The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-05-04
A Veterans ArmOr
BY LAURENCE FOSTER CHURCH,

BY LAURENCE FOSTER CHURCH.
tCopyrighl, 1909, by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
Here is story | rescued from some
old family papers that had not been
oyerhauled in half n century. | have
reconstructed It from It's original letter
form, preserving the first person ia
which It was written:
came to New Orleans in 1915 from
France. was sitting one evening,
soon after my arrival, in cafe when
an elderly man. about ffty-fve l think,
stepped up TO me and with broad
southern accent said "You are NJ.
Desmounes OF Paris, believe, sub"
III am and at your service, monsieur
81 am stranger IN the city, sub. |
am n planter from the interior Of the
state ] desire the services of some
one familiar with the code duello and
have been told that you have officiated
on several occasions at meetings among
gentefnen If It would not he too much
to ask, sub, would like YOU to act fo'
nie In an affair of hona', sub"
He was typical Louisiana planter
Of the period. but withal having sol
dlerly bearing-tall, erect and with
grizzly gray hair
"I shall be happy TO serve you, mon
sieur. But should like to know
something about the case"
"Cettulnly. sub. My opponent do.
clnrcd publicly that General Jackson
at the battle of New Oleans used cot
ton bales fo' breastwoks. ] told him
that lie was mistaken. He persisted.
gave him the lie. He challenged me-"
| was surprised / had not then
learned of the various methods among
gentlemen In vogue in the city of pick
Ing quarrel which was based on AN
other cause.
Were you right?" asked.
Certainly. sub! / was present at
the battle, suh."
And who is your opponentT
Camille Trudeau, suh."
Camille Trudeau! Is he here? Why,
my dear sir, he has been out twenty
times and always killed or winged his
man"
$50 have heard, sub"
After n failure TO induce Captain st.
Leger-the name he gave me-to find
way out Of the difficulty, consented
to act for him. His opponents second
informed me that his principal, who
was twenty-five years younger than
st. Leger, would not kin the captain
II he could possibly help It. St. Leger
as the challenged party selected pis-
tolls and a ground under the levee a
few miles north OF the city. We pro-
ceeded thither at daybreak the next
morning. noticed that the captain
stepped from his carriage gingerly and
walked ON TO the ground with slight
| limp. There also seemed TO be some
thihg tke matter with his left arm.
| We placed the contestants thirty
PAGES apart The captain told mo that
he was q poor shot and named the dis
tance himself. They fired at the drop
| of hat. Trudeau was unharmed.
St Leger received u bah in the leg
that nearly knocked him over, But he
/ maintained his balance and awaited
| the signal for another round Trudeau
looked surprised. lie had aimed at
the captains leg just below the knee
and knew that he had placed his bull
! let there. Such a stroke should be
sufficient TO put any man out Of the
| light. We endeavored TO induce the
old man TO withdraw, but he would
not hear Of 1t.
| Just before the next signal saw
'rrudeau looking at his opponents
right arm, us II he intended 70 shatter
1t. was not surprised that he
changed his intention for lie could not
carry 1t out without killing his man.
When the shots rang out Trudeau was
still unharmed. st. Legers left arm
swayed and then hung limp. He stood
as steady as ever.
Trudeau turned pale. Was he to
continue TO put holes In his adyer-
sarys members without any percepti-
BILE injury? | confess l was puzzled.
Trudean appeared to be ratified The
captains shots had been drawing
closer to him, and this doubtless had
an effect upon his nerve.
st. I.eger insisted on another round
When their hands were raised fol
the next shot l thought ! noticed q
i slight tremor at the muZzle OF Tru
deaus pistol. The captains face was
4 study. 1t showed plainly that this
time he was determined TO kill his op
ponent and showed, further, great con
adence In his ability to do so. be
leve Trudeau considered that his owl
life depended on taking his opponents
But his nerve had gone, and he looked
anxious The captain stood straight
as ramrod on his wounded leg, whlcl
lie had not permitted the surgeon L
examine and on which no blood was
visible. l looked TO see It oozlng from
under his pantaloons where they wer'
strapped over his boot, but looked II
| vain. M.
AT the next fire Trudeaus bulle
knocked ST. l.egers pistol out OF hi
| h0n6 srlonpod on1 lurfad itcalf Ia ,