Gilpin observer., 1917-05-17
AN UNFOUGHT DUEL
Artist Drove All Desire for Con-
test Out of Challenger.
Display Of Marksmanship Sufficient,
According to Story of Student Days
Of Late William Merritt Chase.

A good story about the student days
of the late William NJ. Chase, the noted
artist, is told in the Century in illus
tration of the fact that although a
peaceable person Chase had in his ma
ture great capacity for righteous in
dignation. 1.-THE demand for justice
was one of his beautiful qualities"
writes Katherine Metcalf Roof. yet
his psychological processes were such
that the results of his acts were not
infreQuently in ludicrous contrast with
his entirely praiseworthy intentions.
A typical adventure of this sort befell
him in Madrid.
"He had heard a great deal Of the
cruelty of the Spaniard to animals
stories to which the painful sights Of
maltreated horses and dOnkeys usual
in Latin countries had given cOrrobo-
ration. One Of the tales that had par
ticularly inflamed him was statement
that the Spaniards were in the habit of
giving small quantity of poison to
dogs, but not sufficient to kill, in order
to amuse themselves with the sight of
the animals suffering. Whether true
or not, the story made great impress
sion upon the artists mind. One day
as he was passing house in Madrid
dog, frothing at the mouth and comfort
ed in apparent agony, tumbled out of
doorway, accompanied by pursuing
crowd Of men. The painters humane
indignation being aroused at this hOr-
rid proof of the truth of the tale, he
acted swiftly. Mercy demanded that
the animal be put out of its misery at
once. He raised his cane, and with
strong and unerring aim brought its
head down upon the animals skull,
promptly ending its supposed suffer-
ings forever. But the result was a
mob, much tumult. an angry and
threatening babel of voices in an un-
known tongue.
upon the sea of this picturesque,
but not reassuring, mob Chase was
borne along the narrow street until
they CHANGED upon circus tent. At
its door stood ticket man who was
able to act as interpreter, and when 1t
was revealed that the dog had been
suffering merely from a common fit,
and however he may or may not have
been treated in life, he was now, 1t
seemed, passionately mOurned by his
outraged master, whose grief demand
ed that Chase fight duel with him on
the spot. A sort of truce was patched
up, and the painter was allowed to go
home, but that afternoon he received
an invitation to visit certain cafe In
the evening In order to discuss the
matter further. 1t became evident that
the idea of vengeance still possessed
the mind of the bereaved dog owner.
"Now, Chase was crack shot. He
accepted the invitation to the cafe, and
while they sat there in clouds of
smoke, to the accompaniment of gui-
tars, he amiably amused his audience
with the exhibition of his skill, such
as cutting thread with shot, shoot
ing tiny tack suspended from NOV
ing string, and splitting card placed
edgewise in a crack in the wall. And
as the enthusiasm of the audience
waxed greater, from the tail of his eye
he saw his enemy shrivel against the
wall. 1t was clear that he had lost
all desire for contest of arms with
the painter. Chase heard no more of
the duel of the dog"