The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1867-09-21

Ishln out OF guard, but relying on the sacred
pledge THAT the point was not to be used Her
'nann INDUCED them very extensively, AND os-
tcnsibly for effect
Yet, as under full control of his blade, an,
remarkably cliary i'll his game, Pcrdious was
battling the brilliant but after all not over dan
Serous, efforts Of Hermann, tho impctuous ma
turc of the latter became excited and although
eotttrary to all rules-and who there cared for
rtilcs-tlcrlnann commenced taunting his adj
vcrsary, and in his strongly Gcrmanizcd French
kept Systematically repeating, :'Pcrdous, my
good friend am going to cut your head off, y
and then closing up on him with II more re-
served game he would compel the G;scon to
yiell--rcluctantly it il; true. and only inch by
inch-but yet, to yield little ground oarh
time under each new attack.
| And those attacks. following the inonotonous
''Perlious. my good friend, | must cut ycur
head off, were becoming more pressing. Oncc
or twice nervous motion of pcrdious' arm
could be observed. showing That instinctivcly
he felt tempted to take advantage of Her
mann's uncovered guard, and send his shining
point through his breast
These indications did not ESCAPE the quick
practced eye Of Hermann, whn twice suddenly
stopping, said aloud, '.Gcil,lcmcn. please re-
mark, think the scoun,lrcl intends to break
lis pledge and to use the point--mind, Per-
lio,,s mind must cut your head of but |
shall do it ,lcccntly-du the same
5Anl again The wcl-dircctcd blows would
threaten, now the head, now the arms; and
;.lready light crimson streak tainted the
bsiek-skin glove which covered Pcrdious hand.
showing that one Of those ninblc and shrcwl
strokes. known as the wrist slash,' had been
partially successful, the object of which is to
, disable the swords arm
But yet in his calm and calculating advance
OH Pcrdious, his own seconds felt convinced
that lie was still bent driving Pcrlious to the
bank of the canal and by il wcl-dircctcd at.
tack forcc him to fall back and then incur the
ridculc Of sousng in the presence Of tho
large crowd ON the gr,""d.
The cunning and irritable nature Of thr
Gascon could not well brook this alternative.
and as he instinctivciy felt it forced upon him.
his proud heart swcllcd with rage, his brow
flashed with anger. and the nervous twitch of
his compressed lips indicated y rising storm,
the fury Of which was still increased rs the
cool, haunting words fell Oh his car pcrdious.
my dear lricnd-I am bound q cut your head
off; or You must take BATH Collecting for
the last lime ull the rcrourccs of his skill, he
made The attempt TO swcryc from the straight
line leading him on to the canal by eelcspcratc
man~uvrc. Known as '.vaulting," and which
consists "i making flank movement forward
to the left by rivotng on the right foot, or by
Il direct side step while breaking to the rear, T"
or rctrcating.
But the experienced eye Of Hermann now
earnestly engaged in the game, defeated the
attempt and it was in vain that Pcrdious tried
twice to dcviatc 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 instinctivcly feel
''''' WV t5"''S ptiit PhtSHV ii''' iCH"hCH 'hc
limits of the tragic, and that these rncn Oh,
whose fitting they promised themselves 50
much fun. are now engaged in earnest in the
terrible stern game of life and death
No one darcs breathe word muclS less III
tcricrc, and the experienced seconds who me
chanically follow the combatan;s. have lost the
powcy TO judge OF the time when they could
property drop their swords between those of
the antagonists.
And now. the foot of i'crdious is already on
the light elevation which swcls the bank of the
canal; Il few feet, three or four separates him
from the srccnlsh and stasuant water, and tho
taunting sarcastic voice Of Hermann is heard
| for the last, drawing out in its broken French
| ''Pcrdious. my good friend, you must now take
4 bath oT | shall cut your head off" His arm
is raised in the air, his shining blade describes
a rapid curve leaving his whole breast uncov-
cred and that blade is about to strike Pcrdio,s
or compel him Eto break of once more and
fall into tho canal, when the attcr is seen to
take Il firm stand then make desperate lungc
his hand holding his sword in quartz. and by
Il tcrcibc straight thrust, bury itself in the