Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-01-18
TWAIN AS A DUELIST.
How a Tiny Bird Made Marks On.
p0nent Decline an Encounter.

How a Tiny Bird Made Marks On.
ponent Decline an Encounter.
Mark Twain in an installment of his
autobiography in the North American
Review for December gives his expert
ences as duelist in his early Journal
istic days in Nevada He describes
the preparations made for a duel be-
tween him and Mr. Laird. proprietor
of the Virginia Union, as follows:
THE boys were jubilant beyond ex-
preston, They helped me make my
will. Then they took me home
didn't sleep any-didn't want to sleep.
] had plenty of things to think about
and less than four hours to do it In,
because 3 O'Clock was the hour ap-
pointed for the tragedy. and should
have to use up one hour-beginning at
4-in practicing with the revolver and
finding out which end of it to level at
the adversary. At we went down
into little gorge about mile from
town and borrowed barn door for a
mark borrowed it of a man who was
over in California on a visit-and we
set the barn door up and stood fence
rail up against the middle of it to rep
resent Mr.. Laird But the rail was no
proper representative of him, for he
was longer than rail and thinner.
Nothing would ever fetch him but
line shot. and then as like as not be
would spit the bullet-the worst ma
terial for dueling purposes that could
be imagined. began on the rail- |
couldn't hit the rail Then l tried the
barn door, but couldn't hit the barn
door. There was nobody in danger ex-
cept stragglers around on the TANKS of
that mark | was thoroughly discour-
aged. and l didn't cheer up any when
we presently heard pistol shots over in
the next little ravine. | knew what
that was-that was Laird's gang out
practicing him. They would hear my
shots, and of course they would come
up over the ridge to see what kind of
record | was making-see what their
chances were against me. Well, I
hadn't any record, and knew that II
Laird came over that ridge and saw
my barn door without scratch OH 1t
he would be as anxious to fight as I
was. or as l had been at midnight be-
fore that disastrous acceptance came.
Now. Just at this moment little
bird no bigger than sparrow few
along by and lit on a sage bush about
thirty yards away. Steve Gillis whip
ped out his revolver and shot its head
off. Oh. he was marksman-much
better than | was We ran down
there to pick up the bird. and just then.
sure enough, Mr.. Laird and his people
came over the ridge. and they joined
us. And when Laird's second saw that
bird with its head shot off he lost
color. he faded. and you could see that
he was interested. He said:
"'Who did that?
"Before | could answer, Steve spoke
up and said quite calmly and in mat
ter of fact way:
"'Clemens did IT,
"'The second said: why, that is Won
derful. How far off was that birdT
"Steve said, oh, not far-about thir-
ty yards
''The second said: Well that is as
tonshing shooting How often can he
do thatY
"Steve said languidly, oh, about
four times out of FIVE!
81 knew the little rascal was lying,
but didn't say anything. The second
said: why. that is amazing shooting.
I supposed he couldn't hit a church,
"He was supposing very sagaciously.
but didn't say anything. Well, they
said Good morning. The second took
Mr. Laird home, little lottery on his
legs, and Laird sent back note in his
own hand declining to fight duel
with me on any terms whatever"