The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-06-26
Settling d DueIIst:

The Comte de b, colonel In
the line, distinguished for his gallantry
i'll the field, as well as for the length OF
his service, vas ordered to Martinique
with his regiment i'll the year 179--. At
that period the rage for dueling was
everywhere prevalent, but in no place
more so than in the West India Islands,
where the civilian and the military man
alike endeavored to esta ,lisl1 his repu-
tation by the questionable test of =" an
affair" Among the officers quartered
in the garrison of st. Pierre was one,
Captain c., whose delight consisted
in fighting or fomenting duels, and who
measured every mans character by the
number he had fought. He was d man
of brusque manners and arrogant bear
ing, but of undoubted, though misap-
piled, courage.
1t happened one day that oonversing
with Comte de b, the subject of
dueling 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
single affair. The words appeared to
act like wildfre on the mind of his in
flammable companion. What i he
exclaimed-"W What you never had a
cause for quarrel ?' "Never - replied
the colonel, calmly. "Eh bien done"
cried Captain c., "voila une y and
raising his hand, while his eyes cleaned
with ferocious pleasure, he struck NJ. de
B a violent blow Oh the cheek. The
latter eyed him for moment, nor at
tempted to return the blow, then point
ing significantly to his sword, he left
the spot.
The consequence was inevitable-the
preiminaries We're 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 patch
OF black taif'etil, us if to conceal the
place where lie had received the injuri-
Ous blow. They were both expert
swordsmen, but the colonel, though no
duelist, was perfect master of his
weapon. His antagonist was soon at his
mercy, but he contented himself with
inhictipg a severe wound in his sword
arm, and having disabled him for the
time, he took ont pair of scissors, and.
! Clipping OIL IL COTutI VI lHc pdlCI, NtlN
coolly observed, ".C'est I'm peu mieux!''
| ct is Il little better). AS soon as Cap
| tain c. recovered from his wound,
he received second message from NJ.
lie b and second meeting was the
consequence. Again they met, and
again on every occasion the colonel
wounded his adversary and clipped off
a corner from the tatfeta on his cheek,
accompanying the act with the same OBJ
.ervaiion. For the fifth time the Comte
de B. invited his enemy to the field,
and, with stern determination equal
to the perseverance which dOgged him,
Captain G. obeyed the summons.
/ Their swords crossed again, but the
colonel's aspect was changed. After a
few passes he saw his advantage, availed
himself of i, 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 frieLd, and
pulled off the remainder of the patch.
Then, glancing at the dead body at his
feet, he quietly observed, "Now it is
cured"