Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-02-24

faction tomorrow, if there is an atom of
pluck in your composition
"' Well, what them
"' have told you all, Mr.. latham.
The thought struck me once or twice
during the night that such foolish and
trivial affair would be allowed to drop
US hastily as it began. thought, per-
haps, the morning would brins with it
sober reflections, and that happily an
apology might be offered me for the
gratuitous insults | received avst from
two of them, still in their fancy dresses.
They came to ask me if had made any
preparations. They assured me that nv
adversary-Heaven knows | bear him
no malice-was determined not to rest
until he had obtained satisfaction for
the injuries inflicted on him. He never
liked me, this man, and bears me some
strange malice. He is clever fellow,
but idle; and think he is little bit
Jealous of my success in the university.'
Poor Max! | think | see him now
as he stood talking to me in the cold,
gray morning light, so frankly, so ear
nestly, and with such charming mod
esty But | was a young fool then, and
never allowed my heart to be broke
How this young, promising fellow stood
at my bedside, confiding to my care his
happy, brilliant life and prospects, and
all his pretty wife's hope and love and
heart. Like fool that was, under
stood nothing Of this. | thought like a
fool, and like fool | answered:
q" If you knew the fellows as we'll as |
do, Oppenheim, and understood their
mad enthusiasm for dueling and strange
notions of honor, you would believe
that this man spoke the truth. He will
not rest until he has had satisfaction
"' Do you know who it is | mean p
said Max, nervously.
"'I know them all. What is his
nameY
"' Ferdinand Kohler'
GO A most experienced swordsman.
What practice have you had?'
"'l--1 am ashamed to say that | have
hardly ever had sword in my hand
You don't mean to say so?
" At this time of which am speaking
] don't believe that there could have
existed two students at that, or, indeed,
in any, university who could have made
such a confession. Poor Max's confes-
sion of incompetency seemed to me
not only incredible, but almost to
amount to crime of some magnitude.
| was obliged to act upon first thoughts,
for there was no time for reflection.
80 If you think, Mr.. latham, that it
is a point of honor for me to fight this
man, | am prepared to meet him, come
what may
"To this courageous and plucky
speech, without thinking of its conse-
quences, [ said, Bravo, Oppenheim!
That's spoken like a man !!
"He didn't quite look all the courage
of his words, so ! tried to encourage
him.
''' Why. this will be splendid open
ing for you,' | said. You will never
become swordsman without practice :;
and to be ignorant of the weapon is to
own yourself no student, or, indeed,
gentleman, according to the present
idea. They will despise you no more
after this; and if you do shed a little
Your antagonist is no mean rival; can
assure you; and the mere fact of your
standing up against him will raise you
up thousand degrees in the estimation
OF your feilow-students. You have won
my heart already. Give me your hand
g shook the poor fellow warmly by
the hand, and tried to inspire him with
confidence.
1.-THE whole thing was excitement
and pleasure to me, and | enjoyed my
position amazingly.
Max Oppenheim's heart could have
told a very different story. However.
it was all a point of honor with him.
And although believe, now, he would
have given any thing in the world to be
comfortably out Of the scrape, like a
truc-hearted gentleman he stifled his
feelings.
door.
Here are the gentlemen, most
probably said he. Hoping, indeed
knowing, that you would not refuse
your assistance. begged them TO await
us in the street. Shall open the
door?'
"'Certainly. Let them in
"rhere they stood, flushed with wine,
careless and eXcited-German students
to the life. We all went out together.
d" There is picture of Gerome's which
/ saw once in Paris, and of which see
photographs in the shop windows i'll
London, which makes me shudder
again. 1t is called LIE Duel de Perrot.'
On just such spot Max Oppenheim
and Ferdinand Kohler met.
at was just such winters morning,
lust such bleak, dreary landscape, Just
the same snow thickly strewed on the
ground.
81 never look at the picture or imag-
inc the scene without seeing Max
Oppenheim's blood.
For Max Oppenheim fell that morn
ing, mortally wounded, on the snow.
"We saw at once he was utterly igno-
rant of the sword, and unanimously
begged Ferdinand to be gentle with
him. Just give him scratch,' we
said, and that will do | have no
doubt in my own mind that Ferdiland
had no intention of acting otherwise.
Poor Max brought about his own death.
He fought like a young lion, wildly,
and without an atom of head. Ferdi-
nand gave lunge to defend his own
| life, and it was fatal thrust for Max
Oppenheim.
-"There he died, where he had fought
so desperately. 1t was an awful thing
for all of us; and we would, one and
all, have cut off our right hand sooner
than it should have happened. | shall
never forget the awful stiffness of the
morning, as we stood round the dead
| body of our fellow-student, or the bitter