The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-01-30

81 said, My dear SIT, you nave SlSoA
great offense to my friend, Baron Knock,
Dff. and he has desired me to demand
satisfaction of you
'.The gentleman was greatly SURPRISED
and said that he knew the baron very
we'll, and regarded him as one OF ms
friends, and was utterly unconscious OF
giving him offense at the time mention
I'd, and that the baron was mistaken.
He said that he had no desire to tlght
Without cause. and that in this case ne
saw no cause.
Il thought this was q good time to get
in q bluff. | can only say that it did not
work. | said with frown, Am to
understand that you refuse to meet my
friend?
stThe result was not just what antlcl-
pated. Tho Brazilian gentleman jumped
up and said:
You can tell Baron KnockoH that L
shall shoot the top of his head off If ne
gives me just cause, and that | Wont
stand any nonsense about it either
"Boys, 1 came near falling off my
chair. and it took about half an hour to
pacify the fellow. At last he cooled OH
and opened small bottle.
After some talk he said he did not
know where to look for o second at that
time of the night, and at last he asked
my advice in the matter.
"'You are a military man, said he,
and are accustomed to these atralrs.
What do you advise?
81 answered that thought that if he
would write a note to the baron dis
claiming any intention of giving offense
could arrange the matter. He said:
That would look like an apology. ]
won't apologize to any man that hauls
me out of bed like this. l would rather
fight him
II fastened to assure him that he had
mistaken my meaning.
"sWell, said he, you write out such
note as you think ought to send and
we will see how it looks
$50 wrote out a pacific note, ex-
pressing regret that the baron had taken
offense, and stating that none was in
tended.
1.-THE Brazilian read the note and said
he did not like it. At last he said,
Major, you are military man; il you
were in my place would you sign that
noteY
"Boys, l meant all I said when I an
swered, i certainly would
$50 he signed the note, and after mu-
tual expressions of good will, I returned
to the baron.
81 found him with bottle of wine be-
fore him smoking a cigar. He jumped
up when entered and said:
"sWell, major, which is it, swords or
pistolsg
"sBaron, said I deliberately, 4 am
the bearer of communication to you
from your antagonist to which / beg
your earnest attention.
.sI handed him the note, which he read
with frown on his face. He threw it
down on the table, and said: The fellow
is trying to get out of this thing. won't
accept his note
81 at once arose and buttoned up my
coat. Baron, said l with all the dig
nifty could assume, 4 will remind you
that you put yourself unreservedly IL
nv hands. In view of your remark In
reference to this note I must at once
Withdraw from this affair.
"'My dear fellow said the baron,
don't be offended; let us talk this mat
| ter over He read the note again, and
after some conversation he asked, Ma
jor, you are military man; If you were
in my place would you accept this note?'
81 can again assure you, brethren, that
/ spoke with much feeling when an
swered, I certainly would
"sThen will accept it, said the baron.
we will go and get the gentleman up,
and shake hands over bottle of wine
'sWe did so, and have been shaking
hands in the same condition ever since.
$50, gentlemen, bring all your duels
to me. l will be your second" said the
major.
It was at once voted that for bravery
and diplomacy the major took the prize.
Commodore Rockwell, U. S. N, in
Harper's Weekly.