The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1913-02-06
THE REVENGE
OF A FATHER
A Professional Duelist Who
Met His Match.

reconstructed it from its original letter
form. preserving the first person in
(which it WIS written:
M came to New Orleans il 1919 from
France | was sitting one evening.
soon after my arrival, in cafe when
an elderly main, about tifty-iirc.
think, stepped up to me and with II
broad southern accent said. ''iou nre
sI. Dcsmounes of Paris. believe.
sub =
II am and ut your service. monsieur
II am a stranger in the city. sub.
am \ planter from the interior of the
state. desire the services of some
one familiar with the code dnello and
have been told that you have oificiated
on several occasions ut meetings among
gentlemen. If it would not be too
much to ask. sub, l., would like You to
act 70 me in an affair Of Iona. sub.
He was Il typical Louisiana planter
of the period.
Il shall be happy to serve you. mon
sieur. hut | should like to know
something about the case"
"Certainy, sub. My opponent de-
clarcd publicly that General, jackson
at the battle of New Orleans used cot
| ton bales 70 breastwo'ks. told him
! that he was mistaken. He persisted.
l gave him the lie He challenged me-"
| was surprised. had not then
. learned Of the various methods among
gentlemen in vogue In the city of pick
ing quarrel which was based on an
other cause.
"Wcre you right?' ] asked.
Certainly, suh ! was present at
the battle, subj
"And who is your opponent"
"Camille Trndeau. sun .
! Camille Trudeau. Is he here? Why
nv dear sir, he has been out twenty
zines and always killed or winged his
man"
so | have heard. sub"
After failure to induce Captain st.
Ieger-the name he gave me-t0 find
way out of the difficulty consented
to act for him. His opponents second
| informed me that his principal. who
| was twenty-five years younger than
| St Iegef, would not kill the captain
/ IL no could possibly help it. st. Leser,
as the challenged party, selected pis-
tolls and ground under the levee n
few miles north of the city We pro-
ceeded thithcr at daybfeak the next
morning. | noticed that the captain
stepped from his carriage singeTiy and
walked ON to the ground with sight
limp. There also seemed to be some
thing the matter with his left arm.
We placed the contestants thirty
PAGES apar. The captain told me that
he was poor shot and named the dis
lance himself. They fired ut the drop
Of a hat. Trudeau was unframed. st.
I.eger received Il ball in the leg that
nearly knocked him over But he main
tanned his balance and awaited the sig
nal for another round. Trudeau looked
surprised He had aimed at the cap
tain's leg just below the knee and
knew that he had placed his bullet
there Such stroke should be Suffi
Client to put amy man out Of the fight.
We endeavored to induce the old man
to withdraw. but without avail.
Just before the next signal ! saw
Trudeau looking ut his opponents right
arm. rs il he intended to shatter it. |
was not surprised that he changed his
intention. for he could not carry it ont
without killing his man. When the
shots rang out Trudcau was.stil I'M
| harmed. St Lcger's left arm Swayed
and then hung limp. He stood rs
steady ny ever
Trudeau turned pale, Was he to
continue to put holes in his adver-
sary's members without any percepti-
bic injury? | confess | was puzzled.
Trudeau appeared to be ratified. The
captains shots had been drawing
closer to him. and this doubtless had
/ an effect upon his nerve
st. Leger insisted on another round.
When their hands were raised for
the next shot thought noticed a
deau's pistol. The captains face was
\ study. 1t showed plainly that this
time he was determined to kill his OPP
ponent and showed, further. great CON
fidence In his ability to do SO be
lieve Tr,ideau considered that his own
life depended on takin; his opponents,
But his nerve had gone. and he looked
anxious The captain stood straight
as ramrod on his wounded leg,
which he had not permitted the sur
geOn to examine and on which no
blood was visible. ] looked TO see 1t
oozing from under his pantaloons
where they We're strapped over his
boot, but looked in vain
At the next fire Trudcau's bullet
knocked st. T.eger's pistol out OF his
hand, glanced and buried itself in II
tree. Trudeau fell with a hole in the
center Of his forehead The others
present, except myself. ran to Tru-
deau. I started for st. Leger, but was
surprised to see him walk to the car
rage with no more impeachment than
his usual limp. He told me TO get in,
and we drove away.
"Your leg, captain, and your arm" !
exclaimed.
What about them
1.-The wounds