The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-03-11
act as my second, in arranging the

act as NY second, in arranging the
terms Of the duel.
Upon the city side of the R1t
. Grande, a little distance beyond tn,
bastlons of Fort Parades, l had, il
some of my evening rides, observed ;
: solitary adobe building of that class
, of Mexican honses termed iacale.
pronounced ha-cal es) Its walls
without windows, were carried up q
bout eight feet from the ground, ant
were surmounted with high peaked
roof of thatch. formed from the coarse
; sedgy grass growing along the mar
. gin of the river. The only light tha
penetrated this substantially constrnc
ed building was such as found its way
through the open door in front, anC
when this was shut, the darkness
within was like that of Erebus. This
building was unoccupied, and it seem
ed to me that ] might make it avail
able in TIE approaching affair with
the Mexican major, if, indeed, that
person would really meet me, after all
his clustering challenge
The fact was, intended to bully
the fellow a little. and, as we say in
Texas, to bluff him off the course by
the desperate and fearful character of
my terms, and thus subject him to the
ridicule of his own friends, as well as
! to that of the Rangers.
"Nhen, therefore his second called
upon Bur(eson for my final answer. he
was informed that | would fight his
friend only with the bowie knife,
two of which were exhibited to him
that he might make selection for
his principal; the time, twelve o'clock
that night; and the place, the interior
of the isolated jacale, beyond the walls
of Fort Parades. The Lieutenant
further informed the Mexican, that as
| was desperate duellist, nothing
short of the death of the major ormy-
self would satisfy me; and to ensure
this bloody result, L had determined
that the door of the house should be
locked upon us, and in the darkness
we should fall upon each other and
slash away at random, till the friends
outside were satisfied that we were
both killed Or disabled.
These certainly desperate terms
shocked the nerves of the astonished
Mexlcan's second, and in the name of
Major Garcia he protested against
them, as being altogether unheard of
and barbarous.
'POr dos, Senor.' exclaimed he,
that would be murder and not duell
ing, suited only to desperate barbari
ans, and not to Christia- soldiersr
I can't help that' cody replied
the Lieutenant, 'duelling is murder
anyhow, and as you Mexicans have al
ways asserted that we Texans are
'3arbarians, what other mode of fight
ing can you expect of US, than what
you would term barbarous.'
'But-butSenor, can't you arrange
some more Christian like mode of
than the horrid one you have
named. Can't you say with open day
light, and weapons less rrightful than
those terrible Texas kniyes?'
''No, sirn replied Ned, L should be
happy to make it as pleasant for your
friend as possible: but you must know,
Captain Grayson is a desperate fight
er, and nothing short of the terms al
ready stated will satisfy him. If your
friend IS not a coward, sir, he will |
meet him tonight, at midnight, at the |
lonely jacale, and settle this quarrel |
at the point of the bowie [ shall a
wait his answer here just one hour. |
In the meantime, let him select one of |
these two keen blades, which have al |
ready tasted Mexican bloodw
wv lthout saying another word, the |
second Of Major Garcia, trembling
with horror, snatched up the weapons
and left the apartment.
'Ha. ha! ha!. roared Ned Burle
son after the Mexican had time to |
reach the street, that fellows badly |
scared anyhow; and unless our esti-
mates OF greaser courage are all |
wrong. we'll see no more either of him |
or his principal. l say, Grayson, (for
L was al the time during this inter
view of the seconds, in occupation of |
an adjoining room), y say, old fellow,
l reckon we've blutfed him off, If |
Major Garcia is half as easily scared |!
as his second, then | say good bye to |
to all our anticipated fun tonight
that's all.
But as the proverb says, we 'reck |
Oned without our host for to our as-l
tonlshment, and | must admit to my
own no small chagrin, the second re
turned before the end of the hour, and
in trembling voice announced that
his friend, Major Garcia, wonld accept
the terms, and would meet us at the |
jacale precisely at the hour of mid
night, with few friends, to see that
fair play was observed.
"A few minutes before the appoint
ed hour l was at the place, attended
by a number of my Texas friends, all
without arms.
1T was a pleasant summer highland
the balmy breath of the Sweet South |
came up from the waters of the Gulf,
laden with odors of the Antilles. The
young moon had just sunk below the
western horizon, and the mystic light |
of tie stars only partially illuminated
tfe scene; yet in the distance the white
walls and tiled roofs of the city, mlngl.
ed with dark foliage, showed distinct |
ly; while nearer at hand, the turbld
bosom of the rapid river, reflected in
broken images the myriad lights above
scarcely sound was heard, save the
low, monotonous rushing motions
of the stream, and the measured tread
OF the American sentinel upon the
walls of the Mexican fort Upon the
treeless plain stood the lonely iacale,
aud beneath its shadows we had gath
cred. that we might net attract the
attention of the people at the fort.
Here. scarcely speaking above whisp-
er, we awaited the approach of the
other party.
But twelve o'clock arrived land five
ten, and fifteen minutes past midnight
stole away. and yet the Mexican ma
jor and his friends did not appear. At