Southern Standard

Challenge From A Lady.

The N. Y. Times says almost a duel took place at the Northern Hotel, in Courtland street, a few days ago. Among the guests of the house was a lady "fair and forty," who had lately returned from the golden shores of the Pacific and the conversation turning upon the late Woman's Rights movement, the lady took an active part in the discussion. She did not think it was woman's only duty "to love her lord with all her heart, and the baby as herself, and to bake good bread," and after dilating at some length on the wrongs of the sex, she made various statements concerning the state of the question in California.

A gentleman on the opposite side of the table questioned the correctness of some of these statements—the lady reiterated her previous assertions and her opponent retorted by intimating in plain terms that she was telling falsehoods. The blood of all the McGregors was in the lady's face as she left the room in a great hurry, and to return with a brace of pistols, one of which she offered to the man, with the demand that he should give her immediate satisfaction—"distance five paces to wheel and fire at the word." The masculine declined the contest, and again the feminine darted from the room. Understanding her opponent to say that he did not like pistols, and having the bump of accommodation largely developed, she made a rapid passage to her room, and returned with "broadswords for two" and he was again invited to a trial of skill, without shield or buckler. The gentleman cast one look to Heaven and another at the door. A quick calculation showed him that he might not reach the upper regions, and so he made for the door, which he passed through in time to have it closed on the avenging sword, and the almost frantic woman that was close behind him. He has not been heard of since, and the lady is now on her way to her home in the western part of New York.