Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-05-20

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the states l was obliged to so from my
northern home to South Carolina. 1
was sitting one evening in a cafe with
a friend when a discussion arose at a
table near me between an elderly man
and one who was, at least by compari-
son. young. The latter had been sit
ting alone at the table when the former
entered the cafe. stood at the entrance
looking about him. then walked with
limp to where the other was sitting
and, taking a chair, called for julep.
Neither spoke to the other. and it was
evident they were strangers.
But presently the older man address
ed remark to the younger, which led
to conversation. At that time the pro
and anti slavery parties were contend
ing, the one to make Kansas free, the
other a slave state. The man who had
entered last began to inveigh against
the border ruffians," as they were
called in the north, at the same time
charging them with committing innu-
merable crimes. 1 was rather sur
prised at this, since he spoke with
distinct southern accent, though at that
time the southern people were not unit
ed on the slavery question, indeed were
not united even after the war COM
menced
The younger man took issue with his
neighbor, averring that the south had
the right to carry their institutions into
the new territories as well as the north.
Whereupon the other became violent
and abusive. The advocate Of those
who were trying to make Kansas a
slave state endeavored to withdraw
from the discussion, but his opponent
would not permit him. Finally the lat
ter, waxing wrothy, declared that the
proslavery movement in Kansas was
conceived in iniquity and any man who
advocated it was a scoundrel.
The others cheek burned, but he con-
trolled himself, whereupon his oppo-
nent, who was evidently disposed to
drive him to the wall, said that man
who had such opinions and declined to
defend them was a coward. This fore
ed the younger man to resent the in
suit offered him, and, drawing a card
from his pocket, he handed it to his
insulter.
81 haven't a cahd with me, sub" said
the challenged man, but with yo' Pc
mission will write my name on the
back of yo's. 1 will send friend to
yo' Immediately to arrange a meeting
at 4 o'clock tomorrow morning. l must
leave the city at 6 on important bust
ness"
"And I, SIR" replied the other, have
| an important engagement in the early
morning which will prevent my fight
ing you till later"
IF yo' mean, sub, to crawl out o. the
affair l should be glad to know it now"
The goaded man, seeing me and my
friend sitting at another table witness
J ing this imputatlon on his courage, said
coolly to his tormentor:
Every well; since you wish to be
killed before breakfast l will put off
my other engagement and kill you.
will be at home for the rest of the
evening, where l shall await the COM
ing Of your friend"
He arose from his chair and went
out, leaving his opponent in possession
of the field.
He had no sooner disappeared than
the man who had provoked him beck
oned to my friend Mortimer, who left
me and went with him to an unoccu-
pied corner of the room, and the two
held a conference in a low tone. When
it was over Mortimer returned to me
and gave me a few words of explana-
ton. He said that he was to be the sec
ond in the coming meeting Of the man
whom he had conferred with, Colonel
! Ringold He had commanded a regi-
ment of volunteers in the Mexican war,
was a planter who owned slaves and a
man of high standing in the communi-
ty. Why he had provoked the man he
had sat with-Jerrold was his name
Mortimer did not say.
had a desire to see the end Of what
to me was a very singular affair, and,
fortunately for my purpose, being a
physician, Mortimer agreed to take me
with him in the capacity Of surgeon.
Meanwhile WIS to say nothing about
the matter Colonel RingOld had not
given his true name, and his opponent
did not know who he was. Since Nor
timer and 1 were the only persons be-
sides the principals and the colonel
would stay at home until he went to
the ground the secret was not likely
to come out
I confess had been much preju-
diced against Colonel Ringold for fore
ing a quarrel upon one who seemed
an inoffensive man.
you think Jerrold an inoffensive
man, do you?" said Mortimer. well,
/ will tell you about him. He is one
Of those persons who grow up under
the dueling system-it is rapidly dying
out here IN the south I am happy TO
say-who, having acquired great skill
with arms, conceive a passion for
making as many victims as possible.
He can kill the colonel If he wishes to
do so, but 1 shall use diplomacy to In
duce him to be content 20 wing his
enemy. There are but two persons who
know why the colonel insulted him
ihe colonel and myself. Jerrold does