Bisbee daily review., 1903-04-21
 An Admirable
 < CrichtOn
fOriginal.l

In on any subject, was master oh fencing and all manner of sports, be- sides being an excellent actor.
 once knew an Admirable Crichton. He possessed a genius for everything except money making. His name was Lawrence Dudley. As the real Crich- ton was in the service of the Duke of Mautua, a tutor to the dukes son, 90 Dudley. after taking every honor in the universities he attended, went south and uttered in the family of a wealthy planter named La Fourche. He taught Marie La Eourehe music and prepared young Ben La Fourche for college. This was in the autumn and winter Of 1s6O-G1. and the spirit of civil war was red hot in the south. Dudley had so fascinated many of the planter fami- lies that the fact of his being Yankee did not change their enthusiasm for him. However. 1t finally came to his ears that Ia Fourche had been sd- yised to send him north to save him from rough treatment Dudley asked La Fourcbe if his presence in the house hold was compromising.
 By no means" replied the planter. Everybody knows my loyalty to the south Moreover. if you leave. Ben will not be ready for college. and I am anxious to have him enter next June."
 "Then you are quite willing that T. should maintain my position"
 Act your own pleasure"
 The next day a printed circular was 1.xyA a..li ma, n 10 place whom Dudley knew, challenging all corners to argue the question brew ing between the states with knife, pis- tol. small sword, cutlass. lance. jave- lin, halberd, any kind of weapon that had ever been used by contentious man. Tn any other part of the world such a circular would have excited laughter. In the south, where the tour ney of old has often sprung up like flower from root dormant for centu- ries. the case was different. The young planters of high degree met informally for consultation as to what should be done They decided to send a polite note to Dudley accepting the challenge. the test to come of in tourney. The day was set, though Dudley ayerred that the meeting should be no gloyed affair and none but the necessary men witnesses should be present
 The parties met in 8 secluded spot hedged in by trees. There were three men present. each of whom had re ceived a circular. as well as seyera3 strangers who had got wind of the af fair and come upinvited. The first man pitted against Dudley was Stew art Anderson, who had studied defense with foifs in Paris and had fought sev- eral dueis with tie rapier. The two men faced each other in shirt and trou- sers and began to fence. Within q minute Sutlersons sword went flying over tree With true southern fire he called on Dudley to finish him. bud ley put his hand on his heart. bowed low and said he would not deprive the south of so worthy gentleman.
 The next affair was with pistols. and Dudley ended if with q quick fire, shoot ing the knuckle off his opponent. This was followed by an engagement with cutiasses. Dudieys opponent having been especially trained with this weap- on while at sea. Dudley parried the mans thrusts for awhile and then gave him q blow with the fiat of his cutiasx that stunned him.
 This finished the contests so far as the regular entries were concerned. but as the men were putting on their coats the strangers stepped forward and de handed chance at the Yankee. They urara of {, varv dfNavapr favt,rr.. fr.S,, the young planters, who had fought honorably and. abided by the result. and evidently meant by hook or ty crook to kill Dudley. The planters at tempted to interfere. but Dudley ob- jected. offering to give all corners chance at his life.
 The gang put forward 8 desperado whose skill with the bowie knife was celebrated. There was & change in Dudley the moment he set eyes on the man. There can be no fooling with bowie knives. and Dudley knew that he must kill or be killed. Tine onIookers gathered about. expecting to see q des- perate struggle. They were disap- pointed. The signal to begin was siv- en by pistol shot. Almost before The shot ceased 10 reverberate Dudley's knife was buried in his opponents heart.
 There was an awed silence for mo ment. Then fine strangers made rush for Dudley. The opponents he had vanquished sought to protect him. but before they could do so he had killed two more of the gang, when the others took to flight.
 Dudley invited his opponents to the La Fourche plantation. where. stand ing by sideboard with a glass in his hand, he reclted an improvised huusoT- ous account of the affair in verse.
 How much longer Dudley maintained his position in the south never learn ed or whether he entered the Union army Tn the seventies ' y:s.ted Itsly. and while chatting with friend who lived there he remarked:
 By the bye. we have an American here for all the world like that Scotch man who served the Duke of Mantua. He is a professor in the university. He can run faster. shoot straighter. drink harder. talk more languages, write better verse, deliver better sev-