Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-11-03
AN AFFAIR
OF HONOR
BY THOMAS R. DEAN
Copyright-by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

The civil war gave those who par
ticipated in it all the fighting they
wanted for many a year to come-in-
deed, for the rest of their natural
lives-but it left its effects in a differ
ent way on many boys who were too
Briton was seventeen years old when
the Confederacy collapsed. and he ever
after regretted that the fight hadn't
been kept up long enough for him to
get smell Of powder.
When Peter was twenty-one this
spirit developed with a desire to take
part in duel. He maintained that
affairs among gentlemen would better
be settled by the code than by bloody
noses, though why blood coming from
| a place where there is little or no dan
| ger rather than one where death may
be instantaneous did not appear in
Peters logic. He mistook himself.
The reason he believed in dueling was
because he rather fancied getting into
duel.
When this fad with him was at his
height he went abroad. Dueling has
always been more or less in vogue in
all the countries in Europe and is SO
on the continent today. Peter went to
London, but no one insulted him there.
and he continued on to Paris. Even
in the French capital he saw no
chance to participate in his hobby, so
he went on down into Italy.
The middle class Italians are a peace
full people. and Peter found himself as
far as ever from duel. Fearing that
he would be obliged to return home
without scrap. he resolved to pick a
quarrel with some one In a restau-
rant in Rome he saw man Mt neigh
boring table eating macaroni in man.
ner displeasing to a well bred Ameri-
en-. Peter signified his displeasure by
calling to the man not to make a Dig
OF himself. The man. instead Of Civ
ing verbal reply. tossed the contents
Of lumber Of wine in Peters face
and went on eating his macaroni. Pc
ter wiped away the wine with his |
napkin and laid his card on the maca-
roni eaters table. receiving one in re.
turn.
Picking up the mans card. Peter took
it to an American friend Of his, Gun
ter. and told him the circumstances.
Gunter looked at the card and ex.
claimed:
Good gracious. man. you've chal.
lenged Castelnr'
md who la CaStnJIi -, -. |
THE principal Of the fencing school,"
Peters face fell.
Hes not only that" Gunter went
on: hes a noted duelist."
Peter turned very pale.
He's not only noted duelist, but
ne kills his man every time There is
a great deal Of prejudice against him
IN Rome, but he finds all the pupils
ne cares to have among the young
Roman swells who may possibly some
lime need to use his instruction. They
ind him splendid teacher"
But can't we use pistols?" asked Pc.
ter. I've done a lot of good work
with the pistol" ,
You. having challenged the follow. {
Will have to fight with any weapon he s
nay select" &
That's so. I didn't think of that"
VI course he'll choose foils or ra-
'fers. though he is a dead shot with
he pistol"
Il don't like this fix" said Peter. Civ.
ng shiver. What can I do to ret y
tut of it?''
don t see what you can do, but III n
mink 1t over and try to hit on some
nan. Since you are the insulted party il
ou dont have to fight unless you wish b
D. Dut you don't care TO put yourself
the position of coward, l sunnose" n
NO" said Peter. II don't wish RI W
o that"
Well. stay here till you hear from d
1e" -oAi =,
REFER passed terrible half day: then
ne door or his room was thrown oman l.,
nu Two men entered and babe him ro n,
'lth them. They placed him in q car. h,
age and took him to O large bui,dirn
'at ne thought was hospital. 1t was -,
iuhatic asylum. He was put into 9,
'om oy himself with an iron grating =.
the WINDOWS and locked in.
refer never experienced sucb low
rellef in his life as he now fnit ~ ~
cked up in a madhouse. where tho y, y.
'"c'ns master could not get Mt him ~,
e recognized in his imprisonment q $3.50
meme or his friend Gunter, who had -
'uotieSs taken out papers to have him 81
as lunatic. an
Inc next day Gunter came 70 sea h,, M
III admitted the plan as his own W ".
unter told Peter that he had soon ca
isteil' and advised him that petor
Us not responsible for his acts. Cas-. n'
II was very much disappointed At no
:. oeins able to add one more to tho sh'
I or those he had killed. tn'
Feter asked Gunter how lone :. dis
'uiu De necessary for him to remain 4
maniac and could get no definita sec
'ponse But one day Gunter bronght ere
u letter of apology from Caste,,i Out
Ter greatly surprised. asked how hn ou'
q secured it. A'" ne lea
1 circulated report" REPLIED crn re
:; :, among Castelli's pupils that =. wo
insulted a lunatjc and - Wv