known that he, the speaker, was professionally cognizant of one of
these regrettable--should he say accidents?--arising from the chivalrous
challenge and equally chivalrous response of two fiery Southern spirits,
to which they primarily owe their coming here that day. And he should
take it as his duty, his solemn duty, in that sacred edifice to proclaim
to the world that in his knowledge as a professional man--as a man of
honor, as a Southerner, as a gentleman, that the--er--circumstances
which three years ago led to the early demise of our lamented friend
and brother, reflected only the highest credit equally on both of the
parties. He said this on his own responsibility--in or out of this
sacred edifice--and in or out of that sacred edifice he was personally
responsible, and prepared to give the fullest satisfaction for it. He
was also aware that it might not be known--or understood--that since
that boyish episode the survivor had taken the place of the departed
in the bereaved family and ministered to their needs with counsel
and--er--er--pecuniary aid, and had followed the body afoot across the
continent that it might rest with its kindred dust. He was aware that
an unchristian--he would say but for that sacred edifice--a DASTARDLY
attempt had been made to impugn the survivor's motives--to suggest an
unseemly discord between him and the family, but he, the speaker, would
never forget the letter breathing with Christian forgiveness and replete
with angelic simplicity sent by a member of that family to his client,
which came under his professional eye (here the professional eye for a
moment lingered on the hysteric face of Miss Sally); he did not envy the
head or heart of a man who could peruse these lines--of which the mere
recollection--er--er--choked the utterance of even a professional
man like--er--himself--without emotion. "And what, my friends and
fellow-citizens," suddenly continued the Colonel, replacing his white
handkerchief in his coat-tail, "was the reason why my client, Mr.
Joseph Corbin--whose delicacy keeps him from appearing among these