The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-04

A voIuminous Tome Upon the su"jec'" vi
Duels Being Compiled.

Duels Being Complied
WASHINGTON. d. c.. Oct. l.-spe-
cial.-I thlnk I can harness this poet
who has already become a most irnpor-
tant factor in national politics by reason
OF his effective rhyming. and who has
begun to look into general affairs. HIS
rebelious righteousness, coming into con-
tact with the generous campaign oIsdH-
izations of tho Capital. has taken on
mora OF a softness; they have soitened
him wherever they could lay their hands
on him. But. comet The poet Is not 100
soft. As the reporters ray. He has a
good nose for news" He has given me
a few notes of real newsy, literary IN
terest. lie has found out that In the
Congressional Library there has Deeh at
work, for a number Of years past, a
patient %hterateur. compiling a most vol
luminous ON upon dhe subject OF an
the famous duels ever fought. l really
find my poetic associate useful as a com
mentatOr: he says Infamous duels. !
report this without d~ispaTagement 10
honor. know the warm. high-temper-
ed blood Of the South once represented
the lnfalhble impulse 10 appeal 10 Lhe
Code. This sentiment OF brave murder
could II, or can II, ever have Deeh els"-
doubtless. has been. In its INSTANCES ar
fected In tho North But, ASIDE from MS
torical value, the preparation OF such a
work as tho person discovered by me
poet Is getting ready by slow. patient de-
grees for the world 10 read, cannot. IN
(sic) my judgment. preserve for perpetual
ton a worthy sentiment. 'Neanness or
pride" says the Elkton bard, viii not
be permitted to cause wrong TO 80 on
referring here TO the duel. not TO the
writer OF the book.
The worthy rhyInster drifts away from
this particular subject OF attacking your
fellow-man with numerous Weapons 10
q book lying upon one Of the shelyes or
the same library OF Congress- DOCK
recording the elements OF even as pictur-
esatia poetic. and romantic a state as
Virginia itself-Kentucky. The bard and
I pored over this book together. We
uassed away. one after another. the fine
steel cuts OF many eminent kentuckians,
until, It chanced( we alighted upon one
especial picture-John o.. Brecklnrdse.
Breckniridge's face. though 'dishec,
WAS mobile and handsome. hlled WITH
electric fire. l stopped the poets hahu'
and long and lingeringly this picture was
euamnedl Do YOU know that Gen. John
c. Breckenridge is tho first OF the great
line OF historic figures OF the ola seutn
20 receive commemoration IN the stat
uary of the North? In the present year.
10 be completed this fan and take its
nlase In the gallery Of the United states
Senate. q bust of o h G. Br~eckinrloEe
az Vice-President OF the United states
OF America, has been provided ~ mo
national government OF said States.
The poet developed a delightful trait OF
character, just now while We were II the
library. You wouldn't believe 81 How
entertaining and companionable he Is. He
is fuIl Of ~anecdote and choice stories but
not OF that. here. lie IS entirely strange
"a these surroundings IN Washington, and
I tool him by the arm and together We
wandered off into the alcoves u books.
which little embrasures, filled with the
literature Of our vast government DOCK
house. ascend tier on tier. ana extend
I'm infinite succession down perspective
aisles. Just as l bethougnt me or some
remote Virginia extraction in the poei s
ancestral descent and was about 10 dra"
tho bard away to % him a thrilling
reminder Of the Old Dominion. my poetic
friend espied. in a d~ust-encrusted heap
Of books At one. side. a little volume.
which seemed 10 catch his fancy. DE
picked IL up. knocked the duet OF. and
was opsning his nrd 10 read, when ! told
him 20 bring II with him. We stepped
ia the great marble poruco ~ the west
OF the library. and the magical panorama
OF the Virginia hills burst upon us.
"see" | said. there. where your fore
fathers dwelt!. see-that Is virginia
There in plain New IS the home OF Rob
ert y. Lee"
The poet saw Arlington for the first
timo The late Afternoon sun was gid
ing the distant landscape with golden
Iieht. Arlington. the burying place OF
the soldier dead-tne old homestead or
reei. II was here that the poets rye
took on a gentle lisnt. the rugged CUT
lines % his visage me!iowed out. and IN
epiration shone from out hts looks. TIE
opened the small volume which ne SUD
ca FRIED IN his hand-Opened II somewhat
h~urriedlv. II Is t~rus-and with a trembling
hand. as II In eager haste lie turned
eeveral leaves. until he seemed 10 ma
the place he sought. | glanced over his
shoulder. The book was a haphazard col
lection Of miscellaneous odds and ends
q verse from masters or poetry The
noef's finger travelled nervouSly down the
pa~e. Presently the finger stopped lie
raised his eyes and fixed them long upon
the home Of Lee. the brave. the gallant
the upright. ! paused. while porce.y-
ed the lines that had arrested my friends
attention we're some thoughts from Ten
nyson-what. / could not discover. There
was a m Of silence. and then. whore
we stood alone above the city tho poets
voice rose tremulously as he read
"The stately ships 90 on
From their haven under the MIL
And. O. eor the touch Of a vanished hand.
And the sound OF a voice mat IS sun.
JAMES PAXTON VOORHEES,.