Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-09-30
"Where shall | find you tomorrow p
,aid one Of the officers, addressing Al

"Where shall find you tomorrow 7"
said one Of the officers, addressing Al
fonse.
Elk your ground" |" was the reply.
"No tomorrow !" said the officer who
had received the blow /" this instant p
"This instant be it, if you please" re-
piled Alfonso with the utmost indiffer-
ence.
al shall not sleep tonight until the
blow is avengedp said the other, foam
ing with rage.
IL too, want to un-numb my hand
have hurt my knuckles against your
cheek k-bones," said Alfonso.
"Where would they fight at such a
time of night as this ?" observed some Of
the officers.
"ln the garden, behind the cate',''-
cried the ancient maitre d'armes -" a
sword in one hand and billiard lamp
in the other"
But" said Alfonso, I" | am tired. |
know your style of fighting men, Crane ;
you want to make me break ground, and
drive me step by step round the garden
Don't think it, my lad. Besides the
lamp may go out But if you have no
objections, the billiard table will be a
good arena. We shall be well lighted,
and there will be no means of drawing
back a foot"
"Be it so," said the other.
The doors were closed, and they laid
hand on the waters and the proprietor
of the cafe, who were a going to 'Ae
police. The swords were then brought.
The two adversaries cast lots for them,
and then pulled off their coats and waist
coats, and unbuttoned their shirts to show
that there was nothing under.
Both then took their swords.
The officer wrapped round his hand
a handkerchief, leaving both ends dang.
ling. Alfonso neglected this practice
the object OF which was to distract the
attention of the adversary by the perpe-
tual futter of their two white points
thus to turn away his attention from the
sword. But Alfonso had manner o.
fighting of his own, and cared little fol
those pretty proceedings. He neve'
looked at the steel but fixing his eye Oh
that of his antagonist, anticipated every
motion that he made.
The two wrestlers, or gladtatorS,
might say, got on the table together, ane
according to the terms or conditions a
| greed on between the students and thu
: officers, wrestod their swords on tn,
= toes of their boots. A traveller from {
e commercial house who happened to b.
present, and could have no interest il
: the scene, other than what its novelty ex
i cited, was fixed on to clap his hands three
times, and the third the swords were
upraised in the air, and the two combat
a ants came to guard.
A terrible silence reigncd throughou
the room, and for some seconds it wa
. only broken by the clashing OF the steel
} for both parties,-as they skirmished,-
r were we'll aware that a single taur pa
t was death. The slightest stepping back
3 shrinking of the body, or leaping on ont
: side. must inevitably prove fatal.
J. The officer was a head and shoulde
taller than Alfonso, and looked as thoug
: he could crush him; but he little heed
S ed this advantage, if advantage 1t wa,
1 for he by degrees lowered his body III
Y he was right under the sword of his toe
: and almost bent himself down upon tn
b bed Of the table. No other change in hi
S attitude then took place.
d All at once the officer, taking this po'
d ture for the effect of fear, made turlor
e lunge, which was parried with the grea
+ est sang troid and skill, and Alfonso a
lowed the officer to return TO his groun
l. without attempting to return. His az
Il versary was deceived by this sort OF
,, mid defence, and become more adveI
c turous, attacked him again with lncrea'
/ ed furv--so much SO, that, thrown o
d his guard, his foot quilted the cushion
If the table, against which it had been fix
!, ed. Then It was that Alfonso made
/ rapid lunge at the officers face. Hee Ell
t deavored to regain the ground he ma
n lost, to resume his position. The stu
If dent would not give him time, and char
g ged with impetuosity his disconcerte
d enemy, who could only avoid his thru'
a by keeping his body bent backwards
', Alfonso forced him to the edge OF u
table, when his foot tripped, and at th
:. moment drove the sword up TO the hi
T. in his heart.
i, The unhappy officer cried out" Hi !
)" hit |" then he raised himself to his II
re height, and fell backwards from the t
of the table to the floor.
- A,EI xy,s fbo co,1nd the weight