The Washington times., 1894-12-30
How Colonel Piedmonte
Did Not Fight d Duel.
Written Exclusively for THE Tr4Es.

the trouble with Col. Piedmonte, Of which j
was entirely ignorant at that time A feN
pre- atory remarks so coyertly eouened that
was at loss TO gather their meaning; then
some boider utterances. and finally the dipIo--
mat gave full vent 10 his indignation in a way
that made me open my eyes IN surprise
''Ah. my fraind,' Logan Mr.. MamunadOre
when We were seated and had lighted cigar
cites. there tonight you see me; to-mOrroW
maybe where shall be? Col Piedmonte YOU
know. / think? All, yes, it was hew no make ma
the hawpeeness OF your acyaintawnee- You
are eenteemete with him2 All nO2 You are
not his paresOnal fraind2 An, no? You have
but the knowing OF heem? All, you make
me hawpee by that shake OF the halt. You
are the rslateeye OF my ehairmane fraInd
Mrs. Luerum-Glow. She Is a ladoe; she is
my paresOnal fraind. daunt chew nav. That
is SO, yes. Her relateeye Is near to my haert-
/ can spiek to heem as spiek TO my brothare
You are gentlemen; you are my paresonal
fraind, daunt chew nav. tale you about
eet. all. eyerytheeDg"
But Mr.. Mamunadore did not tell me every
thing he began at the point where he
learned that the colonel had made some re-
marks derosatory TO his dignity
why should he spiek in that way Of me
who have no harm to heem done? Theenk
you Of that? / knaW he9m not who is fathere
have been; knaw heem not whethere he ees
a gentleman; but Ihees knaw that I have
met him at the home Of my paresonaI fraind
Mrs Lucrum-Glow. and that keep him In the
standing of my mind gentleman to be con-
sidared. For that Is so l call heem TO ex-
plain. daunt chew naW / demand OF heem a.
retraetseeon of what he say. He geeye eet-
ah. then all is we'll; he does not geeve eet.
then must he" but here the excited
diplomat paused and shrugged his shoulders
expressively. A moment later, however tho
suppressed fire of his indignation burst forth
Il maybe have stood face TO face with 4
mn ftx-0.V .rvfa1
life. ah, yes, eet. maybe eet ees so, dauns
chew nav, and Dir. Masaunadcre gave me- q
knowing smile. '.Eet maybe strike at heera
sor-a-snming the attitude of feneer-"and
so, and so; non, non. eel i5 not yet, you mees
me thenM Ah-ha, you save yourself in timef
B-avol but you touch me noti A-a-a-h. yoH
feel eet then-non, you have jump TO the
back! i move not away! / follow you'll Hat
again you jump to the back! Ha! Hal Hat
Ha! You are afredI / reach you not? All do
not that? Hal Hal l."
Here Mr.. Mamunadore ceased his fatigu--
ing performance. and turned to me with =
smile and a shrug of the shoulders.
Il have not forget" he said.
After period Of silence, during which We
smoked several cigarettes, I ventured to re-
mark that American gentlemen usually pre-
ferret pistols. A shade Of concern came over
the face OF the diplomat.
''Theenk you so?" he asked with the
mersst touch o anxiety in his voice.
l nodded affirmatively. sand then"
added, they are given too much eeeentrieity
in affairs Of honor"
''What is eet-thees akecentreeeitee how
mean youf'' said the diplomat, rising to his
feet and looking very uncomfortable.
/ explained that American duellists some
times drew lots 10 determine which principal
should commit suicide, and that fighting in q
dark room with dirk knjvs had been a favor
ite mode Of settling differences according to-
the code.
'.Eet is lax the savage-the barbarian" he
cried, in some excitement. ''Eet cannot be-.
No, no, eet cannot be. LAX not your beeg
pistole; / lax net your dirk, your dark room;
/ LAX not your suicide-eet ees not the affair
OF gentlemen.
Then Mr.. Mamunadore made mention OF
the difficulties that beset the practice OK
dueIing in America. ''Eef q man insult me-
here, / send heem a ehallenge-but what
then? l am taken TO preeson; 4 lose my post,
/ am disgrace All, must you go. my friend
We have spand most bawpee evening; ees
eet not so? But when meet We again7 All,
that know not; daunt chew Baw."
My Aunt EUniee Is a very clever women and
it was not many hours after told her Of tha
utterance of Mr. MamuIadore that his trOu-
bic with Col. Piedmonte had been amIcably
adjusted Aunt Euu ee is quick 20 act and
think that she arranged matters before tha
colonel answered the diplomats note. A
personal meeting-not, however, on the field
of honor-had been the result OF her efforts.
and am told that Mr. Mamunadore replied
to the eoionels digDihed, 'I am sorry. sir
for having offended you" with fervent
grasp OF the hand and the remark. ''You are
a gentleman, you are my paresoDal fraind,
daunt chew naT" Nevertheless the two ara
mol on cordial terms and one does not present
his friends 10 the other any more.