Down the River: or Practical Lessons Under The Code Duello
This delightful divertissement is a lampoon of dueling culture set in southeastern Alabama, penned by a cousin of the better known humorist Johnson Jones Hooper. Interestingly George W. Hooper did not identify himself as the author, perhaps for fear that some enterprising duelist would decide he had been personally lampooned and take umbrage.\ \ The main character is a figure familiar in outline to readers of John Gorman Barr, J. J. Hooper, Joseph G. Baldwin, and other practitioners of...
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This delightful divertissement is a lampoon of dueling culture set in southeastern Alabama, penned by a cousin of the better known humorist Johnson Jones Hooper. Interestingly George W. Hooper did not identify himself as the author, perhaps for fear that some enterprising duelist would decide he had been personally lampooned and take umbrage. The main character is a figure familiar in outline to readers of John Gorman Barr, J. J. Hooper, Joseph G. Baldwin, and other practitioners of what is known as the humor of the Old Southwest. This tetchy blowhard is able to find a personal slight in every social circumstance of the most casual nature, to determine the only resolution that could preserve his personal honor is a duel, and then to find elaborate reasons why the affair d’honneur must be postponed indefinitely. The protagonist is accompanied by a Watson-like admirer of comparable wooden-headedness, who admiringly keeps track of all this punctilio—and constantly just barely avoids offending his patron at every turn. The work ends with the provisions of the real “Code Duello,” which cede nothing to the fiction in sheer ridiculousness.
Colonel Hurd Explains 9Lightning Pursuit 11Major Woodson meets Colonel Lofty 14Hercules Diogenes Lofty, M. D.-His Figure, Dress and Bow 16Major Woodson's First Note 19Private Drilling for the Campaign 24Major Woodson's Second Note successfully delivered 26As to the Proceedings preceding the Preliminary Correspondence in an Affair of Honor 31Colonel Lofty's Reply, his Whiskey and his Easy-Chair 38An Unesplainable Insult. Another Duel on Tapis 46The Midnight Duel 54A Conflict between the Code of Honor and the Civil Code 62Preparations for Departure 69We start Down the River 76Doctor King gives Comfort and obtains a Valuable Acquisition 79At Eufaula 83What Rumor said 86It is demonstrated that Rumor cannot always be relied upon 88Interviews between Doctor King and Colonel Lofty 91A Drink of Claret, and what it led to 97Neil's Landing 101As to whether an Intermediate Note should be delivered 106Doctor King searches for a Drink 111Colonel Lofty'sOpinion of the Press 113More about the Slide 119The Intermediate Note Question 124At Opelika 127Colonel Lofty's Card 132Colonel Lofty opens a Correspondence with Colonel Hurd 135Colonel Lofty's Correspondence with Colonel Strong 140Major Woodson selects a Second 144Colonel Lofty writes to Colonel Hurd 149Mr. Hardy meets Colonel Lofty 154At the Ruby 165Correspondence between Colonel Lofty and Colonel Hurd progresses 171Correspondence between Colonel Lofty and Mr. Hardy 177Colonel Hurd refuses to receive a Note from Colonel Lofty 181Mr. Hardy, from his sick bed, continues to correspond with Colonel Lofty 184A Masterly Manoeuvre 188Comments of the Press 194Colonel Lofty visits Opelika 200Colonel Lofty visits Columbus.-Comments of the Press. - Report of the Night Police 207Correspondence between Colonel Lofty and Colonel Hurd 215Colonel Lofty proposes a Partnership 224Postscript 231AppendixThe American Code 235Code of Dueling Established in France 250The Irish Code 262Certificates 268
