Nevada County picayune., 1891-05-14


fects and the doubtful pedigree of
her sire it would be folly to expect
much of the filly. l do not care to
add her to my string. Thanking
you for your offer am, your friend E,
BEDFORD ASHLEY.
Two hours after sending these
notes Colonel Ashley was in his Of
flee busy preparing brief. The
door opened suddenly and Judge
Hawthorne's secretary entered with
letter in his hand A smile of
pleasant anticipation was on Colonel
Ashley's face as he opened the let
ter, but as he glanced at its contents
his countenance underwent a great
change. The letter was from Judge
Hawthorne and read:
"SIR-I shall not ask or accept
any explanation of the outrageous
insults contained in your letter of
this date. l demand that you at
once make full apology, both to my
daughter and to myself"
For monment Colonel Ashley
was speechIess with astonishment,
and then he quickly arrived at the
conclusion that his audacity in ask
lug for the hand of Miss Hawthorne
was regarded by her father as an
insult. Colonel Ashley was gen.
tleman, Kentucky gentleman, the
social equal of Judge Hawthorne
and no man must so much as init
mate that he would insult a lady.
Judge Hawthorne secretary soon
returned with the following letter
from Colonel Ashley:
SR-ln reply to your communica-
ton of this date, in which you state
that l have insulted your daughter
and yourself, have the honor to in
form you that friend of mine, en-
powered 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 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 weapons and name the
time and place of meeting, He soon
found friend willing to act for him,
and the two seconds, without further
consultation with their principals,
proceeded to arrange all prelimina-
ries for the meeting. Sunrise 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 daylight
and reach the grounds in time.
Every effort was made to keep the
affair quiet, so there would be no in,
terruption, but in some way it leaked
out, and before midday 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 affair was Colonel
Ashley's office boy, and when he
learned that the duel had been
brought about by a 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 unable to sleep that
night. He tried to find Colonel
Ashley, but the Colonel 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 his slumber by a loud knocking
at the door. He went to the door
and found Colonel Ashley's boy.
The lad was pale with fear and trem-
bling in every limb.
please, sir, the kunnel's gone to
fight a duell"
"A duel? Colonel Ashley gone to
fight duel!"
''Yes, sir, he's goin' to shoot the
Judge. It's all about letter, and
one OF them 5 to you, so | thought
maybe you might get there in time
to fix 1t. Here's the letter, sir, |
eonldn't find you yesterday"
! Colonel Harris tore the letter open.
glanced at its contents, and at once
knew that terrible mistake had
been made; the letters had COTTON
mixed. Without waiting for coat or
hat Colonel Harris ran to his stable,