The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-28
DREW LOTS FOR LIFE,
A Strange Duel Between Two Jeal-
Gus Frenchmen.

A duel which occasioned a great
sensation at the time of it's occur
renee was one between Henri Della.
grave and Alphonse Riviere, the
cause being the success of the for
mer in wooing a young lady to
whom they were both attached
Riviere insulted his successful rival
by slapping him on the cheek in a
gaming saloon and it was agreed
that duel should take place, in
which the life ofone should be ended.
The details were left to their sec
onds to arrange, and, until they
faced one another upon the field,
neither of the young men knew in
what form they were to brave death.
On the following morning four men
met in a quiet wood. They were
Riviere, with M. Sayalle, his second,
and Delagrave, who was accompa-
MED by doctor named Rocquet.
The latter informed the rivals that
M. Savalle and himself had arrived
at the decision that, in order to Sc
cure a fatal result to one of the
principles, it would be best to leave
out of the question swords or pis-
tolls and to trust to the more sure
action of a deadly poison. AS he
spoke he drew from his pocket a
little box, in which lay four black
pellets, all exactly identical in size
and shape.
SIN one of these" he said, "Ihave
placed sufficient quantity of prus-
sic acid to cause the almost instan-
taneous death of any one who swal-
lows it. Monsieur Savalle and l
will decide by the toss of a coin
which of you is to have first choice,
and you shall alternately draw and
swallow pill until the poison
shows its effects" While speaking
the last words the doctor spun into
the air o glittering gold piece and,
as it fell, Savalle cried "tails." 1t |
fell with the head uppermost, and
SavalIe said, 1.-THE first choice is
yours, Monsieur Delagrave." The
two whose fate was contained in
those innocent-looking black balls
had shown no sign of trepidation
while the doctor explained the aw-
full preparations that he had made
for the death of one of them; and
Delagrave's face was perfectly i'm
passive as he selected and washed
down with a glass of claret one of
the globules. "And now, NJ. Ri
Were" said the doctor, Riviere ex-
tended his hand and took a pill,
which he swallowed with as little
of concern as his oppo-
lent. A minute passed, two, three,
md still the duelists stood motion
ess. at is your choice again M.
Delagrave," said the doctor, "but
his time you must swallow the pill
1t the same instant that M. Riviere
swallows the one that you leave for
him." Delagrave paused for mo-
nent, looking in silence at the two
'alls that lay before him. The
closest scrutiny showed not the
slightest difference between them
'ne was harmless, but in the other
ested the pail of eternity-the ST.
ence and peace of that sleep which
Knows no awakening in this world.
With start he drew his eyes from
he box, and putting his finger and
humb into it drew forth one of the
emaining pills. Riviere took the
elitary one remaining and both
men simultaneously gulped down
heir fate. A few seconds passed
Without any perceptible movement
N the part of either of them, and
hen Riviere threw up his hands,
md without a sound fell fiat upon
he grass. He turned half round,
ave one convulsive shudder, and
Is his rival bent over him breathed
lis last. The fair cause of this aw-
I'll tragedy was so Mortified at it
hat she refused to see Delagraye
gain, and the memory Of those few
minutes weighed SO heavily upon
lim that he followed Riviere to the
rave IN few months time.-Bos-
on Evening Transcript,