george Washington's" Last Duel: 1891

A sharp-edged comedy of manners that skewers the absurdities of Southern honor culture. When two young gentlemen, Jefferson Lewis and Pickering Lawrence, find themselves rivals for the hand of the sharp-witted Margaret, their competing claims lead inevitably toward the ritualized violence of a duel. But the real spectacle lies in the supporting cast: Major Nat, a blowhard of staggering self-importance, and his long-suffering servant George Washington, who navigates the ridiculous formalities of gentlemanly conduct with a weary dignity that exposes the whole enterprise as performance. Page's novel is both period entertainment and pointed social critique, revealing how the code of honor masks petty jealousy and how dueling etiquette provides a civilized framework for irrational violence. The humor lands still today because the characters remain recognizable: the men posturing, the women watching, and everyone pretending that pride requires blood.