Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-05
DAILY SHORT STORY
AN EPISODE OF DUsLINe.

the prevailing method of setting per
sonal difficulties in America, even in
the northern states. one evening at
young man stopped at tavern in New
York and was sitting in the taproOm
drcamily looking at the emberS in the
great open fireplace when one of a
number Of men drinking and smoking
at the tablcS-a fellow with 4 bad eye
and a crafty look on his face-began to
make remurks about him ia so loud
a tone that he could not fail 10 hear
them. Nevertheless the stranger ell
dured them for time without retort
then got up and started to leave the
room, whereupon the man who had in
suited him suddenly put out his foot
and the stranger fell sprawling on the
floor. The fallen man. still apparently
unwilling To notice the offense arose
and proceeded on his way to another
room.
He had not been there long before
young man of pleasing appearance EN-
tered and addressed him.
You are apparently Il stranger here, "
he said. land need a friend The man
who has insulted you is notorious for
picking quarrels. and when he finds
his antagonist one who is likely to get
the better Of him he invariably finds
some adrOit method of getting out of
the difficulty. l am anxious for pre-
text To fight him. Why, | don't care
to explain. except TO say that it is Il
matter of the heart l have recently
a.. i'm, ha
part of Louisiana lying west of the
Mississippi, and. though l Immediately
recognized this man-Amos Stringfcl-
low-he doesn't recognize me. ON ac-
count Of the lady in the case | would
not like to quarrel with him on my
own account. nor would he permit me
to do so. Your affair is my opportu-
nifty. You seem to be averSe to fighting
him yourself Therefore ! would ask
your permission TO act as your cham
pion."
The speaker drew forth a card on
which was printed his name Horace
George Herrick. In return he received
one from the stranger, Henry pinck
ney
81 am not averse to fighting the fell
low" Pinckney said. I'VE of the south
usually settle such matters under the
code. But in my case there is a reason
why l should not. My father Killed
friend in n duel and suffered so from
remOrsc that he eXacted Il promise
from me never to engage in one my
self"
HerricI pleaded with pinckney for
permission to represent him. Pinckncy
U-o unwilling ~ ~ u MI in 81 UNnlpD
ant light. but at last consented. de
claring that in case Herrick fell he
would throw aside his sCruples and
take up the quarrel on his own ac-
count Herrick returned to the tap
room and after beratinG Stringfcllow
for being so inhospitable as to Insult
an inoffensive stranger took it upon
himself TO vindicate the good name of
New York and demanded satisfaction.
Stringfellow demurred on the ground
that the challenger was not 4 New
Yorker, whereupon Herrick Informed
him that lie had been born in New
York and of his identity.
Stringfellow saw at once that he had
fallen into his own trap. but relied, as
usual. on some subterfuge to preserve
his reputation for courage and at the
same time keep out of harms way. He
accepted the challenge and, as the chal-
lenged party having the right to name
the conditions. chose pistols in Il dark
room.
Before entering the apartment Her
rick took Pinckney aside and said TO
him:
If 1 fall go to Harlem and find
roI
that her former playmate returned and
heard that she was about to marry
Amos Stringfellow; that chance gave
me the opportunity 70 defend the good
name Of New York"
Pinckney. much dissatisfied with the
course the affair had taken, made the
required promise, and the two princi-
pals We're put in the room, from which
all light had been excluded, and took
their positions. Each was provided
with two pistols, and the men were
permitted to fire on signal.
Ten minutes elapsed after the signal,
when two shots were fired in rapid
succession, and n moment later a
knock was heard on the door from
within. 1t was opened. and Stringfel-
across n pair of andirons, while Her
rick stood looking at him, white as a
sheet.
What does it mean?" asked one of
the entering party.
Mean: exclaimed Herrick. ut
means that as soon as the door was
closed l was seized with remorse at de-
priying Kate Van Gaasback of the
man she had chosen to wed. Feeling
my way around the room. came to
the fireplace. 1t occurred to me to dis
charge my pistols up the chimney that
they might surely do no harm. did
so, and what was my surprise to hear
a groan, and a heavy body came tum-
bling down"
Stringfellow, who had climbed the
chimney to be out of harms way. was
examined by a surgeon. One ball had
pierced his leg; the other had cut off a
thumb RpVOnd this he was uQfQ- |