The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-06-10

81 SET 70 TIL WITH MY SCYTHE.
difference between a charge of cavalry
and a drove Of nevis. When he had
related how he led his division at Get
tysburg, dashed forward at Spottsyl-
vania and received three wounds at
Petersburg, l rose up-I rose up to my
full height, suh-and, looking him
straight between the eyes, said:
General Blum, yo' will excuse me,
sub. but where can | find yo'r wah rec
ord?'
Nowhere he replied. They were
so jealous of me that it has never been
written up
I'VE had few other words, sub, and
! felt that it was due to my dignity to
challenge him. He received the chal-
ienge cool1y and sent his friend to ar
range matters. Claiming to be sol
der and a gentleman, he selected pick
axes as weapons. Think of it, sub
think of gentleman taking such
course. l refused, of cO'se. Then he
turned to plantation hoes, TO cotton
hooks, to ball clubs and to long ham
died shovels. 1t was my duty under
the circumstances to preserve my dig
nifty, and IT has gone down in history
that / preserved it. | insisted that we
fight with sword or pistol, and 1 re-
fused to dignity him by debating his
proposals. Then General Blum him.
self called to see me. He found me
frigid and determined. Colonel Bun
kerr says he, 'yo' have doubted my We
racity, and | desire to shed yor blood.
II RI Ix-f ha pf nd hn
gallon. If yo' are not a coward, yo'
will meet me at sunrise across the riv-
Cr-across the river, sub! AS the chal-
1enged party | have the choice of weap-
ons. ] will name scythes, suh-scythes
at two PAGES! The scythe is &n en-
blem Of time, Colonel Bunker. and it
was with q scythe / moved down
scores of the enemy at AppOmattox.'
Il STOOD on my dignity, suh--stood
on my dignity and rejected the weap-
ems No gentleman had ever fought
a duel with a scythe in his hands. 1t
would degrade the code-degrade the
code, sub. and make me a public
laughing stock. l stormed at that
man, sub. l begged and ertreated and
even sought to bribe him to meet me
with pistols or swords. But he was
firm. He was settled ON scythes and
would not bulge. l bowed him
out and appealed to the public. And
on my honah. sub. on the honah OF the
man who led the desperate charge at
Cedar Mountain. the public agreed with
General Blum! Yes, sub, the public
contended that it was my duty rs a
gentleman to engage in a duel with
scythes! | brought forward the code
for 800 years past, but it made no diff
ference
"A duel with scythes, suh-a meet
ing on the field of honah with farm
ing implements! No gentleman's dig
nifty would permit of it. l argued and
protested and disputed, but General
Blum and the public were firm. In
standing to ny guns l lost prestige
At the end of three days scarcely a
man in town would nod to me, and
the newspapers were asking if Colo
mel Banker was afraid. 1t was then
sub, and only then, that l resolved tc
fight the general with his own weap
ons. l must 90 it to save my prestige
The public was with me at once
had my pick Of 20 different scythes
and l was determined from the first
that l would begin at the generals
heels and gradually cut him down tc
his neck. No mercy should be shown
in such a case. Public excitement ran
as high as il a state election was be-
ing held. and when the morning of thS
duel came there were hundreds on the
ground TO see. / set fo'th with my