OCR Text |
Show DREW THE LINE AT SUICIDE. Russian Nobleman Very Wisely De-' De-' dined Contemplated Duel. One of the stories told of D. D. Mann, one of Canada's big men in every sense was repeated during his recent visit to New York, when he was entertained at a dinner, the guests all being men of millions. Mann has had a sensational career, beginning begin-ning as an axman in the Canadian ' lumber woods, and is now one of the greatest of American railroad builders. A correspondent of the Cincinnati Times-Star, in telling the story, says that early in life Mann visited Europe on a business mission', and at a dinner din-ner one night became involved in a quarrel w,ith a Russian nobleman. Next day he received a call from one of the nobleman's friends, bearing an invitation to a duel. "If he don't like what I said to him, let him come up and tell me so," said Mann. "He j can come a-running, too, and carry any size gun he likes." The friend explained that would never do. Nothing but the regular thing on the field of honor would do. "Oh, all right," said Mann. ' "I've been fighting duels, all my life. But I'll have to insist on using my national weapon a 16-pound double-bitted ax." The friend went away holding up his hands at the barbarian. That night the nobleman met Mann. He was about the size of a ribbon' counter clerk. Mann is something over six feet high and four feet wide, with no fat. "I fight you, m'soo," said the nobleman, "with the weapon ol any civilize nation. But I be d il I commit suicide." |