The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1899-02-03


the seconds returned to Alton. The
belligerents then, in separate skins.
proceeded across the river.
Mr.. Lincoln sat In the stern OF the
boat. beside his second. AS the stall
wart oarsman breasted the waves OF
the Mississippi. Mr.. Lincoln said that
his situation reminded him OF n story.
He suggested that he thought he felt
like a kentuckian he knew who vol
unteered In the war OF 1912. In ac-
cordance with the tlme-honored Gus
tom OF those days. his sweetheart em-
broidered him a bullet pouch and belt.
and proposed to the lncipient hero
that she would work on the belt the
motto. Victory or Death" "oh. no."
replied the volunteer. Isn't that ray
Their too strong? s'poso you put Vic
tory or BE CrippledT"
Arriving at the place selected for
the combat. the forms and ceremonies
in such cases being punctiliously in
sisted on by the doctor. Mr.. Lincoln
and his antagonist took their assigned
places. with the earthwork between
them; but before the word was given
for the duel absolutely TO commence.
what was apparent to the least OBJ
serving from the FIRST. VIZ. that. &c
cordlng TO the arrangements. Mr.. Lin
coin had the advantage. now that tho
combatants stood face to face, became
doubly apparent Mr.. Lincoln's an
tagonlst had neither the stature nor
length OF limb fairly TO meet his foe:
while Mr.. Lincoln. with his long body
and wonderfully long arm. had moth
ing to do but reach across the barrier
and cut up his helpless antagonist at
his leisure. and he could do this with
as little risk OF personal danger to
himself as he did when he slaughtered
the unoffendlng tree limbs that lined
his way to the field OF honor. Tho
farce OF Llncoln's plan of duel now
became evident to all present.
As might have been expected, the
friends OF the challenger promptly
protested. demonstrated against tho
self-eyldent inequality of terms. and
demanded n parley. The doctor. the
oracle OF the field. replied that tho
terms were most solemnly agreed
upon" by all the parties necessarily
interested. and that, according to the
"thirty-six articles OF Galway" they
---s+s--~-S,-,----S~
out commencing the duel over again
from the very beginning. and. to reach
this point OF beginning. the challenge
must first be withdrawn.
After much discussion. this prac-
tice was adopted, and the way was
made. according to the thirty-six ar
ticles. for mutual explanations. There
upon. as might have been expected. all
differences were soon amicably set
tied. Out OF after discussions" some
OF the parties connected with the duel
as friends or spectators edited tho
community. through partisan journals.
with sharp explanatory cards" One
or two other similar affairs" were
talked OF. but they never came to n
head; and as n consequence the whole
matter soon faded out OF the public
mind; and thus ended Mr.. Lincoln's
first and only AFFAIR OF honor. It was
Mr.. Lincoln's pleasure. long years
after. TO confer a brlgadler generals
commission upon his antagonist (al-
ready distinguished for his courage
and honorable wounds In the Mexican
war;, who. in the bloody struggle In
Virginia, made a gallant stand against
stonewall Jackson in the valley OF the
shenandoah.-New York Ledger.