San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-09-03
A DEAD SHOT.

In the summer of 1874. when Martin G.
Scott was a much simmer, more dandified
looking man than he is now, there were
seated ut one of the little round marble
tables before the Cafe Ricci, in the Boule-
ward DIES Italiens, in Paris, two young
Frenchmen, the cheek of one of whom bore
a red mark as 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 recipient of the slap
had hurled across the table. The man with
the red cheek was the young Adolphe Fer
riar, the son of the celebrated artist of that
name The man with the soiled shirt front
was Martin e. Scott, of Mobile, Ala
There had been an exchange of cards, and
Scott and his friend, George Z. Vain
wright, twelve hours later suddenly found
themselves with a large sized, healthy
French quarrel on their hands to be set
tied, as most of those matters are in France,
under the code.
When it came to a choice of weapons
Scott had wisely chosen pistols, for, while
he was VIGOROUSLY bad shot, he was
totally ignorant of the use of the rapier.
The affair was to come off at Auvergne,
a little village distant about nine miles
from Paris, in forty-eight hours time
The parties were to go out on the early
train.
doubt if Scott was so much cut about
the affair as Wainwright, even though he
fully expected to be killed Wainwright
kept OH blaming himself for having let his
friend get into such sCrape. 1t was to be
no Childs play They were to fire at twelve
PAGES and TO continue firing until one of
the parties was disabled.
The more Wainwright thought over the
affair the more he realized what an awk-
ward job he had upon his hands
He lay awake all night at his hotel, re-
volvlng 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 CapaCnes. He knew
that he spent the best part of every evening
there in ringing the bell on the target, to
accomplish which feat, as every one knows,
it is necessary to hit the bulls eye. Vain
wright arose early with plan fully thought
out.
Come" he said to Scott, "we haven't too
much time before us. We must go down
to Maupassant's gallery and get some
practice You stay here and have some
breakfast. L don't care TO eat so early
I'll run dowh there and see if we can't get
the gallery all TO ourselves for a couple of
hours"
THAT will be pretty costly. won't it?"
hazarded Scott.
Not more than a decent coffin and all
the other funeral fXings," replied Vain
wright with some little sarcasm. eff pos
sible | want to throw those expenses on
the other fellow"
Wainwright jumped into a cab and
dashed off to the Gallery Maupassant,
where for upward of half an hour he re-
manned closeted with its proprietor.
Its agreed, then," said Wainwright at
the conclusion of the interview. "Now,
then, VI. Maupassant, there are $50 francs
down The remainder of the 500 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.
M. MHupassaut requests the pleasure of
your company tomorrow afternoon at 3
O'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 NaupasSant was thus engaged
Wainwright put in half an hour making
sundry purchases, returning with them
to the gallery, where the next hour was
profitably 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 invitations, until, if
one-half of them were accepted, the ques
ton WAS, would there be standing room in
the gallery
I'VE 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 tomorrow"
NJ. Terrier, whose courage was not of the
Observation-Disclosures kind shivered
slightly. though the weather was decidedly
warm.
IL wish that fellow had chosen rapiers,"
he muttered These Americans are such
devils with the pistol"
1t was o'clock in the afternoon.
NJ. MaupasSant's gallery was crowded.
n. Terrier had an excellent seat He sat
talking with his friend and second. He
had been drinking somewhat to keep his
courage up, and his voice could be heard
all over the room. With a Frenchman's
love of gossip, his second had talked freely
of the meeting of the morrow.
As the American had not yet come a
dozen voices called on Terrier to step down
and get some practice and amuse the com