Des Arc weekly citizen., 1869-03-16

I dressed sumptuously, m the same gart Indeed which he had worn at the festi ] val whereon the strife arose which now was on the point of being terminated
 and forever!
 A few moments were spent in delib'
 eratiou between the godfathers of the
 combatants, and then it was proclatJAed
 by De Jarnac, "that the wind and sun
 having been equally divided between the two swordsmen, their places were assigncd--and that it remained only to decide upon the choice of the weapons that the choice should be regulated by throw of the dice--and that with the weapons so chosen they should 1 fight till one or other should be hors de combat-but that in case that either weapon should be bent or broken, the seconds should cry s'ho.d," and re- course be had to the other swords--the use of the poniard to be optional, as it was to be nsed only for parrying, and not for striking-that either combatant striking blow or thrusting after the utterance of the word s'hold," or using the dagger to inflict wound, should be dragged to the block and die the death Of a felon." w
 This proclamatin made, dice were produced, and De Meyers winning the throw for Armand, the rapiers and stilettoes which he had selected were produced, examined carefully, and measured, and delivered to the kindred focmcn.
 It was a tern and fearful--for fhere was no bravery nor show in their attire, nor aught chivalrous in the way of battle. They had thrown off their coats and hats, and remained in their shirt sleeves and under garments only, with napkins bound about their brows, and their eyes fixed each on the others with intense and terrible malignity.
 The signal was now given and the blades were crossed--and on the in stant il was. seen how fearful was the advantage which De Laguy had gained by the choice of weapons-for it was with the utmost difficulty that Charles de La-IIirc avoided the inccssant longers of his enemy, who springing to and fro, stamping and writhing his body ill every direction, never ceased for Il moment with every trick of feint and pass and ilourshing to thrust at limb, face and body, easily parrying himself With the poniard, which ho held in his left hand, the less skillful assaults of his enemy. Within five minutes the blood had been drawn in as many places, though the wounds were but superficial, from the sword arm, the face and thigh of De La Hire, while he had not as yet pricked ever so lightly his formidable enemy---nis quick eye, however and firm active hand stood him in stead, and he con trived in every instance to turn the llhrusts of Armand so far at least aside & to render them innocuous to life. Ks his blood, however cbbcd away, and Us he knew that he must soon be- come weak from the loss Of il, De Jarnac evidently grew uneasy, and many bets were offered that Armand Would kill him without receiving so much as scratch himself, And now Chayles saw his peril, and determined di a fresh line of action--flinging away his dagger, he altered his position rapidly, So as to bring his left hand to- ward De Laguy, and made q motion with it, as if to grasp his sw ord-hilt- he was Vimmediateiy rewarded by longc, wnn drove clear through his left arm close to the elbow joint but just above it-De Jarnac turned on the instant deadly pale, for he thought all was oser-but he erred widely, for De La-IIire had calculated well his action and his time, and that which threatened to destroy him proved, as he meant it, his salyation-ior as quick as light when he felt the wound he dropped his own napier, and grasping Armand's guard with his right hand, he snapped the blade short off in his own mangled flesh and bounded five feet backward, with the broken fragment still sticking in his arm.
 ''Hold!" shouted each godfather on the instant, and at the same time De La-Hire exclaimed, 'sgivo us the other swords--give us ihe 0'scr swords, De J2rnac-n
 The exchange Vas made in mo- ment, the stilerSts and the broken weapons were gathered up, and the heavy horse swords given to the com batants, who again faced each other with equal resolution, though now with altered fortunes. Now De I.a- Hire, exclaimed De Jarnac, as he put the well poised blade-into his friends hand, "you managed that right gallant ly and well, now fight the quick fight, ere you shall faint from pain and bleeding ;p and 1t was instantly appa- rent that such was indeed his inteh- ton; his eye frightened. aud he booked like an eagle about so poanco apoa his foe. as be drew up his form to iis ut- hmost height and whlTtea thc long new
 blade about Ai- head as though ls h~a