Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-01-05
Story of a Presidential
Campaign
[Origtnal.l

Yes, my dear, l have been the hero
Inc Of a duel. Sometimes l think that
II called upon to play the part again 1
would rather be the hero Of a duel
even II made a dead hero by my oppo-
nent, for I have never passed through
80 great agony Of mind as when two
men fought for me.
1t was the year General Harrison
was running for president, with John
Tyler for vice president. well remem-
Der the songs of the campaign, espe-
cially "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too" We
of the south took q great interest in
the election, and all the young men
were continually disputing. Two Of
them, Roy Gilbert and Fitz Hugh
Parke, were on opposite sideAvpolitically
and on opposite sides with regard to-
me, for both wanted me. Gilbert was
my %favortte, though l was young and
g1ddy and much pleased with the at
tent1ons Of both. Parke was a very
quiet, %unassuming nan with q soft
voice, while Gilbert was aggressive,
and, though a young man, "stumped,"
as they called it and still call it, 1 be-
lieve, for Harrison. He was consider
ed a good speaker in a demagogue
way, while Parke, a Van Buren, man,
could not make a speech to save his
life. l was much pleased to have two
men at swords points for me and con-
unually played the II off against the
other.
One evening while Gilbert was with
me l encouraged him to kiss me and
when he did so pretended to feel very
much fnsulted. I had often heard the
words, "Unhand me, SIR" in plays and
novels and used them on this occasion.
1t happened that Parke came into the
room just in time to hear them and see
me looking at Gilbert Indignantly.
Turning to him, Parke said coldly:
NH. Gilbert, it is not necessary that
l should pose as the young lady's
champion. We are known to be enc
mics in politics, and 1 will insult you
politically. You can challenge me on
that ground"
Il have no occasion to challenge
you," said Gilbert, pa,ing.
but I will give you OCCASION" re-
piled Parke.
The next morning an article appeared
In a newspaper charging Gilbert with
some rascality while in an office he had
held. The information purported to
come from Parke, and Gilbert either
had to challenge him-for in those days
such a course was expected in the
south-or lose the social and political
position he occupied.
l vas delighted with the affair till it
came upon me suddenly that by a
childish freak 1 had put in jeopardy
two lives; one, that Of Gilbert, being
necessary to my happiness. 1 sent for
Parke and confessed that I had not
needed a defender. He was much dis
pleased with me, but said that it would
be impossible to stop the affair with
out bringing out the truth, which
would compromise me. 1 begged him
to take the alternative, but he insist
ed that even by compromising me it
would be impossible to prevent the
duel, for to do so he would have to re-
tract the charge he had made, which
angered me and 1 told him that if that
was the ground or which they stood
I hoped Mr.. Gilbert would vindicate his
honor. This was but a momentary
feeling with me, for 1 dreaded the
danger which I had brought upon them
both.
I was kept in ignorance Of when and
where the meeting was to take place.
1t was not so necessary to keep the
affair quiet then as now, for the au-
thorities winked at duels, and it was
considered a part Of the presidential
campaign. Those favoring Harrison
ranged themselves on the side of Gill
bert, while the Van Buren, men favored
Parke. Harrison was the popular can
didate, with his log cabin home and
hard cider for his drink, while Van
Buren,, who was called a heartless arts
tocrat with his silver table service and
fine wines, was only liked by the up
per classes. On this account the
wealthy planters mostly sympathized
with Parke, while everybody else SYM
pathized with Gilbert.
One morning while I sat at breakfast
my brother came in and said that the
duel had come off at sunrise that day.
Parke was uninjured; Gilbert had fall
en-, but on being picked up unconscious
no wound could be discovered. The
surgeon said that he might have been
struck by the wind Of the bullet, but
Parke declared that he had purposely
fred wide Of the mark. Gilbert came
to himself, looked about him in a dazed
fashion, got up and walked off the
field.
The impression gained ground that
he had tainted from cowardice. The
Harrison men mostly ridiculed such an
explanation. but their man gave color
to it by disappearing from the locality
and WAS never seer by any one Of us
again.
1 vas very much chagrined by the
outcome. l did not regret losing my
lover, for l felt sure that he had dis
graced himself and now believed
Parke's charges. l hoped Parke would