Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-02-23
SERIES VOL NO. 49, SATURDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY 3d. 1867

face to face, the advantages of the sun hay-
| ing been fairly divided, 50 that each had it
on one side and neither in front. By the
necessity of the arrangement Perdous was
placed with his back to the canal, the banks
of which we're a little higher than the ground
| on which he stood, and from which he was
separated by not more than one acre of clear,
open ground.
The conditions having been read aloud,
the parties were then respectively armed by
their friends, when Hermann, who had
slightly imbibed in the morning. called to
his seconds, and, as we learnt afterwards,
that he knew full well Perdious was no
match for him, and that he did not intend
to hurt him, but only to give him a lesson by
compelling him to "break" or retreat as far
as the canal, and there force him in.
inexperienced as were his seconds, they
strongly demonstrated against such plan,
which almost invariably prove fatal, and had,
but few years before, under similar circum-
stances, and on the very same spot, caused
the death of q celebrated French fencing.
master much addicted to bullying, who, hav-
ing picked up a quarrel with a French jour-
nalist not skilled in the use of weapons, had
been challenged by him, chose the broad
sword, and as much with the view to spare
the mans life as to make him ridiculous, had
succeeded in driving him to within few
inches of the brink of the canal, when, in the
attempt to frighten him into further retreat,
he aimed terrible blow at his head, thus
throwing himself completely out of guard,
while the young Frenchman, who, as brave
as lie was unskilled, seeing that further re-
treat was impossible, stood the attack with
out finching, and instead of losing time in
the attempt to parry the threatened blow,
made terrible straight lunge at his uncov-
cred adversary, and buried his sword to the
hit in his breast.
But this example did not deter Hermann
from having his fun, and the swords having
been finally crossed about four inches from
the point, the sacramental words, "Patez,
Messieurs," were given, and the champions
were left to themselves
After the usual amount of feints and "feel
ers" with which skilfu! swordmen generally
prelude, Hermann cane out with dashing.
brilliant game, which Perdious met by
most sober series of parties, showing that he
fully appreciated the superior handling of
his adversary, who, fencing, as it were, for
honor, was not sparing of his most elegant
fourshes.
These hourishes necessarily always threw
him out of guard, but, relying on the sacred
pledge that the point was not to be used,
Hermann indulged them very extensively,
and ostensibly for effect.
Yet as, under full control of his blade,
and remarkably chary in his game, Perdi0us
was battling the brilliant, but after all not
over dangerous efforts of Hermann, the i'm
petuous nature of the latter became excited,
and although contrary to all rules-and who
there cared for :ules-Hermann commenced
taunting his adversary, and, in his strongly
Germanized French, kept Systematically re-
peating, "Perdious, my good friend, am
going to cut your head off," and then clos
ing up on him with a more reserved game,
he would compel the Gascon to yield-re-
luctantly, it is true, and only inch by inch
but yet to yield little ground each time
under each new attack.
And those attacks, following the mo-
notonous "Perdious, my good friend, must
cut your head off," were becoming more
pressing. Once or twice a nervous motion
of PerGious' arm could be observed, showing
that instinctively, he felt tempted to take
advantage of Hermanns uncovered guard,
and send his shining point through his
breast.
These indications did not escape the
quick, practised eye of Hermann, who twice
suddenly stopping, said aloud, Gentlemen,
please remark, think the scoundrel intends
to break his pledge and to use the point
mind, Perdious, mind-I must cut your
head off, but l shall do it deccntly-do the
Same"
And again the well. directed blows would
threaten, now the head, now the arms ; and
already light crimson streak tinted the
buckskin glove which covered Perdious'
hand, showing that one of those nimble aud
shrewd strokes, known as the wrist slash" !"
had been partially successful, the object of
which is to disable the sword arm.
But yet, in his calm and calculating ad-
vance on Perdious, his own second felt con-
vinced' that he was still bent OF driving
Perdious to the bank of the canal, and by a
well-directe6 attack, force him to fall back
and then incur the ridicule of a sousing in
the presence of the large crowd on the
ground.
The cunning and irritable nature of the
Gascon could not we'll brook this aterna-
tive, and as he instinctively felt it forced
upon him, his proud heart swelled with
rage, his brow flashed with anger, and the
nervous twitch of his compressed lips indi-
Gated rising storm, the fury of which was
still increased as the cool, taunting words
fell on his ear "Perdious, my dear friend, l
am bound to cut your head off ; or you must
take bath" Collecting for the last time
all the resources of his skill, he made the
attempt to swerve from the straight line
leading him on to the canal by desperate
maneuvre, known as "vaulting," and which
consists of making flank movement for
ward to the lett by pivoting on the right
foot, or ty direct side step while "break-
ing to the rear" or retreating.
But the experienced eye of Hermann, now
earnestly engaged in the game, defeated the
attempt, and it was in vain that Perdious
tried twice to deviate from that fatal straight
line which was leading him on to the canal;
for twice, by an opposite vault, Hermann
brought him back to the fatal path.
The numerous spectators have now lost
their uproarious dispositions; they instinc-
lively feel that the game being played has
reached the limits of tragic, and that these
men, on whose fitting they promised them
selves so much fun, are now engaged in
earnest in the terrible and stern game of
life and death.
No one dares breathe word, much less
interfere, and the experienced seconds who
mechanically follow the combatants, have
lost the power to judge of the time when
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