Cañon City record., 1899-02-02

German 10 a duel with pistols. The
baron. who was una BILE to explain to his
own satisfaction how he had been cap
Ivated by the graces oil Mrs. Parker.
found himself in y lamentable guam
dairy. A challenge from Mr. Parker he
well knew was equivalent to q death
sentence, or at least a very close shave.
should the Englishman insist on the
duel there was no doubt as to the re-
sult. He thought the matter over very
carefully, and was suddenly filled with
great concern as TO the effect which
his death would have upon his widowed
mother, and, being desirous above all
things of sparing her. he persuaded two
cf his friends, who happened to be in
HomburY at the time. to seek out and
try to pacify the offended husband
Mr.. Parker received the gentlemen
with all the polished politeness of q
n-an of the world.
Gentlemen" said Mr.. Parker, cold
ly. in French. Il really fail to under
stand the object Of your visit. Surely
the details Of this matter have been
discussed at sufficient length! Nothing
more remains TO be said"
lou AIt TlSBtf SIT. Icplicu tnC clotl
of the two ambassadors, but we have
come trusting to your tenderness of
heart, and we are sure you will not be
able to turn a deaf ear to our plea We
kave come to appeal to you, not on be-
balf Of the baron. but for the sake of his
mother, to whom he is all in all, and
who will certainly die of grief If any
thing happens to her ideal We ask you
to agree to other terms. Would you poi
son and curtail the life of a weak wom-
an? Think OF your own mother"
Then the speaker explained at length
70 Mr.. Parker that the baron was the
last male representative of his line, the
last of famous house. and that the
iumor. even. of the approaching duel
might cause the mothers death.
Mr.. Parker listened with quiet dig
nifty, and when the gentleman closed
with warm appeal TO his goodness of
heart, the Englishman rose, and with
out losing any of his dignity. or relax
ing his severity of expression. said:
II will not have the death of the
mother on my conscience; just give me
time TO think of some way out of this
| will write to you Tomorrow
The two callers took leave. after hav-
ing overwhelmed Mr. Parker with
words OF gratitude for his magnanim-
ity. Their thanks seemed to embarrass
him. for as he held ont his hand his eyes
modestly sought the floor.
Next morning the gentlemen received
the following letter:
ay,,, .npxaI.d ~ n,x ~xmpafbv AZ
/ said to YOU yesterday. j will not be
guilty of depriving the mother of her
son, and l do not think that in HON.
burg there could be two opinions as to
what would be the outcome of the duel
which was to have taken place between
the baron and me. ! withdraw the
challenge. In return for this l expect
the baron to pay over TO my orphans
such q sum as he may himself deter
mine. At the same time l take it for
granted that he values his young life
at. at least c 1000. Will you have the
goodnes. to make this known to the
baron?
Finally. gentlemen, / must lay par
ticular stress on the fact that, as
leave Homburg tomorrow morning, ]
ton. IS men of honor. TO clear up any
misunderstanding which may arise as
TO the cause of my having backed out
Of the duel trust to your fairness to
justify me wherever and whenever you
shall find il necessary or advisable"
On tn, following day Mr. Parker re-
ceived from the baron a letter of regret
and apology, and check for c 1000.
The promise was also made to send
more as soon as the writer should be in
a position to do so The 6 ZOO sent
was all that he had in hand at that mo-
ment
Mr.. and Mrs. Parker al once left
Homburg. and on the following day a
new scandal occupied the minds and
wagged the tongues of the visitors
The baron. il is scarcely necessary to
say. speedily quilted Homburg. as he
had no wish to keep alive the story of
his misfortune and OF Mr. Parker's
magnanimity. He succeeded. strange
as it may seem. in hiding all knowledge
of the affair from his mother. The
f1.2o0 with which he had bought his
life was pretty nearly the amount he
had won al the gambling table
He Iid not forget his promise to Mr..
Parker, and few years later. when he
came into possession of his estates, he
sent a check for 800 to the trustees.
orphanage of Hamarby. York Strange
to say, the letter came back unopened,
but the envelope was covered with notes
which gave the following information:
The so-cailed Parker orphanage at
HamarSy had formerly consisted of a
tumbied-down hovel Inhabited by an
old woman and a cripple. but at the
time Of writing nothing hut the ruins
remained Parker. who was a. we'll
known swindler. had. two years previ-
ously. escaped arrest by flight, With
him had fled his beloved Mary Cowen
his a.eomplice.
Six years after the Homburg incident
| happened TO drop into a circus in the
fair at Lusri,z- At the beginning OF the
second turn n tall. well-huiit nau got
up as Tyrolese peasant with a rifle over
his shoulder. came out. followed by
woman who. although no longer Young.
had rnagi.ifieen, figure. She acted as
page. and carried Il case Of elegant pis-
tolls. She held piece of paper in her
hand while the Tyroiese aimed at it.
Then she rut pipe between her lips.
and the artist shot the ripe away The
page was none other than the beautiful
woman who had been the cvroSure of
all eyes at Homburg; the Tyrolese who
showed such deSterity was Mr., Parker
the former president of the board OF
trustees of the orphanage a, Hamarby
translated from the German of Pau
Won Schonthan for the Internationa