Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-11-04
@]IE WAS AFRAID
OF i HWMIDI EIR
[origInal.1

NiV@u VI UNDERGRADUATES. however,
Clarence and Kate Hastings seemed to
get on well enough, and certainly both
adored theig four children, till Bruce
Sayler came along and took a fancy
to Mrs. Hastings. Then trouble began.
Sayler was a fine looking man, with
something aggressive about him that
usually gave him his own way.
One evening Sayler asked Hastings
to go with him to make call Hast
ings unsuspectingly accepted. He was
taken to the house of Il woman whom
he had never seen and left alone with
her while Ssyler excused himself.
Then an irate husband rushed in and
made a great ado about catching the
visitor with his wife Hastings got
out safely, but the affair came to his
wife's ears. In vain he pleaded inno-
cence and asserted that Sayler had
tricked him. Sayler told different
story, that was believed by the wife.
By this time Hastings had got the
drift of the matter, which was that
Sayler had acquired such an influence
over his wife that she was about to
join with him to remove her husband
by divorce in order to put Sayler in his
place. Hastings was crushed. Then
out of his despair came action.
The two men were members of the
same club, and one evening Sayler was
discoursing loudly to party of friends,
monopolizing the conversation, when
Hastings stepped up to him and said
mildly:
"Sayler, you are puppy. You are
thief. You are coward"
Sayler glared at him, but made no
reply. Hastings drew away and sent
message to his enemy that he might as
well make up his mind to fight sooner
or later, for he proposed to insult him
every time he entered the club. Sayler
replied that dueling was not in vogue
in America. He would not fight under
the code, but if Hastings did not re-
frain from his insults he would chas-
tise him. To this Hastings replied that
he was armed and that if Sayler laid
a finger on him he would kill him.
The next night and the next, when
ever and wherever the two men met,
Hastings gave a deliberate insult, and
at last it came to be the opinion of the
club members that Sayler must take
some notice of the matter or resign.
Then he sent challenge to Hastings,
No one took it upon himself or her.
self to inform Mrs. Hastings about the
matter. and SayIer, after announcing
to her the first insult and asserting that
he had paid no attention to the in
significant husband, did not mention
any of the later insults or the chal-
lenge. She was still very much under
SayIer's influence, but was undecided
from day to day what course to take.
When Sayler was with her she did as
he said; when he was absent she be-
came undecided, and indecision is wear
ing on anv one. She began to wish
Sayler somewhere else.
When Hastings got the challenge that
he was a month working for, his reply
was ready. As the challenged party he
had tbe choice of terms. He sent re-
NV that these terms were six cham
Der revolvers, the distance five PAGES,
tha firing tn continue fill both men
were unable to fire any longer or the
chambers of both reyolyers were emp
tied.
Sayler sent a reply that no one could
ba exnected TO fight under terms that
meant death probably to both parties,
and no considered the matter Mt an end.
HASTINGS sent word that death was ex-
actly what he meant and what he
would have sooner or later. Then he
resumed his insults.
Nv this time the friends of both par.
ties began TO get an inkling as to what
was the trouble and sympathy went
with Hastings. Sayler began to look
rarqworn. All his aggressiveness was
gone he ceased TO talk loud>and yolu-
hIv he went about with a hanedoc
look Meanwhile he had discontinued
his visits to Mrs. Hastings.
Then came the last insult of the
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