The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-04-21

principal ana second. IL they desired
it he would be happy to manage a
meeting for them.
"Yo' see." he added. "lf the lady
hears that you have had street fight
about her she'll turn you both down.
But If she hears that y.> have fought
for her in gentlemanly way she'll be
much fiattered, and the man that wins
will have a tol'able good show"
This settled the matter. Mr.. Thiba.
deaux took charge of the affair entire.
ly, making all necessary arrangements,
providing second for each principal
and sending to neighboring town for
"sawbones." The time appointed
was the next morning at o'clock.
the place to be where Cy Atkins had
met the subject of the dispute. Mr..
ThibadeauX said that in Louisiana.
where he had picked up his knowledge
Of the code, l. WAS considered bad taste
to talk about such affairs. ana they
were usually kept secret. In this way
vulgar crowd was avoided. and II
the fight was about lady 1t was
deemed more respectful to her.
A bit of gunplay in the street would
not have necessarily called together
crowd. but such Il novelty as duel
was sure 10 do so. 1t did not get out IN
Shakedown City that an affair accord
ing to the code. arranged by promi'
nent Louisiana 6uelist. was to take
Lac h. f,clN .NAr h.
meeting. Consequently the lady who
Nrs TO be fought for went to bed OBJ
livious TO the fact that two men were
to meet the next morningtat I O'Clock
in mortal combat to decide which
should give way to the other in an eff
fort to obtain her favor. Indeed. hav-
ing looked over Shakedown City and
not being pleased with it. she had de.
termined to make an early start the
next morning for the place from which
she had come.
The secret OF the duel was divulged
by one of the seconds at the Golden
Eagle saloon about midnight, and
most of those present organized a
small game to last till morning with
the intention of adjourning from the
sitting to the dueling ground to wit
ness real high toned shooting match
as practiced liz the state of louisiana
Such All affair had never been known
in Shakedown, and. though the citi-
zens had heard Of the code duello. their
knowledge CT 1t was very haZy.
About half past each principal in
the coming affair, attended by his Sec
ond left his residence and proceeded
to the ground. The master of cere
monies was accompanied by the sur
gcon, recent medical graduate. who
had gone west to establish practice.
but had never seen gunshot wound in
his life. At the same time crowd
emerged from the Golden Eagle saloon
and trampec down the road. Arrived
at the appointed spot. Mr. ThibadeauX
marked or the ground, taking care
that neither of the disputants was
placed so that the sun would shine in
his eyes. He made the distance thirty
PAGES. which, he said. was usual In
such affairs. Each man was handed a
revolver that had passed inspection by
both seconds and stood ready for the
signal to fire. Mr.. Thibadeux said
that dropping a handkerchief was the
most approved method. But there
were very few handkerchiefs In the
surely distinguished by the principals.
Therefore 1t was decided to drop hat.
Meanwhile a horse and buggy was
seen emerging from the town. and just
as the seconds handed the principals
their weapons the vehicle drew up in
the road beside the battle-ground.
whats goin' on?" asked a woman
who was driving.
Mr.. Thibadeaux, lifting his sombre-
70, advanced to her and explained that
a duel was about to be fought about
a woman.
what woman?"
Zone that came to town yesterday,
NAM"
"well. what has she got to do
with it,"
The matter was briefly explained to
her.
During the conversation the princi-
pals stood looking at the lady, recog-
nizipg her as the person about whom
they had quarreled. The crowd, too,
turned their faces from the disputants
and gaped at her.
''See here, you galoots over there!'
she called. you don't want to fight
about me. / got husband and three
children. And If | was single
wouldn't marry either of you. My
husbands sick, and Hilton, where we
live, Is run down. l come over yere
to see If there was better chance to
make livin'. / wouldn't live in the
town If you'd give it to me, and
wouldn't marry any man in it IL
was single. So there! Git up, Sal"
And, giving her horse the whip, she
passed on down the road.
The duel was called off, all adjourn
ing to the Gold Eagle saloon, where
the principals shook hands and called
on all present to nominate their pizen
Then Mr.. Thibadeaux, calling the
crowds attention by an ahem! said:
"Gents I mOvp that n committee Inc