The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-11-16
How an Ex-Confed-
crate Soldier Re
sented an Insult
BY ALAN HlNSDAlE

1
the country as a pedestrian tourist.
Collins had had a varied experience.
| Five years before he had been muster
ed out of the Confederate army. where
he had been sharpshooter. and gone
to the gold region on Clear creek.
Colorado, where he had prospected and
struck ore that had brought him for
tune. He was twenty six years old
and before undertaking any other work
concluded to see something Of the
world.
From Interlaken he went up the
cog railway to Scheidegg, from which
point he hired couple Of guides and
made the ascent of the Jungfrau.
Returning to Scheidegg, he was TAX
ing his supper,in the restaurant Of the
railway station. where a party of Ger
mans were eating and drinking One
Of them was an army officer. but was
not In uniform. An Englishman whose
acquaintance Collins had made was
with him, and he was asking questions
as to his experiences In the American
war, In which Collins had taken part
The German officer. who understood
English, overhearing what was said
and. being in his cups. let fly sheer
ing remark about the war In America,
impugning the Confederates for having
yielded in the struggle
Collins, who had seen and understood
the causes that led to the surrender,
could not have been touched In more
tender spot. The hot blood mounted
to his cheek, and, Selling a cup of cof-
fee that stood on the table beside him,
he drenched the man with its con
tents
He did this on impulse, but SO long
as duel was the result of the Ger
mans attack 1t was fortunate that he
acted as he did. because 1t forced his
antagonist to challenge him, and this
gave Collins the choice of weapons,
time, place Of meeting, etc.
He offered to give Captain Won sonn-
tag satisfaction on the following terms:
In the morning at 9 O'clock Collins
would walk out on path used by
tourists to get near view Of the gla
cier on that side Of the Jungfrau and
at half past would start in return,
the captain starting from the railway
station at half past 6 to meet him
Each was to be armed with repeat
ing rifle containing six shots. They
were to begin firing at will and use
all or any portion of the ammunition.
Captain Won Sonntag, who had been
champion short sword fighter while at
his university, was much put out by
this unheard of method and protested
against 1t, but Collins refused to fight
him In any other way and as an OH
Ger In the army ii was incumbent upon
him to fight on the terms named He
had no choice but to accept and did
so with bad grace.
Collins second, the EngliShman, ask
ed him why lie had inserted such sin
gular terms. Collins replied that they
gave him an overwhelming advantage
over his adversary. AS sharpshooter
in the Confederate army he had be
come proficient in all the lodges of long
iuhSt LiiN I-IllllS, anu III Tie lkUChN
mountains he had learned to judge
Of distance ut high attitudes. The
distance from the station to the gla
cier looked tritling; it was really con
siderable. He would be able to Judge
when he came within range and not
waste his shots before doing so.
In the morning. the necessary arma.
ment having been obtained. Collins set
out for the glacier, or, rather, a point
from which he might view 1t satisfac-
torily. and when his watch indicated
$50 sent out on his return, Won Som
tag starting at the same time from
the station AS Collins expected, his !,
opponent, deceived by the rare atmos-
phere, supposed him to be much nearer !
to him than he was and fired a shot !
soon after leaving the station. Collins j
raised his rifle to his shoulder but ONLY /!
to draw another shot His ruse was |
successful
Collins now took In the inequality |
of the ground before him with view |
to dodging shots, for he would soon be ,
within range. Just before descending
into slight depression he fired shot |
at his enemy, knowing that he was not |
yet within range, This drew shot, /
leaving the captain with three shots to |
G,i"i Us fitc. On emerging from
d. N Co.. '.'I IN his hat
A sncnt Ivan struck him on the shout. !
der. Quickly raising his head far
enough to get sight of his enemy
and withdrawing 1t us quickly, he saw
the captain exposed and advancing
Desiring to draw another shot before
coming into effective range, he exposed
himself and received spent ball in
his shoulder that turned him partly
around.
Won Sonntag was now left with but
one shot. while his adversary had near
~ as many rs he had at first. Running /
rapidly forward so as TO bring himself
within range, he sent ball within !
few inches Of his adversary's right |
ear, then another about the same dis.
lance from his other ear. This rat |
tied the captain. who fired bis last
shot, which went wild of the mark.