Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-10-23
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123YEO wa.
In the year i83-there lived at Bor-
dealx the last or one OF the last, of a
long line of scoundrels who made that
part of France infamous Ito our ideas)
by a succession of. cold-blooded muir
ders, committed under the sanction of
what the people were pleased to call
the Code of Honor. There was Ger
tain Comte de V. nan of great
physical strength, imperturbable sang
froid, md relentless cruelty. Not bad
sort of companion, as some said, when
the due ling fit was not on him, but this
came on once i'll about every six
mouths, and then he must have blood,
it mattered little whose. He had killed
and MANNED boys of 16 fathers of fami
lies, military officers, journalists, advoca-
ties, peaceful country gentlemen. The
cause Of the quarrel was Of no impor-
lance; if one did not present itselfreadi-
ly, he made one, always, contriving
that, according to the code aforesaid,
he should be the insulted party, thus
having the choice of weapons; and he
was deadly with the small sword. 1t
is difficult for us to realize society in
which such wild man could be per
mitted to go at large; but we know it
to be historically true that such crea
lures were endured in France; just as
we are assured that there were at one
time wolves in Yorkshire; only the less
noiso1n ne vermin had harder time of
it, as civilization progressed, than was
dealt out to the human brute.
I The last exploit of the Comte de
V /, previous to the, story I am
about to tell, was to goad apoor young
student into a challenge; and when it
was represented to him that the boy
had never held sword in his life, so
that it would be fairer to use pistols.
he replied that fools sometimes make
mistakes with pistols and, the next
morning, ran him though the lungs.
The vii fit was on him; but the blood
thus shed quieted him for another half
year, and rather more, for pnblic opin-
ion was unfavorable, and the air of
Bordeaux became too warm for him.
But the scandal blew over after a
time and he came back to his old
haunts, one of which was a cafe by
the river side, where many used to
spend their Sundays. Into the little
garden of this establishment our wolf
swagged one fine summer afternoon,
with the heavy dark look and nervous
twitching of the. hands which those
who were acquainted with him knew
well meant mischief. The evil fit was
on him, consequently he found himself
the center of circle which expanded
as he went on. This did not displease
him. Her liked to be feared. He
knew he could make a quarrel when
he chose, SO be looked around for a
victim.
AT table almost in the middle of
a garden sat man about thirty years
Of age, Of middle height, and an ex-
pressiors Of countenance which at first
struck one as mild and good -humored.
He was engaged reading a journal
which seemed to interest him, and
eating strawberries, an occupation
which does not call forth any latent
strength of character Above all be
was profoundly unconscious ofthe pres
ence Of NJ lie Comte de V, and
continued eating his strawberries and
reading his paper as if no wolf were in
that pleasant fold.
As the count approached this table,
it became sufficiently well known whom
he was about to honor with his kinso-
lence, and the circle narrowed again to
see the play. 1t was not bad sport
with some of us to see fellow-creature
+baited especially when we were out
of danger ourselves.
The strawberry eaters costume, was
pot such as was ordinarily worn il