The Saint Paul globe., 1899-06-04
SECOND PRIZE.

where he could find Bowman. The latter
replied, making himself known.
Il understand you are the bully OF this
parish,'' replied the stranger, land
have come to settle the matter. My name
is Abner Shelling, and I have been con-
sidered for years the best man In tbs
parish, and you and me cannot both live
here
Bowman thought the man. was joking
and replied: You have been misinform-
ed, Mr.. Shelling; I am not a bully, but
this is my home; I am under contract for
a year, and don't see how 1 can leave
and do justice to my employer"
well, we can't both stay in the par
ish, said Smelling.
How do you propose to settler? asked
Bowman.
A TEXAS ENCOUNTER.
"I'n show you" Shelling then made a
ring in the sandy soil about ten feet in
diameter, made mark through the mid
die and produced two large bowie knives
Take your choice" he said to Bowman.
Each man then stepped into the ring
and Smelling toed the mark through the
center. Still Bowman supposed the man
was making a bluff. He struck at Bow
man and the latter raised his arm to
ward off the blow, when the knife cut a
deep cash in his forearm. Before he
could recover from his surprise Smelling
had struck another blow with his knife,
cutting through Bowman's breast bone
and severing two ribs.
Then Bowman closed in on Shelling be-
fore he could strike again, and owing to
his abnormally long arm he was able to
to reach around his opponents body. He
brought the knife toward him and almost
cut Smelling in two. The latter fell in a
heap, and Bowman, putting his foot on
the PROSTATE mans head. made a slash
at his neck, severing the head from the
body. AS the head rolled over in the
sand Bowman, weak from shock and loss
of blood, collapsed and fell across the
trunk of his aSsailant's body.
He was taken to the house of his en-
ployer, where he lay for nearly year be-
fore he was able to attend to business,
and it was two years before he fully re-
covered from the awful wound Smelling
inflicted.
A few samples of duels where no cause
existed for hostile meeting will be added
to the foregoing. For instance, Handel.
the composer of the Messiah and his
the opera of Cleopatra" fought with
swords because of a mere breach of cti-
quette during performance of the opera.
Neither was hurt. Lord Falkland held A.
Powell in great esteem. They were in
innate friends. Falkland applied nick
name to Powell, one used for years.
Powell took offense, challenged the Wis
count and killed him. Capt. Grey, of the
British army, and Lord Lempster fought
over a gambling debt and Grey was killed.
The records are full of encounters where
a difference in political belief or some
literary animosity was the cause. 1t would
require reams of paper and a world OF
patience for any reader to get q connect
ed history Of such combats. But as was
said in the beginning the great majority
of the encounters on the so-called field ol
honor have been based merely on an eX-
allied and exaggerated self-esteem, which
in nearly every case the challenged ol
challenger never attempted to decry OF
belittle The foregoing will establish tho
contention, however, that in the opinion
of men Of honor the thickness or thin
ness of Halmet's legs, the rotundity OF
hatness of his abdomen, either is cause
sufficient for trial at skill in blood-let
ting.