Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-01-03
A PISTOL SHOT.
Remarkable Story Of the Last
Shot in a Duel.

Our regiment headquarters were in tn
village of N
need hardly describe the regular routin,
OF our military life. Almost every body
knows the life of an army officer; in tn.
morning military drilling, dinner at tn,
regimentcommander's or in Jewish lunch
ing-house; in the evening punch and cards
There was not single house where guest:
would be fairly received; not single bride
in N. We had our gatherings at eact
others, where we saw nothing but our uni
forms. Only one of us did not belong to the
army. He was about thirty-five years Of
age, and we considered him, therefore. az
old man. Experience gave him many ad
vantages over US. His gloominess, obstinacy
and malignant tongue exercised an additional
influence over our youthful minds. His fate
had something mysterious about it; he had
a Russian appearance and bore a foreign
name. At some former time he served in a
regiment Of hussars, and was successful in
service; yet nobody knew the reasons which
had impelled him to give in his resignation
and TO settle in the poor village of N, where
he lived at the same time poorly and prodi-
gally, walked about always by foot in a
wornout old frock, and had his table always
free to all the officers of our regiment True,
his dinner consisted of one or two dishes
prepared by our ex-soldier yet champagne
was poured out in quite liberal measure for
the guests. Nobody knew his estates or in
come, and nobody would venture to ask him
about it. His library consisted Of military
books or novels. He was very liberal to offer
them for reading, never requesting to return
them. And he himself never returned to
the owners the books which he borrowed
His principal occupation was shooting from
pistol. The walls of his room were bored
with pistol-shots, covered with holes like
bee-hives. A rich collection of pistols was
the only luxury of the poor hut in which he
lived. His art Of shooting had attained the
limits Of incredibIlity; and if he would
offer to shoot of pear from the cap of any
one OF our officers, none amongst them
would hesitate to undergo the risk Our
conversation often turned on duels. Silvio
$50 / shall call him) never took any part in
them. To the question if he ever had occa-
sion to fight, he answered dryly, that he did,
but never went into the details, and it was
apparent that such questions were unpleas-
ant to him. We supposed that some un-
fortunate victim of his terrible art was
weighing down his conscience Yet it
never occurred to us to suspect in him
something like cowardice. There are men
whose mere appearance dispeis such sus-
picions. A sudden event surprised us all
Ten Of our officers dined once at Silvio's
We drank as usually, i. e., very much. After
dinner we began to persuade him to play a
game. he first refused for time for he
almost never played. At last he ordered
cards, threw about fifty gold pieces on the
table and went to play. We took seats
around him and the game was started
Silvio had a custom of keeping perfectly
silent during the game, never entered into
disputes or explanations. If he happened
to miscalculate he either paid the rest or
marked down the overpaid. We knew it
already, and did not prevent him from hav-
ing his own way; but there was among US
an officer recently transferred to our regi-
ment.
Partaking in this game, he happened to
Silvio took the chalk and
Strengthened the account according to his
habit The officer, thinking that he had
doae this by mistake, went into explana-
lions Silvio kept on silently correcting.
Having lost his patience, the officer took the
brush and erased that which seemed to him
q superfluous mark. Silvio took the chalk
and marked it again. Heated with wine
She game and the laughter of his comrades,
the officer considered it grave insult and
seized in fury the brass chandler from the
table aud flung it into Silvio's face, who had
hardly time to turn away from the blow
We came into confusion. Silvio rose pale
with anger, and said, with glittering eyes:
''Gracious sir, be kind enough to leave and
thank the Lord that it happened in my
house." We had no doubt as to the conse-
quences, and considered our new comrade
already dead. The officer went out saving
that he was ready to respond to the insult as
it would please the opponent. The game
continued for several minutes longer. but
feeling that the host was no longer in plav-
ing mood, we left one after the other, and
went to our quarters, speaking on the way
Of the new vacancy. On the following day
we were inquiring at the headquarters if
the poor officer was yet alive, as he appeared
himself. The question was offered to him.
He answered that he had no news from
Siivio as yet 1t surprised US very much. |
We. went to Silvio, and found him in the |
yard shooting one after another in an ace |
pasted to the door-gate. He received US as
usual, not dropping word of yesterdays
occurrence. Three days passed; the officer |
was yet alive. We inquired with astonish- |
nent: as it possible that Silvio will not |
ightm
Silvio did not fight He was satisfied with |
4 light explanation, and concluded peace |
This occurrence had considerably lowered |
him in the estimation of our youth. Lack
IF courage is least of all pardoned by young
men, who see in courage the pinnacle of |
human dignity and virtue outweighing all /
possible vices. Little by little, however.
every thing went into oblivion, and Silyio |
-egained his former influence. Only could
no longer remain on intimate footing with
aim Endowed naturally with a romantic
/ was first more strongly drawn
owards this man, whose life was a riddle
md who appeared to me as being the hero
)f some mysterious novel He loved me: at
east was the only one with whom he used
20 leave of his biting, malignant wav of
and spoke of various things with
and unusual pleasantness. But
after the unfortunate evening, the thought
nat ms honor was marred and that the
stain on his honor was left unremoved nv
MS own accord-this thought haunted me
dways and was an intervening obstacle 10
,ur former intimacy. l felt some scrunles
1t seeing him. S1vio was too smart and
experienced for this to escape his notice and
aot to guess the reasons thereof. 1t seemed
20 vex him; at least noticed in him twice
he desire to come to an understanding with
ne; but avoided such occasions and Silyio
'eceded Afterward saw him only in COM
'any of my comrades and our former candid
were at an end. The scattered
OF the capital have no idea of
many impressions so much known to the
Inhabitants OF villages or small towns. As
for instance, the awaiting of the post-day. /
On Tuesdays and Fridays our regiment |
headquarters were filled with officers, some
,Yaiting money packages, some letters, |