Year: 1859

friendship, and say will promptly answer"
were the words that came back by the mes.
senger. They were followed by note
beginning My dear Broth er, wondering at
the offence taken by one 20 whom no prov
ocation had been given, confessing that the
writer had been on the previous night a
beast, accepting Gaslon's powerful abuse
as brotherly admonilion that he would have
taken from no other man on earth, and
apologzng TO the whole company of the
bedroom for his violence that morning, when
he had not perfectly returned TO his sober
senses.


CASTOR would have dismissed the writer
with contempt; while, like generous old
knight, he wished 10 suppress the letter.
But he had read aloud his challenge, and
he was compelled also to read aloud the
answer 10 it. Then he was urged to 60 10
Roderick and tell him that at least for ap-
pearance sake, little friendly duel was re-
quired Roderick thought that it might suf
flee if they both rode out into the woods
without seconds, to fight, and there, instead
of killing one another, killed the time for
half an hour. 1t was enough TO say that
they had fought Treaty was, however, at
last made!for. a fight with pistols loaded only
with their wadding of roe's hair.


Under this compact Rodeiick went out TO
battle. All the ladies of the castle were at
the window 10 see the duelsts depart. The
towards secret had not been betrayed TO
them; and, for the honor of the order, never
was. He was allowed TO edify them by
trying his two pistols, by making his horse
rear furiously, and by carrying two spare
horses, one, as he loudly proclaimed, TO
use liz the fight if his own sleed was shot
under him, one to carry him TO 'Andalusa
wher. he had killed his man CASTOR, az
challenger, had already ridden forth and
taken his position in the meadow.


The knights of the bedchamber, who
would not have crossed the threshold to
look on al anything so common as an ordi.
nary duel, kept their distance, and. .suppres
sed their laughter as they galoped out with
their heroic friend, who little, thought that
they were in the secret of his courage
They formed two sides, but Roderick claim
ed battle without seconds. He was in a
fierce mood, he said. A second might do
something 10 anger him, easily compel him
| to second duel, but he had an oath iii
heaven against fighting two men in day
So the antagonists met, and, alter short
par icy. in which The Young coward assured
! himself that his old friend had nolhfEg har-
der than roe's hair in his pistols, and that
it was impossible! they should have been
changed by any. accident, the duel on horse.
back with lprimGval pistols was fought
much alter the manner of the duel OF CATER
Jobslen, who fired half nighr-cap at his
enemy and covered him with buff, but re-
ceived in return bladder of pigs blood
that made murdered man of him before
the eyes OF all behoders.


There is nothing very clever IN the story
as story, but, as record of the good old
time, il shows pleasantly how the rough
behavior OF brotherhood of knights was
seasoned with restricted sense OF courtesy
and of the duty of forbearance towards one
another. Judged by that modern standard
which we are so often warned against ap-
plying 10 the measure of our ioreGathers,
the knight of old was an odd mixture of the
ruffian and the gentleman.