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Show IIAITY END OF A DUEL.' HOW A DEADLY INSULT WAS PAID WITHOUT LOSS OF BLOOD. Two Captains of tha Hume Ilrlment Attempt At-tempt to Settle u Score That I.ioifrml from Their Wit Point Kays Of Connie a I. inly Was the Cause. An emblematic button of the Loyal Legion udomed tho lapel of a cheviot coat worn by Maj. Oscar Hell at tho Albany. "A story, eh?" laughed the ex-army officer, uk he detached his eyeglasses from the bridgo of his nose and looked in a good natured way at the expectant ro- j porter sealed beside him. I "Well, letnmo see. The smoke of Hhiloh is a chestnut now, and the battle of the Wilderness probably has Ix-en I smothered from further interest byapro- j fuse growth of weeds. By Jove! lean give you a little incident thut has never been in type. It hapjiened in lHlilt, when our regiment wm in camp at a little Missouri town called Lexington. I wore a captain's straps at that time and did the hhoutiiui for Company 15. ThecaptaiiKif f 'otnpany I) was named Henry l'oor. Unknown to me he detested me, and nil bei auso I once made a pun on his name while at West Point. Being a yoiini? man of stringent means ho was murtully oirendt d, but later seemeil to have overlooked an unintentional Rally of wit that I got otT at his expense ainonjr ,1 Kroup of fellow cadets. "Well, when we pot our commissions' the loaded diro of fate threw us both in tho same regiment, and when tho war broke out wo went to the front under the same colonel. As I said before, our regiment regi-ment caniied ut Lexinifton, Mo., near Kansas City, or West port, as it was known in ihosedays. Among thuwents that transpired during tho two weeks of our sojourn was a grand ball, given at the rcsidenco of a loyal northern woman, for Lexington, althougha MisMiuri town, had great respect for tho Confederate colors, and a great many of its citizens heartily sympathized with the southern rause. At the ball several of the officers 'jf our regiment were invited Poor and myself included. TMK rriAI.I.ENOK. "During tho evening 1 placed my name on the programme of one of the Lexing-tnii Lexing-tnii belles, but when 1 called for the dance I was horrified at the discovery (hat my name had been deliberately erased and that of Poor substituted, evidently evi-dently by himself. When Poor and the young lady started off amid the seductive strains of tlie orchestra my blood fairly boiled witli indignation. Later in the evening I caught ("apt. Poor in the gentlemen's gen-tlemen's dressing room alone. I slapped him roughly in tho face, uud told him just what I thought of him. He did not resent, it there, but tho next day I received re-ceived a challenge from him to fight a duel. "I bad never fought a duel, and I hesitated hesi-tated homo time, but rather than Ik) accused ac-cused of cowardice I consented. The mailer was placed in the hands of friends, and one bright moonlight night five dark figures sneaked out of the cmp and into a neighlxiritig wood. The fifth figure was that of a doctor of Lexington, who had been let into the secret and consented con-sented to act, iu consideration of a big fee for his services. To every appearance appear-ance the duel was t bo a tragic one, al- though I thought at one time 1 detected a slight smirk in tho features of the seconds, sec-onds, who were mutual friends of the detenu i tied pri nci pals. " 'Measure oil ten paces,' commanded the doctor as he wiped a tiny stream of M issouri nicotine from his chin whiskers. Tho doctor was to act as master of ceremonies. cere-monies. The space was measured. " 'Bring on tho weapons,' was the next command. Tho seconds brought forth an ominous looking bundle carefully care-fully wrapped up in oilcloth. Capt. Poor shuddered. I was tonally nervous. Ugh! the weapons were evidently wicked sailers, sa-ilers, nnd it would lie a duel from which neither principal would emerge alive. Wo took our places ten paces apart and stood glaring at each other, patiently wailing for tho supposed swords to be placed in our hands ready to pierce each other's heart. TUB RKSIXT. " 'entleinen, here are the weajions,' exclaimed the doctor aa two larsje baseball base-ball bats rolled out of the oilcloth. He advanced and placed one in the hands of each principal. 'Mind, gentlemen, you aro not to violate the rnle to keep ten paces apart. Are you ready? "Capt. Poor and 1 gazed at each other. Tho seconds wero doubled up on the ground in convulsions of laughter. Even the doctor smiled, and to cap the climax a silvery lauirh from a woman's lips broko tho stillness of tho air as the fair causo of the duel strode on to tho duel-ins? duel-ins? ground with eyes sparkling with mirth. " 'Do be sensible, gentlemen, and shake hands,' said she. 'There is going to bo another party next Tuesday evening, even-ing, and I will divide my programme of waltzs with yon both if you do,' "I looked at Poor, and we met half way and s'mxik hands. The ludicrous contemplation of a duel with baseball bats at a distance of ten paces was too much for ns. We laughed heartily after casting a reproachful glance at the mischievous mis-chievous seconds who put the job up on us." At this juncture there was a rustle of ! patin near the hotel elevator, and the major arose in response to a signal from I a well preserved lady. As lie loft the reporter he said, with a sly wink of his lef t eye, ' I ot that young lady for life, though, and Poor is np in the Sionx country now, and still a bachelor." With theso parting words he disappeared into the dining room with the wife of hifi romanceDenver ro-manceDenver Republican. |