The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-05-16

have insulted your daughter and yourself,
l have the honor to inform you that a
friend of mine, empowered to act for me,
will call on you within an hour.
Respectfully, BEDFORD ASHLEY.
Within the hour Colonel Ashley's
friend waited on Judge Hawthorne
with challenge to mortal combat.
The Judge in his note to Ashley had
stated that he would not accept any
attempt at an explanation, so there
was nothing left for him to do but
to choose his weapons and name
the time and place of meeting. He
soon found friend willing to act
for him, and the two seconds, with
out further consultation with their
principals, proceeded to arrange all
preliminaries for the meeting. Sun
rise the following morning was the
time agreed upon and the place Was
an opening in beautiful grove only
five miles from town. All parties
could take carriages in town at day
light and reach the grounds in time.
Every effort was made to keep
the affair quiet, 50 there would be
no interruption, but in some way it
leaked out, and before midnight half
the men in town knew that Judge
Hawthorne and Colonel Ashley
would fight a duel at sunrise, but
no one knew the exact cause of it.
Among others who heard of the af-
fair was Colonel Ashley's office boy,
and when he learned that the duel
had been brought about by letter
he was very much alarmed. He
had delivered Colonel Ashley's note
to Judge Hawthorne, but had been
unable to find Colonel Harris. The
conviction that he was in some way
responsible for the coming duel
grew on the boy until he was una
Bile to sleep that night. He tried
to find Colonel Ashley, but the Col
onel was in the hands of his friends
and could not be seen.
At daybreak on the morning OF
the duel Colonel Harris was aroused
from slumber by loud knocking
at the door. He went to the door
and found Colonel Ashley's office
boy. The lad was pale with feal
and trembling in every limb.
"Please sir, the Kunnel's gone to
fight duel !"
"a duel! Colonel Ashley gone to
fight duel!"
Eyes, sir, he's goin' to shoot the
Judge. It's all about letter, and
one of them's to you, so l thought
maybe you might get there in time
to fix it. Here's the letter, sir,
couldn't find you yesterday"
| Colonel Harris tore the letter open
glanced at its contents, and at once
knew terrible mistake had beer
made; the letters had gotten mixed
Without waiting for coat or ha
Colonel Harris ran to his stable
mounted his favorite bay filly, Mel
lie, and in FIVE minutes he wa
riding towards the dueling grount
at Derby winning pace.
Clear and sharp two pistol shot
rang out, but the anger of Colone
Ashley and Judge Hawthorne hat
made their nerves little unsteady
and the bullets went wide of tn
mark.
Gentlemen, are you satisfed?"
Both principals shook their head
: and again they were placed in posi-
, ton. Before the second could Civ
the word to fire flying hoof-beat
were heard, and a moment late
Colonel Harris rode up between tn
principals.
!; "Stop this! Stop it at once,
: say. It is all mistake. Here i
}, your letter, Judge; give me mine
], the boy got our letters mixed =
, Judge Hawthorne was forced t
t read the letter placed in his hands b
;. Colonel Harris. As he finished reao
ing he threw down his pistol an
going over to his opponent he sale
, as he extended his hand: "Colont
Ashley, it was all a mistake; ! hay
. lust received the letter intended fe
4 me. apologize and Nellie sha
r name the day for the wedding"
= "And you shall have Nellie, tn
b bay flly, for . wedding present,
! said Colonel Harris, when he VI
: derstood the matter.-Walter 4
= Hawley, in St. Louis Republic.
No Evidence to the Cotrary.