The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-04-01
A LUCKY DUEL.
by A. p. STANTON.

valley school district, Contra Costa coun-
ty, a young lady holding a first-grade
teachers certificate to teach the school in
this district. Apply to George Van Duke,
president of the board of trustees.
BY order of the board of school trus-
tees the above advertisement was pub
lished in the county newspapers, and
from the many applicants the daugh-
ter of an ex-judge of the superior court
Of the county was chosen.
Judge Mallory had been noted for his
legal knowledge and honesty while on
the bench; but, like many old Cali
fornians, he liked good living and the
bottle too well for his own good. Ruth
Mallory, his only daughter, had had no
experience in school-teaching, nor, in
deed, in any kind of labor. She was the
spoiled child of fond father, her moth
er having died in her infancy. Ruth
had acquired the greater part of her
education at Mill seminary, but she had
continued her studies in music and
painting after her graduation from that
institution. Upon these studies her ia
Their spent money with lavish hand,
having teachers up from San Francisco
twice week to instruct her. These
studies had been continued up to the
time of the judges death, which hal
come suddenly and without warning.
After his death, his affairs were found
to be in very demoralized condition;
he had lived far beyond his means, and
in order to pay his funeral expenses and
liquidate his debts, it was found neces-
eary to sell his magnificent residence
at the county seat. When his affairs
had been settled, Ruth found that she
had but 4 few hundred dollars left, and
she saw that it would be necessary for
her to do something immediately by
which to gain living.
Now, although Ruth Mallory had
given a great deal of time to the ac-
QUESTION of her favorite studies, draw
ing and painting, she found that Sue
was not competent to earn 4 livelihood
by these arts, as she had pursued them
in an amateurish manner, and did not
possess the requisite professional skill
10 impart them to others. She there
fore decided to apply herself to such
studies as would enable hef to teach in
a district school. This she did with
such assiduity that she was soon en-
abled to pass an examination and obtain
a first-grade teachers certificate. This
secured, she applied for and received
the appointment to the schooi, as preyi-
ously stated.
At this time Ruth was % years of
age, slight and delicate in appearance,
but possessed of undauntcd will. She
took up her chosen profession with a
determination to make of it a grand
success. She found board at the home
of Mr.. Van Duke, the president of the
board of trustees. Ruth thought her
self quite fortunate in her choice of
boarding-place, as the Van Dukes were
one Of the most influential families III
the valley, Mr.. Van Duke having mar
ricd one of the MoragA girls, de-
scendant of all old Spanish family after
whom the valley had been named and
whose possessions at one time had in
cluded nearly the whole Of Contra Costa
county.
Ruth's success in teaching the sum
mer term was so pronounced that the
trustees employed her for the ensuing
winter term, which had heretr fore
been taught by male teacher. When
the winter opened, she found that she
had among her scholars number OF
boys Of 20 years of age, among them one
of the Van Dukes, a son of the trustee
During the previous summer, George
Van Duke had paid Ruth a great deal Of
attention, and this led him TO act as
though he had some proprietary claim
upon her. This soon bred trouble with
the older boys, who wished to divide
attentions with Van Duke aud Son,e-
times to escort Miss Mallory to the win
ter gayeties of the valley. This feeling
increased among the young men of the
school until there was q race rivalry
started between the boys of Spanish
and Mexican descent and the boys of
American birth. Henry Hosmer was
the leader of the Americans, and George
Van Duke led the Spanish faction. Ruth
was not aware of this strong feeling
among her scholars. She did not in
tend to receive the exclusive attentions
of any one of the boys, and had been es-
cOrted by several of them to various en-
tertainments, although it had happened
that, owing to her living at the Van
Dukes home, George had attended her
more frequently than had the others
They therefore accused him of taking
undue advantage of them by reason Of
Ruth's residence at his fathers home.
This fractional jealousy grew until
all of the larger boys were ranged I'M
der the leadership of Hosmer or Van
Duke, and it increased in intensity I'M
til Hosmer challenged Van Duke. The
latter accepted the challenge, naming
tlirk-ltnives as the weapons. The fol-
lowing Saturday afternoon the duel
took place. The spot selected was at
the foot of a ravine, north of the cele-
brated Fish Ranch"
The place was we'll chosen, as it was
an open fat, incloscd by thick grove
of oaks, where there would be no risk
of interference by passers-by. Six
boys on each side were there when Hos
mer with his second, made his appear