Show AN ABJECT CT APOLOGY MAJOR NARROW ESCAPE FROM FIGHTING A DUEL the colonel W Was kot not only willing but anxious u straighten out the affair the stranger stronger nex itze the feel ings lugs of the man lie ile something like twelve years ago james 11 II woodard now private secretary to C P huntington but at that time the indiana correspondent of the cincinnati enquirer met with an adventure in mobila fob lIO Is worth retelling woodard told the story himself and therefore any one acquainted quain ted with him will understand that it may be relied upon as strictly true at that time john it mclean iclean and others had become interested in the construction of a railroad from mobile to the shores of the gul gulf at the entrance to mobila bay on one occasion woodard was sent down to look after the interests af 6 the thi northern stockholders expecting to remain there for several weeks lie ile took quarter at one of the leading hotels the idne which he be preferred above all others on account of the general superiority of its cuisine lie ile had been at the hotel for several days and everything was moving along with him to his entire satisfaction but one fateful morning when at breakfast the waiter aset et before him a plate of fried fish to which lie was compelled to object it was not only an unsightly object but exhaled a most unsavory odor judging by the smell the fish might have been kept over without salt from the previous seasons catch and moreover it bad been scorched badly in the trying calling the waiter back woodard requested him to remove the fish which he did then thinking nothing more of the affair he lie went on to finish his breakfast while thus engaged lie was astounded at having the objectionable dish thrust under his nose accompanied by the demand from the cashier addressed to him in an insulting tone what hev hey to say against that fesh woodard indignant at being thus addressed replied with some asperity that he le based hla his objection upon the tact fact that it was unfit to be placed on the table too particular fer ter this house bouse responded the cashier as he dropped the plate onabe on the table and turned away IS TUB TIIS HANDS OF THE TILE COLONEL As be he was about to rise from the tabla table woodard Woo ilard was handed banded a note from the landlord requesting him to settle his bill and seek accommodations at some other hotel botel since it appeared his present hostelry was not conducted in rf a manner to suit his fastidious tastes this was a stunner lie he had special reasons tor for wishing to remain at the hotel and yet did not feel like seeking the landlord and humbling himself ta to the extent of apologizing he Ile determined to think over the matter for a few hours before deciding on leaving the hotel he went directly to the office of a lawyer who had been retained as the attorney of the railroad company and was thero there introduced to a gentleman somewhat past middle age of courtly manners and dignified appearance whose title of colonel beeme seemed d tp fit tit him as though he had been born bom and bred to it after a short time devoted to business woodard became suddenly impressed with the thought thou glit that his friend the attorney might inight be lie able to dissipate the cloud of trouble between himself and his landlord and he accordingly related the incident of the breakfast table before he had time to gay say a word as to what he wanted in connection with the affair tho the colonel broke in upon him with major woodard will you do me the honor lonor to place this matter in my hands it will afford me great pleasure plea suro to serve you sir air and I 1 feel warranted in assuring i you that you will have no cause to regret having confided the settlement of the affair to niell me woodard promptly assured his new now friend that he would bo be only too glad to a wept h his 1 services and thanked him tor for hu 1 generous offer to serve a stranger say no more on that point major re spondee spon ded the tile colonel it is true that our acquaintance Is quite young but sir air I 1 feel i have warrant for saying that any man who has been presented to me by my mend friend the judge here must be a gentleman and it la is the imperative duty as it ifould be tho the heartfelt pleasure of one gentleman to serve another afat inquiring if woodard could meet I 1 him I 1 here at 12 ol elock and receiving an 1 fl answer the colonel withdrew and W woodard lard after finishing hla his business rith the attorney went about hia his business promptly at 13 12 he returned to the attorneys office there ho lie inett met ijo colonel whose face fairly beamed mith ith satisfaction SETTLED WITHOUT BLOODSHED if it ts is all right major said he be as be he taught sight eight of woodard Woodi ird everything Is factory lie ile will apologize amply d abjectly you will have no further aible there sir lie claims that the case alvas ts cromly misrepresented ente d but we care for that so 0 o long as he makes his in befitting terms woodard had great difficulty in concealing his at the words of the colonel but managed to express in fitting language his appreciation of the service done him say nothing of that major replied the colonel this baa has been a real pleasure to me in these the degenerate days when we and find men luen settling their differences by resort th or to abb it 15 ifft a t true dell ee glit 1 t to meet a man wao w no arue has r respect p c for the code and it is a genuine pleasure to befriend him I 1 am not quite sure however that it would not have been more satisfying had the cur shown some spirit so that we could have had bad him out and the colonels voice oice took on a faint tone of regret as he lie added and you should have shot him sir air like a dog As an understanding of the true state of the affair dawned dawned upon mind and he be realized that only the cowardice of the landlord bad had prevented a resort to the duello he felt a procession of cold chills marching up and down his spine with an energy of mo movement ement that compelled him to drop into the nearest chair lest his knees should begin knocking at each other and betray to the colonel the presence of a man with even less stomach for fight than the landl landlord bra when ho he had by great effort managed ed gad to pull himself together he be accompanied mp ni tha the colonel to the hotel v hero where the landlord made ample apology and gave assurance that his guest gue st should never again have cause caufie to complain of ungentlemanly treatment but it was a long time before woodard could trust himself to order fried fish for breakfast lie ile had however established a reputation with tha the colona I 1 for courage and devotion to the code and that was some compensation for his ills scare scam indianapolis journal |