The Opelousas courier., 1895-03-09
MADE THE .sLAcKLEG WEAKEN.
a Kentucky Farmers Reply to the Gambler
Who CHALLENGED Him.

a Kentucky Farmers Reply to the Gambler
Who Challenged Him.
f. {. Chatterton was a prosperous
farmer in Hancock county, KY, who
made annual visits to New Orleans to
sell the products Of his farm. This
was in the days when the code duello
was a part of the education of every
gentleman. The headquarters for all
kentuckians in New Orleans on busi>
ness was the old st. Charles hotel.
One of the loungers al this hotel was a
gambiers. she was known as the most
desperassAaaian in the city and the most
expert dAk1fst in the south. No one had
ever dared TO question his courage, and
eve the other gamblers feared him.
The man was well known at all the re-
friends took pains to point out the
gambler to him and warn him against
giving the blackleg any pretense for a
challenge. Chattcrton assured his
friends that il a challenge were issued
it would be through no fault of his,
and dismissed the subject without
showing excitement. The two men
were not thrown together all of that
day until near supper time. Then, as
they both entered the big dining room.
Chatterton brushed lightly against the
gambler. The latter glanced sharply
at C%hatterton, but said nothing.
Supper passed over ~serenely, and the
guests scattered out over the house.
Chatterton went to the card room with
half a dozen friends and watched a
game of cards with interest, when one
Of the porters of the hotel approached
him, bearing Il small silver tray on
which was a neatly folded note ad-
dressed to e. c. Chatterton. Chatterton
tore open the note and %motioning the
porter, who started to leave, to wait,
read it out loud. When he finished his
friends stood looking at him with
scared eyes. They had heard a chal-
lcnge from the gambler addressed to
Chatterton and demanding a duel as
the only satisfaction a gentleman could
demand for being pushed aside in the
dining room.
The note ended with these words:
\ one but a coward will refuse to
meet a gentleman on the fair terms
eNacted by a duel" The friends of
Chatterton Knew that the imputation
of cowardice was more than a sword
thrust to arouse him. nevertheless they
besought him to ignore the challenge.
They said the gambler was invincible
both with the sword and pistol, and to
attempt to meet him was simply to
throw his life away.
Sen ha;.a Thaf4ar+op $ %bar o,;I
'you are Il man of family, wife and
children depending upon you. This
gambler is a sur shot and a desperate
man, and will stoop to anything.
Stick that challenge in the fire and get
out of town as soon as you can. No
one will be the wiser" C%hatterton
listened quietly to every word that
IA said and then asked for a pen and
ink. His friends saw that further
words would be a waste, SO these were
brought to him.
He wrote for a very few minutes and
then handed this note to the friend
nearest to him: ''Sir, / will meet you
tonight on the plaza with my second,
who is an honorable gentleman. He
will bear two %revolvers, one of which
you may select. We will stand toe to
toe. While the revolvers are still un-
cooked, each shall place his between
tue others teeth. At the word fire |
the hammers shall be pulled back and
the shells exploded. The pistols may
be discharged until one Or the other of
us is dead"
The man who read the note looked |
startled, and again tried to persuade
his friend to think better of his condi.
tions, which would certainly compass
the death of both. No words could
dissuade Chatterton, however, and the
note was sent down.
In half an hour this answer came
back: Il never fight duels with FOOLS"
Courier-Journal.