Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-07-02
A DEAD SHOT.

~ DEAD Sf1O1.
In the summer of 1874, when Martin
G.. Scott was much simmer, more
dandiied- looking man than he is now,
there were seated at one of the little
round marble tables before the Cafe
Ricci, in Paris, two young Frenchmen,
the cheek of one of whom bore a red
mark rs if some one had brought his
hand sharply against it. In an inner
room of the cafe the person who had
done this was engaged in wiping away
from his shirt front the stains of some
red wine which in his fury the re-
Cipient of the slap had hurled across
the table. The man with the red
cheek was the young Adolphe Terrier,
the son of the celebrated artist of that
name. The man with the soiled shirt
front was Martin G.. Scott of Mobile,
Ala.
There had been an exchange of
cards and Scott and his friend, George
Z. Wainwright twelve hours later
Iarge-sized, healthy French quarrel on
their hands to be settled, as most of
those matters are in France, under the
code.
When it came to a choice of weap-
Ons Scott had wisely chosen pistols.
for, while he was a VIGOROUSLY bad
shot he was totally ignorant of the
use of the rapier.
The affair was to come off at
| Auvcrgne u little village distant about
nine miles from Paris, in forty-eight
| hours time.
| doubt if Scott was so much cut
about the affair as Wainwright, even
though he fully expected to be killed.
The more Wainwright thought over
the affair the more he realized what
an awkward job he had upon his
hands.
He lay awake all night at his hotel
| revolving some plan by which they
could get out of the scrape. He had
frequently seen Ferrier practicing at a
fashionable pistol-gallery in the Rue
du Capacines. Wainwright arose ear
ly with Il plan fully thought out.
Come he said to Scott, 1--WE
| haven't too much time before Us. We
must 90 down to Maupassant's gallery
and get some practice. You stay here
and have some breakfast. don't care
| to eat so early. I'll run down there
and see if We can't get the gallery all
TO ourselves for n couple of hours"
Wainwright jumped into a cab and
dashed off to the Gallery Maupassant,
/ where for upward of half an hour he
remained clOseted with its proprietor.
Its agreed then, said Wainwright
at the conclusion of tine interview.
. "Now, then, NJ Maupassant, there are
2jO francs down. The remainder you
/ get if the duel doesn't come Off"
Agreed, said the Frenchman, and
/ he sat down and wrote at least twenty
letters like the following:
/ NJ MaupaSsant requests the pleasure
Of your company tomorrow afternoon at
3 . clock TO witness the phenomenal shoot
! ing of an American gentleman, who has
kindly consented to give an exhibition of
his skill at that hour
While NJ. Maupassant was thus en-
| gagged Wainwright put in half an hour
making sundry purchases, returning
With them to the gallery, where the
reXt hour was proftabIy employed by
him in company with an ingenious
| mechanic.
Meantime, as the idea grew upon
the mind of NJ Maupassant, he
chuckled and wrote, extending his in
vitatiOns until, if One-half Of them were
accepted, the question was would there
be standing-rOOm in the gallery?
We must certainly go down and see
this American shoot, said NJ. Terriers
second. You may find some of his
tricks useful to you at Auvergne to-
morrow.
NJ. Ferricr, whose courage was not
of the Notwithstanding kind,
shivered slightly, though the weather
was decidedly warm.
II wish that fellow had chosen
rapiers, he muttcred. These Amer
cans are such devils with the pistol"
1t was 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
NJ. Maupassants gallery was crowd
ed. NJ. Ferrier had an excellent seat.
With a Frenchman's love of gossip, his
second had talked freely OF the meet
ing on the morrow.
As the American had not yet come a
dozen voices called on Ferrier to step
down and get some practice and amuse
the company at the same time.
Throwing off his coat he stepped
down on to the floor of the gallery.
and picking up a pistol marked two
bulrs-eycs in rapid succession.
His third bullet went just above,
however, an inch at least to the
right.
Your pistol is little heavy on the
trigger, monsieur, " said "A voice behind
him.
Turning quickly, ne recognized
Wainwright who was standing quietly
by, Il smile full of meaning in his blue
eyes, as Ferrier, quite disconnected
now, fired again and missed for the
second time.
At this moment side door in the
gallery opened, and, scrupulously at
tired and holding in either hand a long
duelling pistol of American manufac.
ture. came Scott, who. being intro
duced to the audience, bowed, while
NJ. Maupassant said:
Monsieur Scott has kindly con
scented to give us an exhibition with
the pistol
Mr.. Scott bowed again, and SO much
was the attention of the audience
riveted upon him that no one noticed
Wainwright, standing quietly agains
the wall; feeling cautiously with hi'
hands behind him fo@ a small, round
white object.
Mr.. Scott bowed once more pro
foundly to his distinguished audience
Especially did he extend his salutatiol
to that portion of the room where, pal
as death, now sat the thorough,
alarmed NJ. Ferrier, and who in tn
redoubtable American marksman ha,
recognized the man he had insulted a
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