The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-02-09
THE INTERMINABLE DAVIS
FAMILY
They All Defended the Family Honor
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

until after peace came. Then lie came
to settle in the town where I lived.
The maiah had a good record as a
soldier. and it happened that we soon
became friends. The first time | saw
him | noticed that the lobe OF bis right
ear was partly gone, and / made up
my mind that bullet had inflicted the
damage. OF co'se I didn't refer to
it, and it was Il couple Of years befo
he made any explanation. One day as
he sat in my Office he made some allu
sion to his falling sight and added:
Colonel Vepables, there was a time
and it was not long ago that | had the
sight of an eagle. l think | had the
best pair Of eyes in the United States
Il made some appropriate reply. and
he went on:
"'Coionel, I'll tell you how good my
eyes were and see if you won't be as
tonished. At the battle of Cedar
Mountain l sat on my horse directing
the operations of my regiment when
saw Yankee soldier beside tree
half a mile away While / watched
him he drew up his gun and aimed at
me- / saw that he aimed to put a bull
let between my eyes Mind you. colo
mel, l saw all this as plain as see
you. 1 could not finch befo' my regi-
ment, and l had to sit in my saddle
and await my doom. After few sec
ondS his gun was discharged. I saw
the bullet coming straight for me. and
| watched it until it was within two
feet of my head. Then l lodged to
the left to avoid it, but did not dodge
quite far enough. and as conse-
quence the bullet struck the lobe of my
ear.
THAT was indeed wonderful | re-
piled, thinking he had been drinking
too much and was inclined to boast
"'Ycs, sub the majah went or, 1
saw the bullet every foot of the way,
and that's how good my eyes were.
I'm rather afraid that they are losing
their sight. although l saw bird the
other day Which was at least flying a
mile high
Then surely, majah, your eyes must
be all right. You are the only man
ever met who had seen a bullet in it's
fight
But maybe YOU don't believe my
statement. colonel he rctolted.
why. as you say you saw the bull
let | am bound to believe you, although
it was rare thing. | myself have
seen cannon balls flying about
Yes, sub, l saw that bullet, and
the man who says | didn't means to
Insult me-
II tried to turn the conversation into
other channels. but the maialr was OBJ
stinate and pcrverse and would not
have it. After a minute or two lie
said:
Colonel Venables, | want a direct
answer from you. Do you believe the
statement | made or do you not?'
You might have possibly been mis-
taken. majah,' | replied.
:" That is enough, colonel he stiffiy
said as he rose up. 1 will send a
friend to you, subj!
There it was plain and straight. and
within two hours the details OF Il duel
had been arranged We met and
fought the next morning The maiah
was a novice with the rapicr. and |
could have run him through within a
minute. l did not wish him any hurt,
however. l let him off with a scratch.
and We went our ways We would
probably have been friends again. but
within two weeks he caught the ty-
Plus fever and within few DAYS was
dead. After about three months a
stranger entered my office one day
and said that he had come to challenge
me with duel
why, man, never even saw youl
face befo'!' replied
But l am brother of Majah Da.
Wis, whom you fought few months
ago. You must give me satisfaction
According to the code of h0nah, il
you fought duel with man his rela-
tives coald take it up as long as they
ANN'SN'' IL NAiC DiOluSI Thought
that any stain had rested upon his rec.
ord he had right to challenge me. !
selected pistols, and when we met in
the grove l sent a ball through his
shoulder, and his bullet grazed my hin
In about fOu' weeks another stranger
entered my office. His name was Da-
Wis, and he was brother to the last
one, and he had come upon the same
GRAND. There was no hard feelings.
We spoke very pleasantly, and l agreed
to accept the challenge from him. |
selected rapiers this time, and we
wounded each other. He went away
home, and carried my arm in a sling
TO three or fou' weeks. Then, sub.
came the fourth Davis. He was a
brother to the others and fine spoken
man. l could not refuse his request,
as he had made journey of fifty miles
to make it. l returned to pistols this
time, and l wounded him IN the side.
and he wounded me above the right
knee.
1T was perhaps three months when
the fifth Davis brother made his call.
When he had introduced himself was
so surprised that l called out:
Heavens. man. have you come
about that old dueIS'