American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-07-19


or floats where gambling is, with their know
ledge, carried on, are if convicted to be fnet
in hike manner. The act is to take effect on thu
first Of August next."
GERMAN STUDENT LIFE.-As you walk th
streets OF German university town you canno
fail to remark the groupe of students, distin
gulshed, by their picturesque dress and blael
portfolios from all around them. Most O
them wearthe sign of their respective "chores'
or college societies-a small colored cap, yellow
green, white, or red and silver, according as The
n wearer is q ssSwabian," s. Vandal," g Prus
sian" or g 1Westphalian's chore brothero--th,
quarter from which he comes, however, by Il,
means determining his college associations
1ndeedthe Berlin and other Prussian student
at Heidelburg not unfrequenty are members D
n the Swabian and Westphalian sschores" Yol
must notice, also, that upon very many face.
there are one or more scars that rather iniure
the expression of a set of uncommonly hand
some countenances. And if you ask the cause,
you are told that these are the trophies won in
the duelling room. When you are further in
formed that the authorities have no control over
students, (who are answerable to their own IA
Guilty alone, and that from one to three or four
duels occur daily, you can hardly help regard
L
and lawless place. So much for i" first impress
sions." But go with me to view the actual
combat before your judgment is pronounced.
Through the kindness of an acquaintance was
/ enabled to be present ut the meeting of two ra-
ther noted combatants, which took place as
usual in the half of o little secluded inn, op-
posite Heidelburg.
The introduction was hardly necessary; you
have only to be known as q stranger, to come
and go freely. When we entered, the anteroom
was occupied by the parties to the first duel,
and their seconds and assistants, who were
dressing their principals. Others were lounging
about, smoking and handling the weapons,
laughing and chatting as if it were no very
serious affair. l saw the whole process Of rob-
ing. The right arm was first enveloped in band
ages of silk, then stuffed sleeve drawn over
it, so as to cover it entirely, and at the same
| time to cucumber the arm so much that the
daellist must support it upon the shoulder Of a
friend who stood by him for the purpose Then
q padded leather breast-guard fastening behind,
covered him from knees to throat; he drew on
a thick stuffed glove, like boxing-glovc, but
with long stuffed wristlets; donned a cap also
stuffed with long leather visor that shielded
his face, and waspronounced ready and led to his
| place on one side of the larger hall. BY one
| side stood his second, similarly guarded but in
a less degree, and on the other the arms-sup-
porter. The "schlager," pointless double
| edged sword with basket hilt very 1.-THE and
flexible blade, and length of about two-and-
one-halffeet, was given to each of the principals
and to each second, and every thing was pre-
pared.
No combat may last more than fifteen min
utes, exclusive of pauses for rest; and the um.
pire stood with watch in hand, and gave the
word, "Fertig (ready) Lost" (go.) All four
1 a1 10 Lo1J l.o...
pons 'en garde, the hilt elevated, and the point
downwards; and the seconds, who are to parry
and not strike, keeping close behind their prn-
cipals. They were soon met, when blow was
struck; both seconds interposed their blades,
cried "Halt!' and all four marched back again.
| This was repeated again and again until the
time was up, and then the two heroes were un-
packed and" satisfied" BY this, you see,
| there are two men to guard, and but one to
strike, each blow, and nothing but the end of
the nose, the tips of the ears and small por-
ton of each cheek, can possibly be hit; every
where else sword-proof armor defends them.
But one blow is allowed, and no feint is per-
missible indeed, the swords can scarcely cross
before the word is given to stop and the swords
Of the seconds interposed. They run no possible
risk except of an ugly scar, and of that not
much. ] saw two duels fought, in which nei-
ther was touched, though the second pair
fought with much spirit and one of them was
left-handed-a fact which gave him no little
advantage. The principal damage was done
| TO the weapons, two or three of which were
snapped in the course of the fight.
Regarded as duels, the student combats are
absurd; they are nothing more than q sword
exercise, attended with the risk of an uncom-
Portable and dishguring scratch. They GER
tainly offend against any moral law no more
t,ar foot hall mat oh md ,,uh 60 a
| by the university statutes, they are perfectly
notorious, and never interfered with. You may
see in the print-shop windows large litho-
| graph, representing a student duel, with oil the
| figures and likenesses, land very good ones y
| and to make assurance doubly sure, the auto
graph fac simile Of each is beneath the print.
Any other combatis extremely rare, and only
| occurs when some serious qnarrel is the cause.
Within two days, however, the first meeting
for mortal QUARREL" for year past, has Ia
ken place. The parties fought with sabres, and
undefended by armor. Otherwise the same
regulations as to time and the interpositon Of
the seconds were observed. One of the princi-
pals was severely if not fatally wounded by n
cut over the head and now lies in great danger.
The other fed Immediately beyond the Badish
frontier Another such will not probably oc-
cur for two or three years, and duels with the
pistol are almost unheard Of So that, as you
may see, the students life is far more peace
able one than I" first impressions" would lead
one to suppose.
| Know WHAT YoU EAT.-Capers afford one OF
the few examples in which the flowers of the
tree are used as food they are the unexpanded
buds Of the caper tree; when allowed to remain
ON the tree they expand into large white flowers,
| from which hangs long tasscl Of lilac stamens.
Few imagine, as they dine on mutton and
capers, that they are deyouring the embryo Of
several hundred large trees in the form of buds,
which, if left alone, would have produced a
white flower with lilac stamen.
At Monmouth, H., a new style for gentle
i Al - IL sa