Mason Is Challenged

Washington, March 15. - Senator Masón has been challenged to an encounter on the field of honor. A haughty Spaniard, offended by the senator's strictures on Spain in nis recent speech in the United States senate, has sent him a challenge, demandng blood. The challenge is contained in an open etter printed in a paper owned by its writer, and addressed to the newspaper men of Madrid. On the margin of the paper appear written several Spanish words, which may be translated: "This is for your honor, educated pig." As the paper was addressed to Senator Mason, it seems that this characterization was meant for him by the writer. Hnw the Challenge Keads. Following is the text of the letter, freely translated: "There is no Spaniard, not one, who las not feit his eheeks burn as he read what an innoble Yankee senator has permitted himself to say of our country in the open parliament of America. We do not know the thoughts of our patriotic countrymen who are in that country, and whosc fates are in the hands of this grotesque fellow who calis himself Mason. and who is either one of those crazy ruffians who everywhere abound, or else a worthless coward, who scolds like a woman without having the viör to conduct himself like a man. For our part, we desire to make to 'Mm a worthy response, for we are Sp9"!ardS, and Spain is bound up In our affections. without which life is worth little to us, much less, indeed, than is that of the pigs of the American republic. " Nasty Person in Questfon." "The nasty person in question declared that he would not sit at the table with a Spaniard without keeping his hand on his purse. This is quite creditable. The purse is the noble power of which Mason and his colleagues boast, as they do of their explosive balls and dynamite. But they are proud of nothing that becomes a gentleman, nothing which is reverenced by the sons of a country whose history is something more than a record of the butchery of hogs, and whose fiag is something more than the dollar. This fooi believes that all Spain is cognïzant of the loss of the Maine, because -we do not demean ourselves by making denials. But we have no need to attack save by the sword, nor to disgraee ourselves in making ready for a combat, and anyhow, it makes litüe difference whether the Maine was sunk by phameful carelessness or goes down before the rain of our projectiles. IMrects a Modest Challen!!. "Here I make this declaration which my heart dictates. To your honor, oh, degraded Mason. I direct this so modest challenge. Bring out your honor's fat bulk from behind the skirts of your honor's mother, or those of your honor's wife and daughters, if your honor has any. Come out of your honor's sty, pass over the distance. and if your honor wants to see how a Spaniard flghts, do not delay. Choose any place on the continent of Europe that pleases your honor, and your honor shall see that the most modest of journalists will meet your honor there, and will show your honor what your honor has never learned, and will teach your honor that here abounds that pride that you and your honor's friends so lack. But enough. loud-mouthed senator! Here is my challenge, sworn to and sent to your honored (?) hands. I ask that you will name the day on which the point of my sword may be tried. "MARQUIS DE ALTA VILLA." Mason Is Wlllins. "I am perfectly wilHng to fight this Spaniard," said Senator Mason, "anywhere, with any weapons. I will meet him in the Isle of Wight, and if he does not like that as a dueling ground we'l adjourn to' the Chilkoot pass in tht Klondike country. "The only stipulation I make is that before fighting he shall send me his dimensions. I don't care how tall he is, but I want to know his horizonta measurement. That is only fair. When you shoot at a target you want youi rival to shoot at one of the same size not one twice as large. I shall make no formal reply to this polite Spaniard because he has not made me a formal challenge. But if he means business I am ready to fight him."