Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-05-29
A ParticuInrIy French stery.

The Compte de b, colonel In the
line, distinguished for his gallantry in
the field, as we'll as for the length of bis
service, was ordered to Martinique, with
his regiment, in the year l79-. At that
period the rage for dueling was every
where prevalent, but in no place more
so than in the West India islands, where
the civilian as we'll as the military man
alike endeavored to establish his reputa-
ton by the questionable test of an
affair."" Among the officers quartered
in the garrison of st. Pierre was one, a
Captain c., whose delight consisted
in fighting or fomenting duels, and who
measured every mans character by the
number he had fought He was man
of brusaue manners and arrogant bear
ing, but of undoubted, though misap-
piled, courage. as y
1t happened one day that conversing
with Comte de B., the subject of duel.
ing came on the tapis, when the colonel
observed, that although he had seen
much and various service, it had never
been his chance to be engaged in q sim
gle affair. The words appeared to act
like wild6rs on the mind of bis infiam
mable companion. What he ex-
claimed, "Whatl You never had a
cause for quarrel2" "NeverlP replied
the colonel, calmly. "Eh bien done"
cried Captain c., "voila unel F"
and raising his hand, while his eyes
cleaned with ferocious pleasure, he
struck M. de b violent blow on the
cheek. The latter eyed him for mo-
ment, nor attempted to return the blow,
then pointing significantly to his sword,
he left the spot.
%ssThe consequence was inevitable-the
preliminaries were arranged, and the
same evening the parties met. 1t was
decided to fight with small swords-in-
deed, dueling with pistols was rarely, if
ever, practiced in the French service.
The Comte de B. came on the ground,
wearing upon his cheek large patch of
black tafeta, as if to conceal the place
where he had received the injurious blow.
They were both expert swordsmen, but
the colonel, though no duelist, We per
feet master of his weapon. His antago-
mist was soon at his mercy, but he con-
tented himself with inhicting severe
wound in his sword arm, and, having dis
abled him for the time, he took out a
pair Of scissors, and clipping off a corner
of the patch, very coolly observed,
"Cest un peu mieuxl 1t is a
little better. AS soon as Captain
c. recovered from his wound, he re.
ceived second message from M. de
B and second meeting was the con.
sequence, attended by a similar result.
Again they met and again, and on
every occasion the colonel wounded his
adversary and clipped off corner from
the taffeta on his cheek, accompanying
the act with the same observation. For
the ffth time the Comte de B in
vited his enemy to the field, and, with a
stern determination equal to the perse-
verance which dogged him, Capt. G.
obeyed the summons. Their swords
crossed again, but the colonels aspect
was changed. After a few passes he
saw his advantage, availed himself of it
in moment, and in the next his sword
had pierced Captain G--'s heart, who
fell dead to the ground. The colonel
sheathed his weapon, turned round to
his friend, and pulled off the remainder
of the patch. Then glancing at the dead
body at his feet he quietly observed
q" Now it is cured.