The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-01
A CHOICE OF
WEAPONS
By F. A. mitchell

When General jackson prepared TO
receive the British at the battle of New
Orleans. he depended upon the marks
manship of his army rather than Its
discipline. Nearly every man of the
Americans was good shot. At that
time Kentucky was q newly settled re-
gion. and all Kentuckians were hunt
ers, for their principal meat was game
The consequence was when the British
marched up In soldieriy alignment
against these rifiemen they were pick
ed or In such numbers that they suf-
fered q terrible defeat.
Zeke Brown was one of these Ken
lucky hunters who helped to win the
battle of New Orleans. Not long after
peace was declared between the United
States and England Zeke was left q
fortune by a relative in New York ana
concluded to go abroad to see some
thing OF the world. Americans were
in those days more popular in France
than In England, and he went to Paris
Zeke liked Paris so well that he re-
solved to stay there indefinitely. But,
having too much of the American spir-
1t to remain idle. he concluded to set
up small banking house to satisfy the
requirements OF his countrymen visit
ing the city.
Now, at that time there were news
papers in Paris that did not scruple to
obtain an income in an illegitimate
way-in other words, by blackmail
They would attack some one or his
business and wait either for hush mon
ey or an advertisement The Journal
Of the Nineteenth Century was a newly
established paper and was straining ev-
cry nerve to get start. This journal
published a warning against certain
American banking house, intimating
that 1t was intended to get in deposits.
after which its founder would return
to his native country.
Zeke was astonished. He consulted
lawyer with regard to suing the pa
per for libel and learned that it would
be useless to try to get judgment
against 1t, for there were no assets on
which to levy. He went to the news
paper Office. called for the editor and
was proceeding to give him an opin-
ion OF his rascally proceeding when he
was stopped and told that there was
one man connected with the paper who
heard all such complaints. The editor
tapped bell, and an attendant appear
ed, who was told to show the caller to
the Office of M. de Pombeau. On
Zeke's entry a gentleman, dressed in
the height OF fashion. arose to receive
him, bowling politely. Zeke told him
that he represented blackmail sheet
and IL the paper ever attacked his
business again he would "break his
jaw"
M. de Pombeau, unruffied, resumed
the seat he had occupied and whatever
he had been doing. When Zeke had
finished he left the ONCE.
The same afternoon Zeke received a
caller who bore a demand for an apollo
gy for his attack on the Journal Of the
Nineteenth Century or that he would
give M. de Pombeau satisfaction.
who's NJ. de Pombeauf' he asked.
1.-THE gentleman you saw this morn
ing. When there is any dissatisfaction
with the paper he attends to the mat
ter"
you mean he's the fighting manT
"Yes. monsieur"
~And In order to get satisfaction /
must fight for it7"
Eyes, monsieur"
eve sometimes fight duels In Ameri-
CO. I am not entirely ignorant Of the
code. AS the challenged party / am
entitled to the choice Of weapons"
Eyes, monsieur"
/ very well. will send you the
terms on which viii meet your prin-
cipaL"
"It Is immateriai TO M. de Pombeau
whether he fights you with the sword
or the pistol"
you mean he knows the tricks Of
both"
This elected no reply. and the gentle
man departed.
The next day he received by post the
following list OF ways that Zeke would
meet NJ. de Pombeau, who was well
come to make his choice between them:
ne PehtAaCS " h6ht OfCA a
handkerchief" form sometimes, but
rarely, used In America wherein the
disputants are separated by their sec
onds holding a handkerchief between
them 1t was certain death for both.
Second.-Bowie knives in room per-
fectly darkened.
Third.-Rifies at 800 yards.
Fourth.-The parties to swim from
opposite sides of the Seine toward each
other, holding pistol in the right hand
above water and begin firing at win.
Fifth.-Crowbars within chalked
ring ten feet In diameter.
i sixth.-Each disputant to eat sau-
sage, one of the sausages to be poi
soned. Two sausages were to be put
in a covered dish, ribbon 20 be at
tached to each and the disputants to
draw them by the ribbons.