The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1897-04-08
A LUCKY DUEL.
ny A. r. STANTON,

valley school district, Contra Costa coun- |
ty. q young lady holding 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 Mallery had been noted for his
legal knowledge and honesty while Oh
the bench; but, like many old Cali
fornians, he liked good living and the
bottle too well for his own good. Ruth
Mallery, his only daughter, had had no
experience in school-teaching, nor, in
deed, in any kind of labor. She was the
spoiled child OF a 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
ther spent money with a lavish hand,
having teachers up from San Francisco
twice a week to instruct her. These
studies had been continued up to the
time Of the judges death, which had
come suddenly and without warning.
After his death, his affairs were found
to be in very demoralized condition;
he had lived tar beyond his means, and
in order to pay his funeral expenses and
liquidate his debts, it was found neces-
sary to sell his magnificent residence
at the county seat. When his affairs
had been settled, Ruth found that she
had but few hundred dollars left, and
she saw that it would be necessary for
her to do something Immediately Ly
which to gain living.
Now, although Ruth Mallery had
given a great deal of time to the ac-
QUESTION of her favorite studies, draw
ing and painting, she found that she
was.not competent to earn livelihood
by these arts, as she had pursued them
in an amateurish manner, and did not
possess the requisite professional skill
to impart them to others. She there
fore decided to apply herself to such
studies as would enable her to teach in
q district school. This she did with
Such assiduity that she was soon en-
abled to pass an examination and obtain
q first-grade teachers certificate. This
secured, she applied for and received
the appointment to the school, as previ-
ously stated.
At this time Ruth was 26 years of
age, slight and delicate in appearance,
but possessed of undaunted will. She
took up her chosen profession with a
determination to make of it 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 i'm her choice of q
boarding-place, as the Van Dukes were
one of the most influential families III
the valley, Mr.. Ven Duke having mar
ried one Of the Moraga girls, de-
soendant of an 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 heretofore
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, Georgt
Van Duke had paid Ruth a great deal o!
attention, and this led him TO act al
though he had some proprietary claim
upon her. This soon bred trouble will
the older boys, who wished to divide
attentions with Van Duke and some
times to escort Miss Mallery to the win
ter gayeties Of the valley. This feeling
increased among the young men OF tn
school until there was q race rivalr.
started between the boys of Spanisl
and Mexican descent and the boys o
American birth. Henry Hosmer wa
the leader Of the Americans, and Georg
Van Duke led the Spanish faction. Rutl
was not aware of this strong feelini
among her scholars. She did not in
tend to receive the exclusive attention
of any one of the boys, and had been es
corted bv several of them to various Ell
tertaiuments, although it had haIpcne
that, owing to her living at the Va
Dukes home, George had attended he
more frequently than had the other
They therefore accused him of talxin
undue advantage of them by reason {
Ruth's residence at his fathers home.
This factional jealousy grew unit
all of the larger boys were ranged vi
der the leadership Of Hosmer or We
Duke, and it increased in intensity NJ
til Hosmer challenged Van Duke. III
latter accepted the challenge. namin
drk-knives as the weapons. The TO
lowing Saturday afternoon the du
took place. The spot selected was I
the foot Of ravine, north OF the Gel
brated "Fish Ranch"
The place was we'll chosen, as It WI
IN open Nat, inolossd by thick gro
Of oalge, Whaee there would b no III