The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1889-05-11
4 MIDNIGHT DUEL
On Tor of the Blue Ridse-A Romantic
Story OF the Late War.
detroit Free Press. !

ipetroit Free Press
fsThere is no doub','' said an old sol.
dier yesterday, 'sthar mauy singular
things occur as we journey through
i;fe," and he looked as though n emory
| was struggling with some sad fe,ture
OF his existence. He sigh. d rs he cou-
tinued: 81 remember az though, il was
yesterday the march OF HIPS corps
along the winding Shenandoah up to
the famous Luray Gap. Who could
ever forget that march? The road
winding with the beautiful river, and
Blue Ridge moun,ains, while across
the crystal water the magnificent val
ley, with its charming co:tsges dotting
the bounteous land with white, like
balls of snow robed in flowers. But
the most engaging and lovely objects
paied into insigniticance beside the
peerless women OF this blessed country,
and you may well believe that when
the camp was struck the soldiers lost
no time in making their way to the
surrounding cottages. Soon the music
OF the violin was heard and the shuf-
fling feet kept time to the music,
while for time the soldiers face WAS
lit with old-iire joy. AT one Of these
cottages the belle of the valley reigned
supreme, while several Southern sot-
diers We'd with each ether in paying
homage to the queen. Among others
were two young soidiers-one from
Georgia and the other from. Missis-
sippi-who were specially energetic in
their attentions, and so marked had
this become that those present watched
the play with constantly increasing in.
terest, fully believing that both exhib-
tied case Of love al first sight. This
surmise on the part of those present
was only too true, as the tragic event
which followed fully proved. The
Georgian seemed to have the lead on
the Mississippian, aud when the dane.
ers were called TO take their places he
led the belle of the valley to place in
the set. AT this point the MISSISSIPPI
plan was seen to approach the couple
and heard to claim the lady's hand for
the dance. An alteration ensued, but
both were cool, brave so!die1s-two of
the best shots in the army-who did
not believe in war Of words. So it
was ended by the Georgian dancing
with the lady and the significant re-
mark OF the Mississippian that Il will
see you after this SET
"When the dance was over the
Georgian was seen to seek the Missis-
sippiap, and together they called each
a friend from the crowd and departed.
When outside both claimed that an in
suit had been passed which could only
be wiped out in the blood Of the other,
and that a duel TO the death should he
arranged at once. a fuil moon was
just appearing above the tops OF the
forest, and l tell you this
talk OF blood in the silence of the nigh.
was anything but pleasant. No argu-
ment, however, would avail With these
men, so it was arranged that tho duel
should take place on the top OF Blue
Ridge, near the centre of the road
that passes through the gap; that the
weapons should be pistols at fifteen
PAGES, and to fire at or between the
words 'oue, two, threc,' firing to cor
tiuue until one or both were dead.
The point was reached, the ground
measured Cff and the men took their
positions wiihOu; a ireinor. The moon
shed its pale light on II scene never to
be forgotten. A moment or two and
the silence was broken by the signal,
'Ona, two, three At the word 'one'
the report Of two pistols rang cut on
the midnight mir, but the principals
maintained their respective positions.
The Georgian's leN arm was seen to
drop closer to his sidc, bit the Nlissis-
sippian was immovabic, and still held
his pistol to the front. Again pistol
shot was beard, coming from the Geor.
gian. and the Mississirpian still held
his position, but he did not fire. The
Georgian protested that he had not
come there to murder him, but no an-
swer was returned. The MISSISSIPPI
plans second approached his principal
and found him dead, shot through the
eye on the first discharge of the wea-
pom. Death, it seems. bad been in
stantaneous, so much so as not to dis
turb his equilibrium. | may forget
some things, but the midnight duel on
the top Of a spur Of the Blue Ridge,
with its attendant circumstances, !s not,
one of them"