The Dickinson press., 1900-08-04

SGA AZ - 80 I ~ III
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, l said:
General Blum, yo' will excuse me,
sub, but where can 1 find yo'r wah rec
ord?'
Nowhere he replied. They were
so jealous of me that it has never been
written up
1--WE had a few other words, sub, and
l felt that it was due to my dignity to
challenge him. He received the chal-
lenge coolly and sen his friend to ar
range matters. Claiming to be n SOL
der and a gentleman, he selected pick
axes us weapons. Think of it, sub
think Of q gentleman taking such q
course! l refused, of co'se. Then he
turned to plantation hoes, to cotton
hooks, to ball clubs and to long han
died shovels. 1t was my duty under
the circumstances to preserve my dig
nifty, and it has gone down in history
that l preserved it. l insisted that we
fight with sword or pistol, and l 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 I desire to shed yo'r blood.
I desire to shed it by the quart and the
gallon. If yo' are not a coward, yo'
will meet me at sunrise across the riv-
er-across the river, sub! AS the chal-
lenged party I have the choice Of weap-
ons. I will name scythes, suh-scythes
at two PAGES! The scythe is an en-
blem Of time, Colonel Bunker, and it
was with a scythe l moved down
scores Of the enemy at Appomattox.'
II stood on my dignity, suh-stood
on my dignity and rejected the weap-
ons. 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 q public
laughing stock. I stormed at that
man, sub. I begged and entreated and
ever sought to bride him to meet me
with pistols or swords. But he was
firm. He was settled on scythes and
would not bulge. I 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 as a
gentleman to engage in a duel with
scythes! 1 brought forward the code
for 300 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 1t. I argued and
protested and disputed, but General
Blum and the public were firm. In
standing to my guns I 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 Bunker was afraid. 1t was then,
sub, and only then, that I resolved to
fight the general with his own weap-
ons. I must do 1t to save my prestige.
The public was with me ut once. I
had my pick Of 20 different scythes,
and I was determined from the first
that I would begin at the generals
heels and gradually cut him down to
his neck. No mercy should be shown
In such a case. Public excitement ran
as high Is if o state election was, be-
ing held, and when the morning Of the
duel came there were hundreds on the
ground to see. I set 10th with my
Bcythe on my shoulder and was first
on the ground, but the general was
only a few minutes behind me. I had
planned to begin at his heels, but his
plan was to begin at my head. I saw
1t In his eyes as we stood there. Yes,
sub, he meant to decapitate me at the
FIRST sweep. Mo than that, he had
sent to New Orleans for a special
scythe, and he had secured n about
two rods long.
"Rv md nv 1o woro roodv 7 fo1t