The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-12
HIS NOSE TURNED WHITE.
A Real Kentucky Colonel Illustrates the
Value OF Nerve In nm Emergency.

Value OF Nerve In nm Emergency.
WASHINGTON. Oct. Ill met a real Kon-
lucky Colonel tho other day. from Louisville
He was In all respects most admirable repre-.
sentative Of that peculiar type which only
such social conditions as existed before
the war could have produced. and which ia
so rapidly passing away. never to return. To
me tho old gentleman was quite study. His
dress was faultless. though after mode OF
elegance which was Of years gone by. and his
manners were Of the true courtly style. OF
such as he fow. indeed. now are left. fancy:
30 mild Of manner. and yet subdued sugges.
ton about him OF the true Thereafter
The Colonel invited mo to take q drink. 1t
was at barroom near tho Capitol. As we'll as
I could perceive during the short timo Of my
acquaintance with him. he invariably OK
tended u like courtesy to every ono he met
Doubtlessly he had followed the practice long.
inasmuch as tho end OF his nose was Of a red.
ness such as no mere casual potations could
have incurred. He took Bourbon whIskey. Of
course, and 1t Is unnecessary to say that he
took 1t straight. There wasn't a tremor In his
long and well-made. though wrlnkled hand "a
he held the liquor up between his eye and the
light. With On elaborate compliment and an
accompanying graceful gesture. he drank It
off and plunged anew into story he had been
Cellln8 ABOUT the war;
"We were in the trench just under the re-
doubt" no was saying. and only six mon in
my company were left alive. Close by where
stood q group OF dozen bravo fellows had
been blown to fragments by shell. so that the
flesh and Il g 3, slippery with blood that--"
The exclamation came from a tall. loosely
sPs with drs wh9
m hnnl al inh Cfn ut fhn IN
them from his nose again. and went on. 'oN
piled xtS ssSg ss ss st
moment The, tide Of battle turned. The
Again It was the tall man with tho dark
&c Khot spGIxeG out the words
Of % Insult the deadfiest conceixabie The der
ness. but the rsprsssed passion which ragged
by his nose. which suddenly turned perfectly
white; Once more z. adjusting his eyeglasses
tasty al, the. interrapter. he said:
which you could necessarily have no part. l
ton q gentlemen you would be out Of place"
paYYsling for for moment to cough t slightly. he
emaH wScR made or
will not leave this room alive.
placed s Ssnas hs re smks n t
Nhis stlI GAZING e n nfenty at the tail VITA
the dark moustacho awaited a reply. 1t came
very, promptly. The tall man apolosized pro-
fusely and wanted to shake hands.
No. s!rl" said the Colonel. drawing himself
up with his hands behind him, You, arc a
s Ia and kenucky IT
kind. The best thing you can do is to get out
Wien HR The tail man had skunk out Of tho room
the whiskey bottle was again set forth upon
the bar. The old gentleman lifted his tumbler
t. h ps and noticed that there Eas not tho
vi don't see how you could do a thing like
that so we'll of hand. Colonel.'"' said. ut
seemed to me that life and death might be tho
question q moment, and your nerve aston
ished mo-" ,a go y
My dear boy" he replied. the matter was
less extraordinary and perhaps less dangerous
insatinsp words wese said my entre line q
action was planned out IN my mind in a. flash.
tainted the fellow. saying that he was not 2
gentleman. even repeated the tnunt, and
paused a moment to give him an opportunity
to attack me. II no had not been coward.if
Rsve STACKED sS me then What t was my Sbeet
fable homicide which would hold good before
jury. When demanded his apology or his
life had the drop on him. and there was only
ono thing that he could do. There was not q
moment during tho dlsagreeableness when
was in danger I have been through great
you that the man who keeps his head wins
Never lose your nerve in a. quarrel: and always
keep In mind the plea OF sell. defence which
you will need II you kill your adversary"