The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-03
HIS ONLY DUEL.
Tt Was q Newspaper Affair, and Both I'd
ttors Received a Charge.

II Was 3 Newspaper Affair, and Both I'd
itors Received a Charge.
The old editor had the inside track anC
was doing the talking.
81 never had more than one duel, " he
began.
you speak as if one were not enough, y
interrupted listener.
1t was an ample suhiciency, % con
tinued the editor with a smile. 81 was at
the time of its occurrence % years of age
and the editor of the Smugville Vindi-
Gator was also q hot headed youth with
Q yearn for gore and glory. In the county
adjoining was q 'loathesome contempt
rary' of mins built on about the same
lines was and it WASH It more than a yeal
after we had been contemporaries until we
were in fine row. He would write scath-
ing editorials and so would I, and finally
we dropped our pens and took up pistols
that is, we agreed to fight duel.
fortunately for US we had friends who
were more sensible than we were, who
took charge of all the arrangements for
the bloody ARRAY. 1t was decided by them
that the duel should take place and that
we should Gre two shots at each other, the
weapons being double barrel shotguns and
the distance ten PAGES. That suited US ex-
aotly, for We we're extremely blOodthirsty
and wanted each others gore in large
quantities. The fight was to take place at
O'Clock in the morning in a secluded
spot, and we we're there promptly with our
seconds. Our instructions were to fire the
first shot after counting three, and If one
or both survived another shot might be
fred as quickly as the principal could get
his gun ready.
'sThat made it a regular rough and
tumble for half the fight, and also made it
more interesting. 1t isn't necessary for
mo to go into details of what I thought
Just before the battle mother, suffice il
to say I thought writing scathing editOri-
ais was preferable to shotguns at 6 a. m.
However, we kept our nerve and took our
| places ready for business And think we
meant business, for we took aim right at
each other. Then came the counting, and
finally the deciding three and bang went
both guns at once L felt as if I had
caught an entire carload of shot from my
face down, and I tumbled over on the
grass. What had become Of my opponent
did not greatly concern me at that supreme
moment, for was wondering why was
not dead.
90 In half minute tho doctor was feeling
me, and after a minute or two more he
said I had been miraouously saved, and
/ pulled me to my fest. Evidently my op-
/ ponent had also been mirscuiously saved,
/ for he was standing about ten feet away
4 from me with his doctor, and the sight he
I presented made me forget ali about the
duel and break into rOaTs Of laughter
for he began laughing at me. Then We
/ both got mad, and in five minutes we had
/ licked seconds, doctors and everybody else
on hand and run them clean cut Of the
/ woods.
This being accomplished, we shook
hands and took look at ourselves in q
/ glass which had evidently been brought
for our benefit. Permit me to omit an
elaborate description Of what we looked
like. Those contour ded seconds had loaded
our guns to the muzzle with printers ink,
and the way it was splattered over US
was enough to have made US laugh at first
aad then to lick the crowd that put the
job up on US However, we had showed
we had sand, and the jokers kept in hid
ing until we announced in our respective
! papers that all was forgiven, and the
hatohet was dead and buried. That was
my only duel, - concluded the editor land
am extremely glad that the guns were
loaded with ink instead Of buckshot. -
Washington Star.