The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-11-20
TWO STRANGERS IN A DUEL.
. Story Of a Meeting on the Field of Honor
in the Days Before the War.


IT have seen one duel in my life, !"
Of course, but since that duel [ have
not had the horror of it which / felt
before. 1t did not seem like murder !;
it did not seem even brutal to me.
81 was in New Orleans and was sit
ting late one night in the hotel CORR
dor, interested in discussion ably
conducted on both sides. 1t was on
that subject which then hung on every
mans lips Both men were handsome,
middle-aged and refined looking. The
conversation became more and more
heated until one of the men said sternly
"'You have insulted my State and
me, sir
i have spoken what believe to be
the truth, said the other man calmly;
and cannot change my sentiment.
Then you offer to give me salts
faction 2 said the other.
In what way?'
AS gentlemen give satisfaction
4 do not fight duels, said the other,
paling slightly.
/" Not when you have insulted a
man?'
NO
You are not coward. answered
the other. THAT is plain to see. [
ask you as a gentleman to give me
satisfaction
"The man from the North looked at
him steadily.
I cannot kill man, he said.
1.-The other gave him a look which
was almost one of appeal.
If you do not give me satisfaction,
he said, or retract, and I see you will
not do that, [ shall feel like hound.
Very WE'LL answered the other,
simply, when shall it be?'
Gas soon as possible.
"The Southerner excused himself to
find a second. The Northern man
turned to me.
L am stranger here he~said.
will you act as my second?'
I don't believe in duels,' / answer
ed, feeling ashamed to refuse him.
No more do l. he replied, coldly.
II hesitated and consented. The
four of us were driven below the city.
I shall not forget the place where the
DUE was fought. We turned into a
plantation at a point of the road where
stood a majestic pecan tree, which
seemed to bow gravely as the wind
rustled softly through it's branches and
the trailing moss swayed gently. The
distance was paced off by the second
of my new friends adversary, for l
absolutely useless.
"For some reason my principal took
81 I1c o00% on1 1xyoiStoOof onH tho
other man did the same thing. They
both seemed at their ease. In the
grayness of the morning the white of
their shirts was beautifully clear and
pleasing. They took their positions
quietly. No one had spoken word
since we had entered the field. My
friend raised his hand and looked care
fully at his revolver.
Gentlemen he said, calmly, I
have never shot ut a man In my life.
This is not of my doing
II looked at the Southern duellst.
His face whitened at this, but he was
cool and graceful in his bearing.
II forgot my principles. There was
nothing brutal, uncivilized or cruel IN
this. It was beautiful. The calmness
of the scene was exquisite. Both men
faced each other as if they were pay
ing compliments. There was grace
about their posture which charmed
me. At that moment it seemed to me
that to kill man in so delicate way
was the refinement of courtesy.
Gentlemen, are you ready? One!
Two white-sIeeved arms was all that [
saw. I did not hear the rest, not even
the shots. I saw the arms go up slow
ly, straighten out sharply, something
like released springs, and the South
ern man was in the damp grass, a
bright stain on his white shirt. My
friend was leaning over him, peering
anxiously into the wounde j mans face.
When ran up the one who was shot
was very white.
Henry, he said to his second, take
every care for this gentleman's safety
and he tainted.
perhaps this was one Of the most re-
markable duels ever fought. 1, an un-
willing second did not know the name
of the principal whom I assisted. I
did not even know the cause of the
duel. Each principal was ignorant of
the name of the other. The only two
men who knew each other were the
Southern man and his second. But 1,
who believed dueling to be murder,
found it, when forced to play part in
a duel, fascinating picture, the Like of
which I have never before or since
Sc en-. "-NeaU York Tribune.