The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-05-03

when he had met SIllln hau not ioiSo'
ZEN his caps. Beirne went INTO rage aI
this. | was with him when be read H.
and he challenged Elan Immediately.
The two met near Hanover Junction,
but being about to be overhauled by the
officers, Beirne took "A Chesapeake and
ohio express, soon passing by, GLIDING
| them. and landed safely in West Viz
oinia. Elan, also. eludeG the officers
To Richmond, and the two principals
were thus several hundred OF miles
apart. Page McCarty. who was one OF
| Reirne's seconds, sat down IN the State
| office and so directed the movements OF
his principal as to have him come by
private conveyance and otherwise 10
| near WaynesborO junction where Elam
| WAS awaiting him on the spot Indicated.
Probably no meeting of this character
was ever managed no neatly and so ac-
c~urately at 50 long a anee.
1t was true that Beirne had forgotten
his caps or one Of his seconds had when
| he met Riddleberger. Beirne. who lived
in Ashland, started off before day in his
two-horse carriage with his seconds, and
driving through Hanover county, met
| Riddleberger in the early morning. AS
the wcapO were being made ready. the
awful discovery was finally made that
there were no caps. The bag was search
ed. but to no avail; they were rot there.
When the fact was announced 20 Beirne.
he went almost INTO a frenzy: he fell
| upon the ground and rolled on the pine
needles of the scrubby ground. The
seconds Of Mr.. Itiddleberger, having
been notified, they were told that if they
would wait 4 short time. caps would be
forthcoming and all would be well. Rid
d~lebereer. IN the jOyeSt of humOr. said
he was sorry he could not accommodate
the gentlemen, but that he had another
meeting with Geo. S. WISE set for four
III the aftcrnOon; that he had met his
engagement with Beirne, was sorry. but
must say good morning. SO off went the
Hiddleburger party down the road. fol
lowed by the Bierne party close behind.
They had not gone many miles. before
at the crossroads, II of Bierne's sec
onds went into the store and luckily got
Il box of caps Of just the size for the
navy reyOlverS to be used. The second
Fastening to the Riddleburger people.
shook the caps in their faces and begged
Il meeting. This Riddleburger refused.
and in Il few hours was standing uD in
front of George Wise, with whom, near
by this spot. he exchanged three shots.
One shot went through George Wise's
hat, otherwise both were untouched. AT
last they threw down their pistols, eX-
claiming they could not shoot, and two
political fiascos had been wound UP for
that day. That night Riddleburger APP
pcared before a Richmond audience and
made a ringing political speech, in which
he was greeted as the gallant Harry of
the Valley, who had fought W. fuels in
ore day
Beirne was as chivalric a soul as
high in honor and courage as any man
1t has ever been my fortune to know
iof or to know. This was how he was
. known TO all men. Thus one can
imagine the "taunt' of Elan came
with singing force. Beirne soon after
was Il strong opponent Of McKinney's
for the ~gubernatorial nomination.
though he had just turned thirty. Nc
Kinney was ahead four votes. and in
his speech Of acceptance. Col. Mckinney
'tafterWardS GOvernOr). said: Il will
keep the keys safe for my good friend
Richard Beirne.'' Beirne a few years
afterwards sank under paresis from the
excessive strains of his active and ag-
gressive life. and when the time came
around, Governor Mckinney found his
OWL HttIi open. Out the portals Oh 1It
noble mind of Richard Bierne locked
even to those who loved him most.
Soon after he passed away quietly at his
sweet Ashland home, and Virginia
sOrrOwcd for Il son who promised much
in force and loneliness.
The duel between cX-Goxernor Cam.
eron and the present Judge r. w
IlugheS-it, too. was Interesting, but il
will make all this too long. 1t was in
tended only TO take these glimpSes into
even Il nearby past to show how public
sentiment may change in Il few years
toward ways Of doing which then seem
ed quite the only thing.
No, FitZ may die on the battlefield
yet. if he have a fair chance, but we dc
not intend to squander him on Carranza
Besides. Carranza will get enough adver
tisement out of it as it is. That. after
all. is probably the only satisfaction he
is after.