogue. and personal discussions
III the House were frequently brought to
an abrupt termination by an intimation
that injurious imputations would be re-
sented elsewhere. John 81. Patton ond
Henry M. Wise, of Virginia, Baltic Pay
ton, of Tennessee, Gallatin Hawcs, of
Kentucky, Jesse Bynum, of North Caro-
lima, and many other SouthCrners were
known to be prompt with the pistol, and
1T was understood that call to the field
would follow any damaging personal at
tack upon distinguished members Of the
ruling party. The rude dcmeanor and
offensive vituperation by which Congress
has been disgraced for some years past
would have been promptly punished
forty years ago. Now it excites COM
paratively little public attention and is
only met i'll Congress by q rctort in
kind"
"How do you account for the decline
OF the dueling mania?"
"Ihe decline dates from the time it
was made ancillary to gambling and
swindling, or to the settlement Of dis
putes between vulgar scoundrcls. Since
thon it has gone out Of fashion rapidly.
The gross abuse of dueling has done
more to remedy its OWE mischief than
moral appeals and legal enactments."
"What do the Irish think of ducling?"
"Gratton's dying advice to his sons
was: always be ready with your pistols. ,
The Irish are often much too ready.
There IS trait in the irish character
which is considered by MANY to be
nationally chivalrous, and that is IL Gcn-
eral dislike to seek in courts of law
monetary compensation for honor out
ragged through woman's folly. In this
country reparatlon for loss of service is
considered a thing rs correctly reclaima-
ble as loss OF profit on u broken contract
for cargo Of wheat or cotton, while
among lr'shmen, in nine cases out of
ten, the man who works upon the weak
ness of wife, or triacs with the affrc-
tons OF a sister, is not subjected to IN
assessment for damages by II jury, but
summoned to give personal satisfaction" ="
Men disinchncd to make targets of
themselves in obedience to n conventions
al code OF honor have often got out of
the difficulty by availing themselves of
the right accorded to the challenged to
choose the weapons. An old whaling
captain not long since declared he would
fight with harpoons or not at all, an al
tentative declined by his adversary. A
Mlssour1an daunted his antagonist by
insisting upon combat with rawhides,
limited to half an hours duration.
General Putnam was once challenged by
q young officer and proposed that each
should SIT upon powder-keg, with a
lighted fuse in the bung. AS he would
hear OF no other terms, the General had
ms way. At the appointed time the
Delhgcrcnts took their seats, the fuses
were lgnlted, and the veteran watched
the progress of the flame with unmoYcd
countenancc. Not SO his opponent. He
took intense interest in the fast-lcsscninQ
match, and when the flame got suggcs-
lively near the hung hole showed his
possession Of the better part of valor by
jumping off the keg and making for the
open field till arrested by Putnam roar
ing out: "Hold on, my boy; it's only
onion seed"
Two Western editors Of opposing
newspapers once made fools of them
selves. 1t came about though the editor
OF one of the papers declaring in leader
that the editor Of the other paper was a
bigamist, and that gentleman rcsonting
the calumny by pulling the libcler's
nose in the public street The Mayor of
tho town kindly undertook to arrange
for tho difficulty being settled in prop
er way, and the two editors were soon
ensconccd, rifle in hand, behind the
trees i'll wood. For two mortal hours
they lodged and pcopcd, neither caring
to fire, lest by missing he should leave
himself at his cncmy's mercy. Then
the rain came down, and one Of the
combatants discovered that it had satu-
rated his powder.
els your powder wct?" shouted he to
his rival
NO." answered the other.
=, "Mlno's beautifully dry" continued
the first.
But his adversary, guessing how mat
ters were, came boldly out of cover, with
his weapon ready to come to the "pre-
sent"
"Stop!p cried the appalled, man,
''stop! Let's have g parloy. You're
darned good fellow. Suppose instead Of
shooting we go into partnership"
"All right" replied the other, and
they returned home together.
OF course both editors had to set
themselves right with their subscribers,
which they did by telling them that their
guns were wet, and wouldn't go off.
Born With Three Eyes.
a wonderful freak of nature was sean