The daily Alaskan., 1911-03-30
AN OLD TIME DUELIST By R. PEMBERTON SHADE Copyright. 1cic. by American Press
 Association.

land q young man named Arnold Kemper, who kept everybody about him in state of terror on account of his predilection 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 q poltroon and a coward.
 Kemper hal never been out himself, but averred that nothing had ever Oc- cured to necessitate his fighting. But if 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.
 If any one happened to stumble against the duelists foot or spill a drop of liquid on the rutfies 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 1t 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 ill avoiding offending him. Kemper was Tory, while the stran- ger was Whig. That was at time when the storm of revolution was brewing and opinions on one side or the other were running high. One evening Kemper was in tavern tell ing what he would do when it 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 profound bow to the man who had insulted him and retired from the tavern. Present ly one of his friends returned bearing a challenge to the stranger. It was accepted, and the challenged man, having the right to choose the weap- ons to be used. chose pistols and in sisted that the principals should fight in a dark room.
 Kemper declared such a meeting en- tirely without the code. The stranger said that he didn't care if it was. He would fight in q dark room or not at all. Kemper then declared the affair off. His friends were surprised. They told him that either he must fight or forever lose his reputation as a 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.
 It was agreed that the meeting should take place at tine tavern in room on the second floor and at 10 o'clock at night The shutters were closed so that not even a ray of star light could get in, and every article of 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 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 sound had been heard. But the chamber was large one, and the parties might in their ma neuvers have passed each other a num- Der of times without knowing it. Then suddenly a shot was heard One pis- tol had been emptied, and as each man 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 sakew exclaimed one of the party. "You can't have eaten your adversary"
 "Eaten him? No. I explored the room till I was tired; then I heard a shot. I didn't see the flash, for my back was turned at the time. Of course, after that he was at my mercy, and since I 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 ty to the big fireplace common in those times, and one of the party, holding candle there, exclaimed:
 "There's blood on the hearthw