The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1913-06-14
AN AMERICAN
BLUFF WINS
Georgia Mans Adventure
With a French DueIist.

Abner Church after serving an ap-
at selling patent clothes
Wringer to the farmers of New Eng
land was selected to open one Of a
number Of agencies abroad for the sale
Of the same article. France was the
territory assigned him. with Paris for
his headquarters. "
He had no sooner opened his sales
room than he was called upon by the
Of Paris morning pa
per for an ad. Abner told him that
he was not yet ready. The solicitor,
taking his reply for refusal, intimat-
ed that if the paper didn't get the ad.
1t would be to the disadvantage Of the
enterprise. Abner replied that he came
from land where in journalism the
advertising and the newspapers opin-
Ions were kept separate in other
words, where newspaper blackmail
was unknown. The journal was well
come to fire away
The next morning an article appear
ed in the home columns of the paper
In question stating that all clothes
wringers tore the articles wrung in
them, and the Eureka sold by Abner
Church simply reduced them to rib
bons. Other such notices appeared at
intervals and were copied by other pa
pers. Abner made up his mind that
he must stop the SANDER on his ma
chine or shut up shop and go home.
He called at the Office Of the journal
that was blackmailing him and pro-
tested. He was listened to politely by
the editor Of the home department and
when he had finished was referred to
M. Jules Chicolet, another editor, who
he was assured would take up the case.
Abner found M. Chicolet sitting in
study furnished la Louis XVI. read
ing novel and smoking cigarette.
Abner stated his case. to which the
gentleman listened attentively and at
the end asked: =
do I understand, monsieur, that
you accuse our journal of blackmail-
Ing you?'' r.. ....~&
That's what it looks Ike
Then as representative of the pa
per have the honor to refer you to q
gentleman who will call upon you this
afternoon"
Abner said that all he wanted was to
be let alone, but while he was talking
M. Chicolet passed out of a rear door
and left him standing alone The
wringing machine agent went back to
bis store to think the matter over.
While there a genteelly dressed
Frenchman entered and said he came
to arrange an affair between NJ.
Church and NJ. Chicolet.
Il have no quarrel with NJ Chico
let," said Abner. 'Who the dickens
Is NJ. Chicolet anyway" -.
Pardon! Monsieur, being an Ameri-
can, does not understand. M. Chicolet
Is the fighting editor of the paper
Writes up duels, you mean"
No, monsieur; NJ Chicolet writes
nothing. 1t is his duty to give salts
faction to those who think they have
been insulted by the journal and to de-
Tend its honor. understand you have
accused it of matchmaking you. You
must retract or fight" -.
"You tell the fighting editor that my
grandfather lost an arm on the south
ern side at Gettysburg. and we
Churches would rather. die than lay
down. Tell him I'll fight him with RI
des at 500 yards
The visitor nrOtostod tho+ S,,cb DooD
ons were not used in Paris, to which
Abner replied that in America no one
fought with anything. else. and he
would fight with the weapon he could
handle and none other.
When the fighting editor received the
news that he must stand up against an
American rifle it occurred to him that
for that occasion at least he would earn
his salary. He was perfect swords
man and dead shot with pistol at
short range, but had never fought with
rifles. Abner. who had all the so call
ed trickery of the Yankee as we'll as
the fighting proclivities of the Geor-
gian, had sent him word that he'd bet
ter make a will, since he proposed to
aim straight at his heart and he had
never missed, anything with rifle
Just after daylight one morning the
fighting" editor drove up to secluded
spot in the Bots de Boulogne, alighted
with his attendants and waited for his
antagonist. Presently an automobile
appeared. On the roof was something
OF black hue and oblong shape the
nature Of which could not in the dim
light be detected Abner alighted, and
the porter Of his store removed the ar
ticle from the roof and carried it on to
the field. M. Chicolet went up to it for
a look and saw a coffin, on the lid Of
which was a silver plate bearing the
name "Jules Chicolet. Died'-that
very day.
M. Chicolet shuddered. This gro
tesque American way Of fighting threw
him of his balance Abner stood near
the coffin, leaning on a long rifle and
looking at the man he intended should
occupy it with 4 strange, diabolical
stare. One Of the attendants, seeing
that the fighting editor was losing his
nerve. asked If there was no hope Of
an arrangement Abner replied that
the journal must lef him alone. A con-
ference was held between the seconds,
and It was agreed that Abner should
withdraw his charge of Matchmaking
and the paper would publish an item
In Its home department especially COM
mending the Eureka wringing machine.
Then the party drove to a cafe, where
they breakfasted, together, while the
coffin was carried on the automobile
to the undertaker's shop from which