The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-07-09

THE CODE.
ton as a gentleman it was with Pay
son Graham's wife. He was also a
dawdler, a dandy and a gentleman.
This affair was his only lapse, and he
lived to regret it. When he found him
self in love with his friends wife and
realized that the wife reciprocated, he
acted the part Of gentleman. Where
his lapse occurred was in falling in
love. All that followed was according
to the ethics of gentility. He naturally
suggested an elopement. His sense of
honor suggested that it was his duty to
remove the wife as far as possible from
her husband. The gossip over an elope-
ment is always unpleasant, but it does
not sting like the gossip over the dis
covery of a liaison under the guise of
friendship. 1t was agreed all around
that Stafford acted like a gentleman in
bearing the unfaithful wife away on
his yacht. Some gentlemen pursue an
clipping wife, and some sit calmly down
and seek to forget her. 1t is for him
to choose, and he loses no prestige.
Graham decided to pursue, and it was
recorded in the books of society that
he was quite within his province as
gentleman. He was also yacht own
er, and when he discovered which way
his late friend had headed he took up
his watery trail.
Luck, accident and Providence were
all on the side of the pursuer. Stafford
had headed for the Mediterranean,
meaning to make trip of couple of
years. 1t is a good bit of voyage
from London to Gibraltar, and it had
not been completed by half when the
yacht with the clippers on board was
oyerhauled. No gentleman who elopes
with another mans wife must seek to
skulk away when fairly overhauled,
and as Stafford was a gentleman he
calmly waited for events to take their
course. Perhaps the loss of some of
his spars in a storm, thus leaving him
rather badly crippled, aided him some
what in being philosopher. AS gen
tleman and an injured husband 1t was
.Grahams place to make the first cali
and he did it, He was rOwed off to
Stafford's yacht in his gig, and as he
went I'D her side he was received with
all due respect His wife bowed to
him, Stafford lifted his hat and hoped
he was WELL and if the sailors had
been looking for a brawl they were
disappointed. Unless a gentleman's
wits have been driven out by wine, and
that occasionally happens, he does not
H., 4 in, YNr111Iia Tho EVtfn
had no tears, Mysteries or excuses. and
Stafford did not put forward any re-
grets over his conduct. On his part
Graham did not ask why this or why
that and then pull a dagger and tear
his hair.
1t was all very quietly and nicely
arranged. The trio descended to the
cabin and even lunched together. There
were no hot words or loud voices. At
the end of about an hour it was settled
what should be done. The wind had
died out, and the sea was calm, and
there must be an affair of honor. Moth
ing less could be reasonably offered
and accepted in reparation. The cap
tains of the yachts were to act as sec
onds as far as they could, but u was
not to be a duel on board of either
yacht. When all was ready, each prin-
cipal entered his gig and pulled away
to a distance, and the two captains fol-
lowed and stationed them as near the
regulation distance as circumstances
permitted. With more discretion than
she had exercised in falling in love and
with more feeling than she had dis
played over the elopement the erring
wife shut herself up In her stateroom
instead of becoming a spectator, and 1t
was reported that she even exhibited
considerable emotion for time.
The duel was fought according to the
code. The principals were warned, the
word was given and the pistols were
discharged. At the first fire neither man
was hurt, but at the second Stafford
was shot dead. His body was taken
aboard of his yacht, and Graham him.
self notified his wife that her paramount
had fallen. He didn't rejoice, and she
didn't faint away AS a gentleman,
though he had been wronged, 1t was his
duty to inquire into the state of her
finances and ask as to her future, and
he did It, She desired to return to
England and her parents, and 1t was
arranged that she should do so. 1t
might have been a gentlemanly act for
the husband to have Invited her aboard
of his own yacht for the return trip.
but he failed to extend it. and neither
did he walt for the burial ceremonies
Of the man who had fallen by his hand.