Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-01-03

communicated and the headquarters exhit
5 tied lively picture. Silvio used to receiv
bis mail through our regiment, and was usu
, ally there. Once he received packag
: which he opened with an air of greatest i'm
patience. Hastily running over the cor
tents of the letter with his eyes, the
seemed to be kindled with an unusual gilt
tering brightness. Our officers, busy wit
their mail had no time to notice it. ''Gen
tlemen," said Silvio, turning to US, 'circum
stances require my Immediate leaving o
demand that should leave Immediately.
l leave tonight; hope you will not refus
TO dine with me for the last time. L ais
expect you," he continued, turning to me
''expect you. without fail.''
With these words he hastily went ou
and consenti1g to meet again at Silvio''
each of Us went his way. l came to Silvio'!
at the appointed time and found there al
most the whole regiment. All his portable:
were already packed; there were left mer,
naked walls bored with pistol shots. We
| went to the table. The host was in very
good humor, and his disposition was soor
| shared by the others. A score of bottles
uncorked, the goblets filed with foaming
bubbling wine, with cordial greetings and
solemn toasts we uttered our farewell
wishes and all goodness to boot it, to the de
parting host. Weleft the table quite late in
! the evening. While my comrades were
| looking for their caps preparing to leave,
Silvio took me by the hand and stopped me.
81 want to speak to you," he quietly said.
staid there. Silvio took leave of the others.
Soon all Of them were gone; we were left
alone. took seats one opposite the other, and
lit our pipes. Silvio was care-stricken; all
the traces Of his previous nervous holiness
were gone. A gloomy paleness, glittering
eyes and thick clouds of sm oke issuing from
his mouth, gave him the appearance of a
real devil. Several minutes passed and Sill
VIC broke the silence
sit may happen that we shall no more see
each other" he said; before my departure
l would like to offer you some explanations.
You might have noticed that hardly care a
snap for the opinions of others, but l love
you and feel quite anxious to dispel any IN
just impressions which my former conduct
might cause to take root in your mind" He
stopped and began to fill his pipe. sat ST
lent with downcast eyes. ut seemed to
you strange" continued he, shat 1 did not
demand satisfaction from the drunk mad
man p. You will concede that, having
the right to choose the weapons his life was
in my hands, and mine utterly beyond danger
l could attribute to mere magnanimity my
moderation. But 1 would not lie If /
could punish P without subjecting nv
own life to danger would in no way have
pardoned him" looked astonished at Sill
vic. Such confession confused me alto
gether. 'But so it is" resumed Silvio, Il
have no right to subject my life to any dan
ger threatening with death. Six years ago
l received a blow in the face (box on the
earl, and my enemy is still alive" My curl
osity was strongly awakened. "You did
not fight him thenr' 1 inquired; ''circum-
stances must have separated you?" II
fought with him." answered Silvio, sand
here is the memento of this duel" Silvio
rose, took out from paper box a military
cap with golden wreath and embroidered
band THAT which the French call bonnet de
police); he put it on; it was shot through an
inch from the forehead.
"You know" continued Silvio, ''that l
served in x = Hussar regiment. You
know also my character. Twas in the habit
Of being always among the first, but in
youth it was my passion. In my time fight
ing was in vogue in the army. / was the
first fighter there. Debauchery was
matter of pride. We used to boast of it.
| excelled in drinking the illustrious drunk
ard Beurzoff, extolled in song by Dennis
Davidof. Duels were of frequent occur
renee. was in each of them, either a wit
ness or an active participation. My COM
rades admired me, and the regiment
commanders, quite often removed and sub |
stituted by others, considered me necessary
evil Quietly, or rather unquietly, enjoyed
my fame.
"At one time young man of renowned |
family relations Il would not name HIM
enlisted in our regiment. 1 never yet met
such a fortunate, splendid young man e!
Imagine youth, intelligence, beauty, jolli- |
ness of the maddest description, the most |
careless courage. a laundering name, money |
Of which he knew no account, and which |
never failed to be in his possession, and you |
will easily surmise the influence which such |
a fellow was to exercise on US. Ny being |
among the first began to waver. Enticed |
by my fame he began to solicit my friend |
ship; but accepted him coldly, and he left |
of without the least vexation 1 began to |
hate him. His success in the regiment and |
in the society of ladies brought me into |
utter despair. 1 began to look for chance |
Of quarrelling with him. To my epigrams |
he answered with epigrams which seemed |
10 me more surprising and sharper than my |
own, and which were, of course, by far |
ivelier and brighter. He TESTED, but 1 was
not quite in fun. Once we happened to be |
together at a ball of a Polish landowner |
Seeing him the object of attention of all |
ladies', and especially of the landlady who |
had some connections with me, whispered |
into his ear some fat, impolite remark His |
temper was aroused and he boxed me in the |
cn1yv 70 h.
The ladies tainted; we were separated, and |
IN the same night we went to fight it out.
It began to dawn. l stood on the appointed |
place awaiting with three seconds and mex
)ressible impotence the arrival of my
opponent. The spring sun arose and it began
% grow hot. / discerned him from afar.
de came by foot, with his uniform on, his
'aber, accompanied by one second He ap-
preached, holding his cap filed with cher
les. The seconds measured off twelve
,aces for US. was to shoot first; but the
excitement of malice was so strong in me
hat 1 could not rely on the gertrude of my
land. conceded to him the first shot; nv
opponent did not consent.
1--WE decided to draw lots. His was the
irst number, the eternal favorite of luck.
lie aimed and shot through my cap 1t was
low my turn to shoot; his life was at least
n my hands. l scrutinized him eagerly,
rying to detect even a shadow of anxiety.
lie stood under the pistol picking out cher
les from his cap and splitting out the stones, Z
which reached as far as my place His in
enraged me. What is the use,'
bought l, of depriving him of his life
When he cares so little forit A malignant
bought here occurred to me. dropped the
istol. You seem to be least disposed to
lie at present. said L; you are breakfast
ng. have no desire to disturb your break
asst You don't in the least disturb me-
eplied he, you may go on shooting, how.