The Cairo bulletin., 1906-05-01
A Valuable Second
loriginal.l

Y
| My friend Dawes was rs gentle q
being as lever knew one day he sur
prsed me by making reference to u
duel he had once fought In the south.
"You;" exclaimed. do you mean
to tell me that You have fought q
| duclT
"Once."
"a thought yon We're opposed to duel.
ing"
II am. 1t happened this way; When
young naA lived ia Ohio. a state, AZ
you know, which then bordered on
lucky. Chester Gay, came across the
Ohio river and persuaded me 10 EN-
bark some capital with him in raising
blooded stock Ia the blue grass region.
| was pleased with the idea or IN open
air occupation-I was not in very good
healthand accepted his offer. He was
twenty years my senior and la every
way fine man. But he was modest
and never told me what | learned In
time that he was very neryy. He was
afterward killed leading a Confederate
regiment at the battle OF Shiloh.
I'VE had stocked our farm and every
thing was running smoothly when
Abraham Lincoln was elected president.
The announcement was signal for an
opening of those secession guns that
doomed sharply and successfully for
some months. Gay was opposed 10 Sc
cession, and would have had no trou-
BILE had ii not been for red mouthed
man, one of the numerous 'col0nels
Of the south, called Plummer, who,
knowing that | was a northern man,
perfectly satisfied With the existing ma
tional status, made ii his business to
drive me out Of the state. | learned
afterward that he wished to marry q
girl had met and TO whom | was be-
coming much attached, He was good
deal Of a gambler, as some OF the +. +.
X 5 were IN those days, and noted
duellst-th that Is. he had been out Il
number of times and was dead shot.
IL kept my mouth closed as to politics,
but that did not save zoe. one evening
Plummer approached me and fred
auInber OF insulting remarks that
called for resentment. | paid no at
tention 10 him. for | saw his intention
to force me into a fight. but went i'm
mediately TO Mr.. Gay for advice IN the
matter. He sat thinking for a few
minutes. then said quietly:
YOU'RE one the horns Of dilemma.
One horn Is that you must give up
your interest In our stock farm and
this love affair OF yours, for you would |
not be justified Ia marrying Il girl with
your reputation sluirched as 1t would
be among her associates and her fam
lily unless you resent a public Insult.
The other horn is to challenge Plum
mer. My advice is for you 10 challenge |
him After that you can leave the |
state, II you like, with an unsulIled |
THAT IL, if | leave II at all. Be |
sides. am bitterly opposed TO dueling.'
."..Oh, / don't think there will be much
Danger
sion ON my friends face questioned
lim further. but could get no satisfac-
DRY explanation Of his meaning. His
wish that should fight and the belief
hat Il failure to do SO would cost me
he girl | desired to make my Wife de-
,ided me. Besides, | didn't like such
treatment aud was seized with the de-
Iire to bore hole IN Plummer. | had
never been out, but ! was no mean
'hot with either rife or pistol. | sent
'lummer challenge through Gay.
a meeting was arranged To take
Dlace in the early morning at seclud-
ID spot on the Kentucky river. | ar
lived with my friend before the OPP
losing party and | confess felt much
depressed, but when the others ap-
feared the sight of my enemy and the
of his abusive language
# the night before made me hot |
orgot both my preiudices and the
hances of being Killed. 1t had been
rranged that we were to fight with
)erringers at forty PAGES and continue
al WIZ pOtAi oNN'oANN'
We took our positions, the seconds
little distance aud load
ng the weapons As soon as they had
lone this Gay approached me and
anded mine to nae, while Plummer's
econd did the same for him.
1T was an unpleasant half minute
While stood there looking ut the muz-
lie OF a pistol in the hand of dead
hot Gay gave the signal, and we
Ired almost together. was so certain
hat had been hit that imagined /
cit warm blood trickling from my
renst. But stood stock still. There
vas most surprised expression on my
nemy's face He had aimed at the
enter of my body. and yet was un-
armed. He called for another shot.
lis second tried 10 dissnade him. but
allied, and the pistols were reloaded.
THE next time Plummer fired a see
nd or two after me. and ! knew he
'as taking deliberate aim. Never
leless neither OF us was touched. This
me the look on the colonefs face was
iore than surprise: IT was astonish-
rent. He threw down his weapon and
reclaimed:
"'By Geo'ge. gentlemen, I'll neye' fi'e