Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1846-08-15
TILE BEAR CHASE,
A SOUVENIR or An OLD HUNTER.

One evening, u short titnc after the bat.
tie Of Fontenoy (l745,) n group of the
kings body-guard was Congregated near
the I.1tola basin, al Versailles, listening
to two of their number discussing q subject
which atthat time was rarely a matter of
controversy in military circles,
"Reluse a duel after u public a1font r.
exclaimed the tallest ofthe speakers, whose
bronzed features were rendered almost f-
r~Qcious by a thick red m~oustache. ut Is
u stain that all the waters Of the dcluge
would not wash away"
Il repeat, Monsieur de Malatotr,' re-
Piled the other in u calm, polite tone,
that there is more true courage in rcflis.
ing thanin accepting u. duel. What Is
more common than 10 yield to passion,
envy, or vengeance aud what more rare
than TO resist them Therefore it Is d
virtue when exhibited at the price Of pub
lie opinion for what costs nothing, is cs-
teemed as worth nothing"
"a marvel Monsieur dArgantre,
would advise, fever the king gives yo,
the command Of a company, to have en~
| craven uponthe sabres of the soldiers, tht
COMMUNICATIVE shalt do no murder /
sand wherefore not His majesty
would have better servants, and the coun
try fower plunderers, If we had in our reg
imentmore soldiers and fewer DULLES
Take, as an example, him with whom
YOU seem SC. much incensed has he no
nobly avenged what you call m afFronf b
taking, with his own hands, an enemy
c~olOrs, while your kHaves most Iikel
formed prudent reserve behind the baf
gage 4"
"Cowards themselves have their INC
ments Of courage
"And thebraye also their moments {
fear"
"The expression is not that off gentle
man..
s1t is that of Monsieur de Turenne
whose family equalled either Of ours, an
who ayowed that he was not exempt fror
such moments. Everybody has heard {
his conduct to a braggadocio, who boaste
in his presence that he had never know
fear. He suddenly passed a light undo
the speakers nose, who instantly drew
back his head, to the great amusement @
the bystauders, who laughed heartily a
this singular mode oftesting the others as
sertion."
"None but q marshal of France had dar
ed to try such a pleasantly. Toour sub,
iect, sir. / maintain that your friend is
coward, and you-
"And =" repeated D'Argentre
Ibis eyes flashing, and his lips firmly com
pressed.
"Holla, gentlemen !" exclaimed a thir
party, who, owing to the warmth of tn,
argument, had joined the group upper
ceived. "This is my affair" said he t.
Monsieur d9Argentre, holding his arm
then turning to his adversary, added
sINonsieur de Malatour, | am at your OF
ders."
SIN that case, after you, if necessary,
said D'Argentre, with his usual calmness
"Bymy honor, you charm me gentle
men! Let us 60"
"One moment" remarked the new con
er, who young as he was, wore the eros
of st. Louis"
"No remarks. Gentlemen, hasten"
"Too great haste in such cases eFidel
ces less a contempt for death than a
anxietyto get rid Of his phantom"
II listen, sir p
"Monsieur d'Argentre just now state
fbat the bravest have their moments
fear. Without taking as serious his at
ecdote of Monsieur de Turenne, | sha
add that, with the exception of the diie
kence that exists between muscles ar
nerves, the courage Of the duellist is mo-
an affair of habit than Of principle for
is the natural state Of man to love Peac
ifnot for the sake of others, at least fl
himself. Doyou wish me to prove it z
Enough, sir, we are not here to list
to sermon.
"Yet a moment. Here is my proE
sition we are all assembled this eVeniI
previous to our leave of absence i inv
Won. then, and also these gentlemen prese
. to a bear hunt on mr. estate, or rather
! mongst the p~recipices Of Clat, in the Ea
tern Pyrenees. You are very expt
|, Monsieur de Malatour-you can snuff
b candle with a pistol at twenty PAGES, a
YOU have no equal at the small-swo
Well shall place you before a bear, q
if YOU succeed,-I do not say in lodging
ball III his head, but merely in firing
on him-T shall submit Immediately al