The Coconino sun., 1891-06-06
A KENTUCKY DUEL.

true Kentucky gentleman, loved fast
 horses and pretty women. At the age
 of 40 Colonel Ashley was prosecuting
 attorney in his native town, stood al
 the head of his profession in popular
 estimation, enjoyed comfortable in
 come and only needed wife to com
 plete his happiness.
 Miss Nellie Hawthorne, only daugh- ter of Judge Hawthorne. was the belle of the village, and among her score of admirers it was plain that she preferred Colonel Ashley, who had been devoted to her since her return from school.
 Judge Hawthorne and Colonel Ash ley were warm personal friends. They agreed on politics. attended the races together and backed the same horses the judge always placing implicit con- fdence in the coloners judgment The judge loved his pretty daughter very dearly and he was well pleased when 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, "'and 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 it. Pretty Nellie Hawthorne blushingly acknowl- edged 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 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 sav- ings he had invested in race horses, and he owned small string of fine flyers. He had purchased most of his horses from Colonel Newton Harris, veteran breeder of thoroughbreds, who kept a sale stable in town, his farm being several miles in the coun- try. One day Colonel Harris brought In from his farm very promising young Ally, and he determined 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 Ally. ''Go down to the stable any time and tell the boys you want to see the bay lilly, 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 colonel called to see Miss Hawthorne. and the happy lovers agreed that the next day the judge should be asked to namo nn ear ly day for the wedding.
 On his way down town the next fol- lowing morning Colonel Ashley stopped at the stable to look at the bay lilly. When he arrived at his of- lice he must prepare brief in an im- portant case at once. but before he went to work he wrote two notes and gave them to his office boy to deliver. As these two notes proved the begin ming of the correspondence which re- suited in duel. they are here copied verbatim. The first was to Judge Flaw thorne, and read as follows:
 MY DEAR SrR-I can wait no longer. Nellie has consented to be my wife. I | know how dear she Is to you and how hard It will be for you to give her up, but i shall call on you this afternoon, present | my case and plead with you to sustain the | decision of the lower court and name an | early day for our marriage Remember | our future happiness depends on your answer. As ever, your friend
 BEDFORD ASHLEY
 The other note was to Colonel New 1 ton Harris, and read as follows:
 My DEAR SR--I called this morning to look at your favorite Ally, Nellie, and must say she was disappointment. Her legs are triae heavy, she is narrow chested and her neck is too short. With all these defects and the doubtful pedigree of her sire 1t would be folly to expect much of the Ally. do not care to add her to my string. Thanking you for your offer am, your friend BEDFORD ASHLEY.
 Two hours after sending these notes Colonel Ashley was in his office busy brief. The door opened and Judge Hawthorne's sec 'etary entered with letter in his hand. A smile of pleasant anticipa- ion was on Colonel Ashley's face as le opened the letter. but as he glanced tt its contents his countenance under vent a great change. The letter was rom Judge Hawthorne and read:
 SRI shall not ask or accept any ex- 'lanation of the outrageous insults con aimed in your letter of this date de- nand that you at once make full apolo- { y, both to my daughter and myself" For moment Colonel Ashley was ( peechless with astonishment and then 10 quickly arrived at the conclusion lat his audaoity in asking for the I and of Miss Hawthorne was regarded , y her father as an insult. Colonel Ishley was gentleman, Kentucky i entleman, the social equal of Judge { and no man must so much s intimate that he would insult a idy.
 Judge Hawthorne's secretary soon with the following letter from f olonel Ashley. i SIR--ln reply to your communication of V lis date, in which you state that have [ suited your daughter and yourself, 1 t ave the honor to inform you that friend . mine, empowered to act for me, will III on you within an hour. Respectfully.
 BEDFORD ASHLEY. Within the hour Colonel Ashiey's fa1 <n I,,1 L. ! '