Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-11-26


they think 2"
Aud thop-thou art Frenchmanlc !
mo one bit a Frenchman could
have thrown SO much disdain as be
did into the thou
The strawberry eater made no reply
but turned his head and called Gar
son T. The poor trembling creature
came up again, wondering what new
dilemma was prepared for him, and
stood quakiDg some ten yards of.
Carson, said the stranger, SIS
there a room vacant in the hotel q
Without doubt, monsieur"
" A large one ?"
But certainly. They are all large
own apartments y
Then engage the largest for me to-
day, and another mo matter what
for Monsieur le Comte."
Monsieur, give my own orders
when necessary, said the count, loft
ily
II thought to spare you the trouble.
Go. if You please" (this to the Waiter)
and prepare my rooms"
Then the strawbeTry-e eater returned
to his straw wbeTries, The bully gnaW-
ed his lip. He could not make head
or tail of this phlegmatic opponent.
The circle grew little wider, for a
horrid idea got abroad that the count
had not found one who was likely to
suit him, and that he would have to
seek elsewhere what he wanted.
The murmur that went round rous-
ed the bully. Monsieur, he hissed.
has presumed to make use of a word
which among men of honor"
y beg your pardon 2"
Which among men of honor
But what can Monsieur le Comte
possibly know what is felt amoug men
of honor ?" asked the other, with a
shrug of incTedulity.
"Will you fight yourself with me, or
will you not p roared the count, goad-
ed to fury.
''If Monsieur le Comte will give
himself the trouble to accompany me
to the apartment which, no doubt. is
now prepared for me, replied the
stranger rising, II will satisfy him.
Good, said the other, kicking
down his chair II am with you. [
waive the usual preliminaries. i only
beg to observe that l am Withos 4 arms;
but if you"
"Oh don't trouble yourself on that
score, " said the stranger, with 3 grim
smile. IF you are not afraid, follow
me-
This he said in a voice sufficiently
louGzfoF the nearest to hear, and the
circle parted right and left like start
ed sheep, as the two walked toward
the house.
Was there no one to call police
no one to try and prevent what to all
seemed imminent Not soul The
drea2Ed duellist had his evil fit on,
and every one breathedu freely now
that he knew the victim was selected.
Moreover, no one supposed it would
end there.
The count and his friend (O were
ushered inc the apartment prepared
for the latter, who, as soon as the gar
con had left, took off his coat and
Waistcoat, and proceeded TO move the
furniture SO as to leave the room free
for what was to folloW-the count
standing with folded arms, glaring at
him the while. The decks being clear
ed for action, the stranger locked the
door, placed the key on the mantle
piece behind him, and said
= think you might have helped a
little but never mind. Will you
give me your attention for five min
utes ?''
Perfectly"
''Thank you. [ am, as | have told
you, a FrenchmaD, but was educated
in England, at one of her famous
public schools. Had I been sent to
one of our own Lycees, I should per-
haps, have gained more book knowl
edge but as it is, / have learned
some things which we do not teach,
and one of them is, not to take a
mean advantage of man, but to keep
my own head with my own hands. Do
You understand me, Monsieur le
Comte p
II cannot fatter myself that I do"
"Ha Then I must be more ex-
plicit. | learned then that one who
takes advantage of mere brute
against the weak, or who,
praeticed in any art, compels one un-
pTaeticed ia it to contend with him, is
a coward and knave. Do you follow
me now, Monsieur le Comte ?''
Il came here, monsieur"
Never mind for what you came
be content with what you will get. For
example to follow what was OBJ
serving-if man skilled with the
small-sword, for the mere vicious love
of quarreliug, goads to madness a boy
who has never fenced in his life, and
kills him, that man is a murderer
and more-a cowardly murderer, and
a knavish."
81 think catch your meaning but
IL you have pistols here" foamed
the bully"
81 do not come to eat strawberries
with pistols in my poeket," " replied the
other, in the same calm tone he had
used throughout "Allow me to con-
tinue. At that school Of which I
have spoken, and in the society of
men who have grown out of it. and
others where the same habit of
thought prevails, il would be cousid-
cred that man who bad been guilty
of such cowardice and knavery as /
have mentioned would be justly pun
ished If. s1me dnv. he shonl be paid
in his own coin hv meeting some one
who would take him AZ the same dis
as he placed that poor boy
at -
"Our seconds shall FIX gour own
weapnns, monsieur. said the count
''let this FARGO end.
Presently. Those gentlemen whose
opinions I now venture to express, not
having that crave for blood which
some-who have not had
q similar enlightened education
would probably think that such
coward and kuave as we have been
considering would best meet his des-
erts by receiving a humiliatiDg casti-
CATION betting his knavery and his
cowardice "
"Ah see l have a lawyer TO deal
with. sneered the count
"Yes / have studied a little law
but | regret to say | am about to
break one Of its provisions.
"You will fight me, then 2"
"Yes. At the school we have been
of, I learned among other
things, the use of my hands and if
I mistake not, I am about TO give you