The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-04-04
SIX INCHES OF STEEL.
From chanbers' Journal.

/ Hcutcmau VI tu8t uoys l0uc1uB ouo oouSAu8s a
friend gave me the address Of 3 tenant Of bis II
Russell Square, French refugee, Who. laugh,
these arts. One afternoon called and asked wa
NJ. jacques at home. A stout. heartyIookine
old gentleman was in, would "coms in here ~
Here" mas small room on the right Of the pas.
sage. cf 3.
| The heavy slipshod feet toiled up the stone
murmuring Of voices. and then re siipshod feet
| toiled slowly up another fight, and firm yet
light tread descending told me that N. Jacques
The door opened, and . tall, white-hsIrsd,
soldierlike figure entered the room, and the keen
eyes swallowed me and my belongings al 9
"Good-dsy. sir. You are Enslish. but do you
speak Frenchi"
| Un peu" -..-.s
"Ahf see. very; very little; let NJ. then.
talk In your tongue I'LL by and by.n
Clearly did not speak French well. IN NJ.
"You desire me for whstf"
"My friend, Mr.. Wilson," -
| "Ah! your friend--he ID q very good man-s
ale stated that you could teach fencing and
dancing"
Yes. that Is true; can teach fencing and
1T i; desire sO learn both accomplishments
"dood that !: well; I like your energy. When
will You begin, -
"Now, IL it suits you."
"Quite 20. j an at your eervice.n
"But You have not mentioned the terms"
"Yss. How much shall have to pay,p
Yes. to pay. had forgotten. You shall
Are you sati.iac- -satisfactedi
eyes, that Is IL. Are you satsdedsn
"Quite. viii take twelve lessons in each
Twelve lessonsl Bah you shall need little
when you shall reach the ending Of your course
II you have descent. as you call 1t hsrs-blood-
not bourges-you understand"
My father, sir, was q surgeon, the son of Q
poor country gentleman. l am ~
:" N'importe. lean see what you are. shall
make you good swordsman In little time, II you
win keep your eye on your adversary as you kept
have what you call pluck Is right-'pluckr"
"Quite right"
"Ihen come, and We shall try your eye and
wrist up-stairs.n -
He went up stairs, and followed the old sol.
der. We entered large well-lighted room on the
first floor, bare of all furniture but piano. then
rarer instrument than now, and Q few chairs. On
the piers between the windows hung some foils
and masks, while some half dozen single sticks
stood In the corner.
Nov, monsieur, will you place yourself there,
as thus; with your body UPRIGHT, and your arms
hanging Rg e. loosely to your sides, CONNIE ca"
did so. noticed the slightest limp, the slightest
possible, but still limp-thst saw. as watched
him during the lesson was from stiffsning of the
kneejoint. thought 1t was curious thing to be
taking lessons in the most active of exercises OF
an old gentleman who was lame, but could see
at once that he was most perfect master of the
weapon.
sieur now for the dance, If monsieur Is not too |
much fatigued."
mot at all-not the least.n
well, then, to begin. You know little of the |
'' "A very. very InHs-as little a. Of French,
"Ahl you shall know all better In Q little.n
BE took from of the piano Q small violin and |
bow, and ran rapid scale on the strings.
two, three. You see it is simple-frst position,
second position, third position-you see No, no, 1
monsieur, that second position Is wrong. ali
wrong,cornnae ca. Un, deer, now Peste
I" Another day - began.
" No, no 4; remain. We shall manage
He moved TO the door, and. half opening IL, |
called impatienty in French: Julie, Julie, de.
scend quickly in your shoes.n In . few seconds |
entered Julie. 81 |
Julie! 1t is long time now since frst saw
Julie7 Can picture her! A tall dark girl, with
backaintensely blsck-large eyes, childs eyes
} small mouth, full lips. and Q form thin, bony
nd 1.-the as grayhounds; dressed in o low
,hild's dress, much too small and short for her. |
She was like child Of ten, seen through a glass
hat made her the size Of . girl Of eighteen.
Forester"
She courtsied low 10 the style then in fashion I
made my best bow. Julie, my limb ia today
9eak; cannot teach; you shall teach this gen.
lemsn his Dance"
Oui, mon pere."
"Now begin. On, de,tz, trois. Regard made
noisee's feet, monsieur; il is her feet that Dance
in, deux, troie." And 80 on for nearly half an
Jour, during which the eternal :" Un, deux, trois"
vas occasionally interrupted by little snstches of
be strings with the fingers, and sudden sweepinQs |
4 the bow over the instrument. +" Coed, mon
ieur; you have life, you have soul; you shall yet
0 me to have taught you--Julie, you shall wish
monsieur good-day."
" Bonjour. monsieur" said Julie; and with o
DIV courtesy she left rs.
" And when will you come again?n
" The day after tomorrow | can come"
" Bien; come then. i shall hope my limb will
hen be well. Bonjour, monsieur 20 and the old |
entlemsn rang the bell and bowed me out.
The day came, and / went again, and was d. :
Getty shown up stairs into the room.
|" All, monsieur, we are unfortunate; my limb Is ,
0 use. This climate Of yours is bad for old ..
oldlers; my wounded limb aches for want Of the
/" | shall be glad to call another day, If more
"No, no; 1t is Of no consequence; Julie win
ZACH you. VIII you be 80 kind as to open the
DOT 70 c for me- >, am crippled"
Julie. juliet ~ Numbered the old man: de. .
'end quickly, with your shoes and your corsage.u
Julie came In speedily, and with a small v
ather bresstguardin her hand. "Bonjour, mon :
eu." e
" Boujour, Mademoisellr Ju- de Bonheur.r I
'See, now, you shall take your lesson from made.
oisells," said monsieur, as he buckled oh her v
q ther armour and fitted her mask. snow, salute,
llie, salute." Julie went through the motions
it'll an ease and grace that excelled her fathers
Now, You must regard the hand OF msdemoiselle; q
q time has not come to you to watch her eyes. o
ow, en- guard. Good, Carte-thrust.r
thrust as gently as possible, while julie with B
e foil in her left hand, slipped the fingers OF the
sht along my blade to aid the bend-in true
ncing style. L
" Bah Monsieur, do not fear; 10 has not ar
red to you yet to be dangerous to mademoiselle NJ
gain, that. You must lunge with your body. n
d Of mademoiselle have no fear she can guard
rseif. Your nails up little more. Now, the 10
rte-thrust That ID better. Again."
The situation was horrible to be compelled to h
rust full 10 the chest of this child but there was m
help for il, and did 1t; and 90 we went on hf
rough the whole OF the motions-prims, second, ".
int parade, low CARTE and the rest of it-Julie di