The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1895-06-18
THE ADVOCATE.
A Novel Duel.

and noted creole uuelllst, halne'
Henri d'Egville. The captain hac
gone ashore and was dining at hote
In Kingston, whereas not infrequently
happened, the company INDUCED
rather more freely in drinks than was
wise in those quarreIsome days. Al
went well until Captain Stewart was
requested by d'Egville to sing a song
in Gaelic. Now, although Scotch
man, Stewart claimed that he knew
no Gaelic, but the creole being per-
sistent rather than give otiense the
captain sang "Auld Lang Syne." and
supposed that compromise was salts
factory. THE company broke up
and Captain Stewart returned to the
ship accompanied by friend. On
their way back the friend mentioned
u'Egville's reputation as bully and
expressed his opinion that he deliber-
ateIy sought quarrel for the purpose
of engaging the captain in duel.
Captain Stewart then said:
''There is no more horrible practice
of our time. Once and only once have
i fought duel. That was when l
was young man, and for the sake OF
lady for whose hand my dearest
friend and / were suitors. killed
him. Since saw himlying dead at my
f ct have not known happy day.
/ thought tonight that fate had over
taken me and should be challenged
to give up my life for an offense more
trivial than that for which l took the
life of my friend"
Arrived at the ship the captain
stood leaning against the bulwarks
watching the lights fade out as dawn
came over the town, when he saw a
small boat coming toward his vessel,
which was lying at anchor. AS it
drew near, he recognized an officer in
the Columbian service, friend Of
d'Egvile. He boarded the vessel and
going up to Captain Stewart said he
had come from d'Egville with chal-
lenge for the insult of substituting an
English song for Gaelic and thus at
tempting to make him laughing
stock for those of the company who
knew better. Stewart turned to his
friend and said:
"My forebodings were right after,
ALL"
He tried, however to explain to-
d'Egville's messenger that no otfense
had been intended aud to point out
the absurdity of duel for such a
cause and at last fatty refused to &C
cept the challenge, A few days after
ward Captain Stewart met d'Egville
and as might have been foreseen was
instantly assailed as coward" and
what was worse was struck across the
face with a horsewhip. This was
more than the Scotchman could stand
s. he sent the message d'Egville SO
much desired and at the time appoint
ed took two of his sailors with him to
the rendezvouse. The men carried
pickaxe and spade.
Stewart ordered them to dig
grave sufficiently deep to receive two
bodies and to d'Egville's establishment
insisted that they should both stand
in this grave, holding pistol in one
hand and in the other the diagonal
corners Of handkerchief, which
stretched out would regulate the dis
lance. The Creole Thus cornered, had
no choice but to accept the conditions.
The two men stepped down into
the grave, and Captain Stewart firm
ly grAsped the handkerchief, saying,
"The world will be well rid of scoun-
drel, and also of miserable man."
The seconds drew lots for the word of
Command. Meanwhile d'Egville FUN
bled with his corner of the handker-
chief, dropped it and picked it up
again. His face was as white as the
piece of linen, and before the word |
Fire" had passed the lips of the man
whose duty it was to give it, he fell
forward in a dead faint.
Captain Stewart looked down on
him for moment, then, with look
of disgust, kicked him, scrambled out
of the grave and made his way back
to the ship.-Brooklyn Eagle.
In Arizona, Wyoming and other
Rocky Mountain districts there are i'm
mense quantities of petrified wood
THE, when dressed and polished |
makes a most pleasant substitute for
marble and onyx, wherever these are