The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1909-05-05
A Bayou That Was Larger
e Than the Mississippi.

CA4bSoEA-l
There Is n part Of the present City
Hall park in New Orleans which was
formerly called the Oaks and was a
famous dueiLas ground. Lying on the
noted sbeil road to Lake Pontchartrain.
not far from the city. yet deserted. 1t
Afforded a convenient spot for the du-
els 30 frequent among the creoles.
0ften when two rivals wished to
conceal the cause OF their quarrel they
would invent reasons. usually absurd.
For instance. one would declare that
the others hair was red when Il was
raven black or that the sun reTolred
around the earth instead Of vice versa.
II wns during q winter somewhere
about 1880 that Mss Caroline. Dickin-
son. visiting her aunt. Nine. La Tour.
in New Orleans. took the place social
ly By storm. Though $'autiful. her
character. set. 50 to speak. In Der
charming manners. won the hearts OF
many Of the young bloods OF the
Crescent City. Among them were
CASTOR L'Hommedieu. recently from
Paris. and Eliot whltford. whose fa-
TIER had originally gone there from
Virginia. Neither could feel any conf
dence In having secured the lady's IA
vor. but each was Jealous Of the other.
The truth was that Miss Dickinson
rraFarra1 NJ wbJtROrd
One morning about o'clock Nine.
In Tour entered her nlece's bedroom
They had been to some entertainment.
had sat up late talking 1t over and bad
a few minutes before parted for the
night. Miss Dickinson had begun to
dtsrobe.
My dear" said her aunt. your un-
Gle has just come in from the club
with some news which may interest
you. NJ. L'HommedIeu and N. Whit
ford are going to meet ut O'Clock
dawn-at the Oaks. and you are the
cause Of the meeting"
The news does interest me- re-
Piled the girl. with dismay. Suppose
one OF them should be killed.
ut would facilitate your making a
choice between them" replied her
aunt.
They shall not fight on my &c
count" replied Miss Dickinson. I'm
going on to the ground to stop them"
".slOney
mo. aunfSora1s going with me-"
An hour later cSleohs driven by
Nine. La Tour. containing tEUSsyo wo-
men. was speeding along the shell sSad-
The moon. which was three-quartetA
full. rendered the road less difficult to
follow at night. though. being white.
N was distInguIshable at any time.
Just asa faint streak appeared in the
east the eAleche entered the Oaks and
/ pulled up near what had often been
pointed out TO Nine. La Tour as the
duellnS ground. Presently a carriage
rolled up to the historic spot. followed
BY another. and BY the early twilight
two parties OF men were seen confer.
ring as TO the placing OF the principals
n the coming fight.
WHO'S the man with the box under
his armT' asked Miss Dickinson.
.Dr. Jules Eubdoux. BE Is always
called upon on such occasions"
Heavens. How horrible: What
abo-iaablc customs you have here.
AID the ran with the bundle of
stic!iS-who is he:"
Those are not sticks: they are ra-
piers. See. the principals are takIns
position"
The two women alIshted and walked
cautiously toward The duelIsts. The
oaks still east sufficient shadow to
conceal their advance. Suddenly as
there WAN !. clash Of steel Miss Dick.
I2snn. walking In advance OF her amt,
appeared on the srene. Both contest
ATS lowered the points Of their ra-
piers and stood lookin: Mt her with us.
constituent.
Gentlemen" she said. may l asl,
he occasion OF this meetincT"
nero WAS no reply for Il time: then
one OF the seconds stepped forward
ard. bowling profoundly. said:
M. L'HommeGieu. mademoiSeIle. has
asserted that the Seine Is larger than
the Mississippi. This NJ. whlt:ord ron.
ssidcred an insult to our noble river
and replied that the Bayou I.asorrrhe
is larger than the Seine. Thereupon
II. L'Hommedleu In defense Of In belle
REVERE Of France challenged NJ. Whit
ford"
Il am astonished." said Miss DIckiu-
son. that two gentlemen should quar-
rel about such an absurdIty. OF
course the Seine is not larger than the
Mississippi"
"Mademoiselle." said L'HommedIeu.
II accept your decision. II you also
decide that the Bayou Lafourche Is
larger than che Seine. l will apologize
to N. whitford."
"And II decide that the Seine il
larger than the bayou"
"That. mademoIselIe. should con-
slider great blessing"
And this affair Will cease?"
That is for N. whItford to say
And how would you decide that?-