True stories of old Houston and Houstonians: historical and personal sketches / by S. O. Young. Page: 69
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HOUSTON AND HOUSTONIANS 69
HOUSTON'S LAST AFFAIR OF HONOR.
I SAW the other day where a Frenchman had offered to give
any one 10,000 francs who would furnish him with a new
sensation. I don't know what that Frenchman's record in.
the sensation line is, but if I could fix up the stage, as it was
once fixed up for me, I could get his money easily.
I know of only one sensation I have not experienced-that
of having killed a man. Now as I practiced medicine for about
five years, I can see some of my friends raise their eyebrows
over that statement, but if I have ever killed any, I did so
scientifically and did not know it, hence my conscience does not
hurt me. I have experienced the sensation of being nearly
killed myself two or three times, and on one memorable occasion,
I came face to face with the ghost of a dead man I had
cut up half an hour before, and I had the time of my life in
the sensation line when I did so. That was what I referred to
when I spoke of fixing up the stage for that Frenchman a moment
ago. I am not going to tell any ghost story now, and I
refer to it merely to let the reader understand that I am a bit
of an expert when it comes to sensations.
To be guilty of taking human life must be the most terrible
thing on earth. No matter what the circumstances are, there
must be keen regret, if not agonizing remorse at all times. I
once knew a man who had killed three men. He was actually
afraid to go in the dark, not afraid of the living revenging
themselves on him, but afraid of the dead. It was said that he
killed the second man to get rid of the first, and the third to
get rid of the second. He got tired of the ghosts and wanted
a change of companions. Now all this is simply a prelude of
the story of a young man who resides in Houston, who is prepared
to go in court and swear to the agony a sensitive person
feels after he has "got his man."
Some years ago there were two young gentlemen here who
were great friends but who were constantly falling out with
each other-kind of lovers' quarrels, as it were. One (perhaps
both) is here now, so I shall not call names, though the truth
of the story will be vouched for by hundreds when this recalls
it to their memories. One day these two youths had a most
bitter and serious quarrel, and their companions saw a good
chance to have some fun. Instead of trying to bring the two
together, they widened the breach and magnified its importance
until finally they induced one of the boys to challenge the other.
They took the challenged party into their confidence and
told him that no balls would be put in the pistols and only
blank cartridges would be used. Under these safe circumstances,
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Young, Samuel Oliver. True stories of old Houston and Houstonians: historical and personal sketches / by S. O. Young., book, 1913; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth24646/m1/69/?rotate=90: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.