The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1895-11-28

I - ~~"N o"t'A NhictcCAb Nuu With q
a flower IN his buttonhole; for oil the
world like bedecked old turkey cock
Welcome 10 the Mansion House. u
he said, gayly, as ] bundled up the
stairs first And then to Marcy,
though quite loud enough for me 10
hear: I'm three short days i"-meun.
ing, Of course, the marriage that was
to leave her in his home forever.
She WINGED as IL lie had struck her.
her face as white as her muslin frock.
aud verify believe that if he hadn't
walked her into the dining room on
his arm, she would have fallen.
Uncle and l were on each side, and
Marcy was at the foot in the place Of
, honor; where, three timeI a day, she
was soon to face old Tom, until doath
should mercifuily take one or the
other Of them out OF the world. None
OF us talked much. none, even my
uncle, who was emptying goblet after
goblet Of wine to drown his thoughts.
And when the squire stood up sud.
denly, with his glass, to toast the
bride--a frozen bride, that looked
ready for the tomb-Talmostw welcomed
tho interruption that followed.
ITO tho bride!' repeated the
squire, glass high in air. and was
echoed by a dreadful laugh.
''ro Satan, you mean; 10 Satan,
you old villain r. SAID a voice. s'Ho
gave you money to buy wife. SO
toast him deep"
Aud there, 10 the middle OF the
door, landed by jump through tho
lang mp window, was Jack, his
clotheg covered with mud and Satan
in his ewes. True love, poisoned 10y
wounded vanity, you see, my dears,
may sleep dragged for awhile, but Che
time will come when il will fight like
tiger for what it feels its own. And
this had been the case with Jack, who
was now almost maddened with think
ing over tho coming wedding.
"Yoa young puppy" roared the
.qnire, didn't / tell you not TO come
here agsin?"
''That for your teIlingl" said Jack,
diabolically cool; and with the whirl Of
long whip in his hand the squire's
upliftcl glass fell TO the floor, cut
like flower from the shank.
Then followed terrible scene,
while we looked on like people in a
nightmare. The two men seemed sud-
denly to turn into raging demons, but
from tine very arst l could see Jack
had the upper hand. He held the
squire, squirming aud cursing like a
trooper. down in his chair as II he
had been a child.
Marcy" he called out over his
head. "did You write me that letter
Of your own account"
And getting no answer beyond the
denial Of her death white face and
piteous eyes. his rage knew no
( bounds. "Satan gave you money
enough TO buy wife" he kept say
ing. shaking the squire as he would a
mouse. 'sbut, by heaven, It's only
over my dead body yoa'il get her J..
( defend yourself, you old rascal =
he yelled. defend yourself, for kin
Or not we are one too many on earth :
There we're a pair Of swords crossed
on Che wall, slender, murderous duel
lipo swords, and tearing them down
he flung one to his uncle, and ID a
noment they were lighting like mad
parrvine, thrusting and feinting with
= dexterity sickening to see.
For the squire. you must under
.tand. was an experienced swords
man: he had pinked his man n MS
t;r,e hut fred by love and hate, and
aIUavs a good fencer, Jack was "
catch for him. One moment u was
- Who was doing the parrying. The
newt 4 was the squire. And presently
j. lin dream, I could see my uncle
ana priuce, the batler, standing on
chairs and putting out the candles
tbas were fastened to the ans'erS q
sbe deer heads against the walls IN 'ns
nome that this would stop them. :.
Bus Il did nothing Of the SORT =
.,lv mode them all the more deter
med 70 kill each other. And direo''s
& the pitch dark. after q moment ~ !
aropipg-grOping = that sent on 10, 10y
sh;II 70 the roots Of my hair -lnsr
words clashed and we knew that 'Ds
duel was not yet over. ,.r
Morgy fell In faint across my ~, ~ |
Ia AZ my ~ unolo began % prey, =. s.st
could shlnh " waa 70 hops 'AA' ''''