Nevada County picayune., 1891-05-14
A KENTUCKY DUEL.

Colonel Bedford Ashley, like ey-
cry true Kentucky gentleman, liked
/ pretty women and fast horses. AT
the age of 40, Colonel Ashley was
prosecuting attorney in his native
town, stood at the head of his pro-
fession in popular estimation, en-
/ joyed comfortable income, and on,
! y needed wife to complete his
happiness.
Miss Nellie Hawthorne, only
daughter of Judge Hawthorne, was
the belle of the village, and among
her score of admirers it was plain
she preferred Colonel Ashley, who
had been devoted to her since her
return from school.
Judge and Colonel Ashley were
warm personal friends. They agreed
on politics, attended the races to-
gether and backed the same horses,
the Judge always placing implicit
confidence in the Colonel's judg-
ment. The Judge loved his pretty
daughter very dearly and he was well
pleased with his dearest friend.
Colonel Ashley asked and obtained
his consent to seek the hand and
heart of Nellie. "But | cannot give
her up for long time yet, said the
Judge, land if you win her love,
Ashley, you must be content to wait
awhile before you ask for her hand. "
Colonel Ashley pressed his suit at
the court of Cupid, and won 1t.
Pretty Nellie Hawthorne blushingly
acknowledged that she loved him
very dearly and would become his
wife whenever her father gave his
consent.
The Colonel had promised to wait
awhile for the wedding, but in a few
weeks the waiting seemed very long
and he determined to see the Judge
and if possible induce him to name
the day.
A portion of Colonel Ashley's saw
ings he had invested in race horses,
and he owned a small string of very
fine flyers. lie had purchased most
of his horses from Colonel Newton
Harris, veteran breeder of thor
oughbrcds, who kept fine stable in
town, his farm being several miles in
the country. One day Colonel Har-
ris brought in from his farm a very
promising young tilly, and he in
tended TO offer her first to his friend
Ashley who wanted to purchase two
or three more fast ones. Meeting
Ashley on the street Colonel Harris
told him about the filly. $50 down
to the stable any time and tell the
boys YOU want to see the bay flly,
Nellie. You will buy her as soon as
you have seen her good points.
Colonel Ashley promised to call at
the stable at the first opportunity.
The same evening the Colone
called to see Miss Hawthorne, and
the happy lovers agreed that the
next day the Judge should be asked
to name an early day for the wed
ding.
On his way down town the follow
| ing morning Colonel Ashley stopped
at the stable to look at the bay lilly
When he arrived at his Office ht
found he must prepare brief in al
! important case at once, but before he
went TO work he wrote two notes ant
gave them to his office boy to deliv
er. As these two notes proved the
beginning of the correspondent,
which resulted in a duel, they arr
here copied verbatim, The first was
to Judge Hawthorne, and read al
follows:
My DEAR SIR-I can wait no long
er. Nellie has consented to be m,
wife. know how dear she is t.
You and how hard it will be for yo,
to give her up, but | shall call oil
yo this afternoon, present my cast
and plead with YOU to sustain the de
ciaion OF the lower court and nam
an early day for our marriage. Re
member our future happiness de
pends on your answer. AS ever
your friend, BEDFORD ASHLEY.
The other note was to Colone
1 Newton Harris and read as follows
My DEAR SIR I'll called this morn
ing to hook at your fsyorite hlly
Nellie, and must say she was dis