Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-03-06

above all, with the finest ladies of the
land-the best company a man can
keep, since it ennobles his mind with
better thoughts, purlies his heart with
cleaner motives and makes him gentle
without detracting from his strength.
1t was an Office any lord of the king
dom might have been proud to hold.
Now, some four or five years after
my induction into this honorable Office
there came to court news of terrible
duel fought down in Suffolk, out Of
which only one of the four combatants
had come alive-two rather, but one of
them in condition worse than death.
The first survivor was son of Sir
William Brandon, and the second was
a man called Sir Adam Judson. The
story went that young Brandon and
his elder brother, both just home from
the continental wars, had met Judson
at an Ipswich inn, where there had been
considerable gambling among them.
Judson had won from the brothers a
large sum of money which they had
brought home, for, Notwithstanding
their youth, the elder being but TWEEN
ty-six and the younger about twenty
four years of age, they had gained
great honor and considerable profit in
wars, especially the younger, whose
name was Charles.
1t is a little hard to fight for money
and then to lose it by single spot up
on the die, but such is the fate of him
who plays, and a philosopher will swal-
low his i'll luck and take to fighting for
more The Brandons could have done
this easily enough, especially Charles,
who was all offhand philosopher, rather
fond of good humored fight had it not
been that in the course Of play one
evening the secret of Judson's winning
had been disclosed by a discovery that
he cheated. The Brandons waited un.
til they were sure, and then trouble
began, which resulted in a duel on the
second morning following.
This JudSon was Scotch gentleman
of whom very little was known except
that he was counted the most deadly
and most cruel duelist of the time. He
was called the Walking Death" and
it is said he took pride in the appela-
ton. He boosted that he had fought
eighty-seven duels, in which he had
killed seventy-five men, and it was con-
sidered certain death to meet him. 1
got the story of the duel afterward
from Brandon as give it here.
John was the elder brother and when
the challenge came was entitled to fight
first, birthright out Of which Charles
tried in vain to talk him. The broth
ers told their father. Sir William Bran
don, and at the appointed time father
and sons repaired to the place of meet
ing, where they found Judson and his
two seconds ready for the fight
Sir William was still Il vigorous man,
with few equals in sword play, and the
sons, especially the younger, were bet
ter men and more skilful than their IA
ther had ever been, yet they felt that
this duel meant certain death, so great
was Judson's fame for skill and cruel
ty. Notwithstanding they We're so hand
icapped with this feeling of impending
evil. they met their duty without
tremOr, for the motto of their house
was "MIalo Mort Guam Fedrai."
1t was a misty morning in March.
Brandon has told me since that when
his elder brother took his stand it was
at once manifest that he was Judson's
superior both in strength and skill but
after a few strokes the brothers blade
bent double and broke off short at the
hilt when it should have gone home
Thereupon Judson, with malignant
smile of triumph, deliberately selected
his opponents heart and pierced it with
his sword. giving the blade twist as
he drew it out in order to cut and mutt
late the more.
In an instant Sir Williams doublet
was off, and he was in his dead sons
tracks. ready to avenge him or to die.