, 1861-09-12
Duelling Extraordinary.

4 certain number vi wrOng-headed gentlemen
who took pleasure in getting up disputes. Sol
diers OI all ranks had ample opportunities Of
picking quarrels whenever they wished it, and
often when they did not wish it. In seventeen
hundred aud ninety four captain Of hussars,
named FournI.r, uged in this amusement
to hI, hearts content AT u later period, his
merit aud his courage earned him the epauI.ttGs
Ol general Of division. His aggressive temper
and his address with arms rendered his name
celebrated in the annals Uf ducls. lie WAS invar-
iabiy the victor in these unfortunate meetings; /;
and StrasLOurg had to reprOach him for the loss
Of several Of her sous Gu the most futile motives
OI quarrel, and especially for having killed, OIL
very tTIIiIng grounds, young uan named Biune
GENERALLY beloved, the only support Of nu.
merUus ianiIy--whom lie had challenged without
any plausible reason, and slain without the
slightest pity The death Of Biume was re-
garded as u public misfortune, aud sympathiZed
IN by public mourning.
On the very tlay Of Blumes funeral, General
Morcau gave ball, to which we're invited all the
members Uf the high bourgeOiSc. twas desirable
tO AVOID the ScandalUuS scenes which could not
tail tO take place between the fellow townsmen,
perhaps tue relations, Of the unfortunate deceased
and the GggressOr, who was styled his murderer.
General MOreau therefore, desired his aid de.
So"pI Sdpldthl aAtSlNaiho
who capitu,atcd at Bay!en, 10 prevent Captain
FourIier lrOm entering the ballroom. Dupont
stationed himself in corner Of one of the ante
Chambers, and immediately he caught sight Of
hlin, accosted him abruptly.
WHAT are you going u do here:"
All! That S you, dupont! Good evening.
Parbleu! YOU sec what am doing | am come
to the ball."
Are you not ashamed to come to ball the
very day Of the funeral Of that poor unhappy fel-
low BIuine! What will his friends and his rela.
tons sayI
"rney may say what they please, it is all one
to me. But, should like " know, what bust
ness is that Of yours."
It is eyerybOdy'S business. Everybody Is
thinking or talking about it,"
Everybody is wrong, then. l don't like peo-
pie to poke their noses Into my affairs. And
now, II you Please, let me pass"
You shall not go into the ballroom"
And, pray, why"
Because you must take yourself OF instead.
he general orders you 10 retire to your own
apartments"
"Am turned out Of the house!"
"NO, it is merely precautiOn."
Are you aware oi the consequences Of turn
ing Fournirr out Of dOorsg"
q do not want to hear any Of your rbodo
montadrs. Just nave the goodness to take your
self off,"
Listcn!" said Fournier, in fury. 81 can
not have my revenge Of the General, because he
is my superior officer; but you are my equal
you have presumed to take your share in the in
suit, and you shall Pay for the whole u it. We
will tight!"
Listen, in turn" replied Dupont al have
long been out OF patience with you ! am dis.
gusted with your bullying ways; and hope to
give you lesson which you will long reInem'
6er."
Fournier passed sleepless night lie would
have gone mad with vrxatiOn, had he not been
conSoed with the hope Of killing Dupont. But
the result Of the combat was not what he eA-
pected, for Dupont gave hin n irighttul wound.
You ftnce well, said Fourner, as he fell.
Not badly, as you see"
Yes; but now know your game. You
won't catch inc another time -as will show you
when ain well a-an."
You wish another encounter ?"
"Parbleu! That's matter Of course"
In fact, after few weeks nursing, Faurnier,
for the second time was face to face with his ad-
versary Il was now his turn. lie gave Du-
pOnt home thrust with the comment:
"You see clearly you hold your hand too low
to parry properly. After you have made your
thrust, you give me time to stick three inches Of
cold iron between your ribs"
"This is only the second act" cried Dupont
Wen come tc the catastrophe as soon as posi-
ble"
Fournier would have liked to conclude the
third act by the aid Of the pistol, but Dupont
claimed the military privilege which Obliges OIL
GERS to fight with their swords Dupont was
wise IN maintaining his right, for FournierS exp
rience as pistol shot is remembered with aston
ishmcnt. He had accustomed his servant to
hold between his fingers q piece Of money,
which he sent flying with bullet at iye-and
twenty PAGES distance. And frequently one Of
the husSars Of his regiment, as he galloped past
smoking his pipe, as surprised to find il smash
cd between his lips, without snspecting that
Fournier had amused himself by making a tar
get Of the tobaccO.bowL
The catastrophe, SO we must styleit brought
about no decisive result; they each received q
irifling scratch. Then these two wise heads, an
nOyed at so negative a result, agreed to con-
tinue the struggle until one Of the two should
confess himelf beaten, aud should reuounce oil
further resistance. They, therefore, drew up
the following little treaty, which still exists in
the possession Of Colonel Berger:
l. Whenever Mesieurs Dupont and Fournier
shall happen to he within thirty leagues distance
Of each other. they shall each perform half the
for the sake Of q meeting, sword in
hand:
u. u one Of the two contracting parties is IN.
avodably hinderel by his military duties, the
PARTY who is free shall travel the whole Of the
distance, in order to reconcile the necessities Of
the service with the exigence Of the present
trraty:
III. No excuse shall be admissible except
those resulting from military obligations:
". The present treaty being entered into IN
good faith, its conditions may 10 modified with
the consent OG the parties
This treaty was executed Whenever tho
two madmrn werc able to meet, they fought, and
the most extraordinary correspondence, in the
second person, TOO. the most hmililiAf form Of