The Yale expositor., 1911-01-13
AN OLD
TIME DUELIST
BY r. PEMBERTON SLADE
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.


prevalent among the higher classes
there lived In a small town In Mary
land q young man named Arnold
Kemper, who kept everybody about
him In a state of terror on account of
his prediction for the code. He knew
OF every meeting between prominent
men that had occurred in the colonies
from the settlement OF Virginia. He
often declared that no gentleman
should refuse to fight when challenged
and If he did SO should be posted as a
poltroon and a coward.
Kemper had never been out himself,
but averred that nothing had ever oc.
CURED to necessitate his fighting. But
II Here he would end his prophecy
Of what he would do In case he were
insulted, but only so far as words were
concerned, for the expression on his
face was something frightful to be-
hold. Girls would clutch their lovers
arms and tremble for them. The men
themselves looked upon the threatener
with mingled fear and admiration.
II any one happened to stumble
against the duelist's foot or spill a
drop of liquid on the rufies that
adorned his shirt front, Off would come
the unlucky mans hat and out would
come an obsequious BEG your par
DON" Kemper would scowl, then his
features would relax and he would
say, Certainly; it was accidental"
leaving those present to infer that if
It had been intended it could only be
washed out in blood.
One day there came to the town a
quiet, unobtrusive young man who,
knowing nothing of Kemper's reputa-
ton for ferocity, was not so careful as
others in avoiding offending him.
Kemper was Tory, while the stran-
ger was a Wing. That was at a time
when the storm of revolution was
brewing and opinions on one side or
the other were running high. One
evening Kemper was in a tavern tell
ing what he would do when 1t became
necessary to defend the kings sover-
eighty, whereupon the stranger walk
ed up to him. pulled his nose and said:
THAT'S the way would treat the
king"
Every one present expected to see
the stranger annihilated. Kemper
rose from his seat, made a profound
bow to the man who had insulted him
and retired from the tavern. Present.
~ one OF his friends returned bearing
q challenge to the stranger. 1t was
accepted. and the challenged man,
having the right to choose the weap-
ons to be osed, chose pistols and in
sisted that the principals should fight
In q dark room.
Kemper declared such a meeting en-
tirely without the code. The stranger
said that he didn't care II 1t was. He
would fight In dark room or not at
all. Kemper then declared the affair
of. His friends were surprised. They
told him that either he must fight OF
forever lose his reputation as n duel
ist. Kemper demurred. Several days
passed, and the stranger who had
pulled the terrible mans nose still
lived. Then Kemper. finding that
those who had stood In awe Of him
were treating him with contempt.
yielded.
1t was agreed that the meeting
should take place at the tavern in q
room on the second floor and at 10
o'clock at night. The shutters were
closed so that not even a ray Of star
N~hf In nj foIA -
furniture was removed from the room.
There were two doors to the chamber,
and each of the principals was let In
to It by one Of these doors. Once In
they were to remain standing by their
respective doors till the word "Fire"
was given by a man outside with
stentorian voice, after which each
should be at liberty to kill the other as
soon as he pleased.
Ten minutes after the signal had
been given not a sound had been
heard. But the chamber was a large
one, and the parties might In their ma
neuvers have passed each other q num-
Der of times without knowing 1t. Then
suddenly a shot was heard. One pis-
toi udu DeeH eupIleu, anu as edCu udu
had been supplied with but one weap-
on with a single barrel half the bat
tie had been fought. Several minutes
elapsed, and another shot was heard.
Then the doors were thrown open, and
those outside rushed In with candles.
Only one Of the participants, the
stranger, was visible. He looked as
much puzzled as the rest.
For heavens sakev' exclaimed one
Of the party. "You can't have eaten
your adversary"
Eaten him? No. ] explored the
room till ] was tired: then ! heard
shot. didn't see the fash. for my
back was turned at the time. or
course, after that he was at my mercy.
aud since ] couldn't kill an unarmed
man concluded TO discharge my pis-
tol In the air. The only way to do that
safely was to fire up the chimney"
This turned the attention OF the par
" TO the big fireplace common in those
fiunea and Ono 0f tho arfv holding n