Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-05-27
and was severely wounded in

challenge, and was severely wounded in
the neck.
Colombey mentions number of duels
fought by the dark-eyed daughters of the
Iberian Peninsula. Here the leading role
is played by the nauaja, the short, dagger
like knife which the Sp,niard carries in
his belt. In rage and Indifference to death
no women of the world surpass the Span
ish Their hatred is like stream of mott
en- lava-it destroys everything that
comes in its way. And with their passion
atM natures they combine great native
cleverness. A single example will suffice
to illustrate these characteristic traits:
Two manolas-girls of the middle class
of Madrid contended for the possession
of a rich Andalusian. They determined
to let hand-to-hand combat settle the dis
pute. One bright May morning. therefore,
armed with daggers and navajas, and ac-
companied by their seconds, they drove
out at the Alcala gate. The understand
ing was, that only one of them should
return alive. But, just as they reached
the spot chosen for the bloody work. they
were approached by three policemen, who
arrested both principals and seconds.
The manolas laughed disdainfully, and
followed good-humoredly to the nearest
police:station
"Senor," said one of the would-be-duel-
lists to the officer on duty, "these gentle
men, contrary to all law and right, have
willfully interfered with onr personal liber-
ty."
THAT we shall see," replied the enplea-
do, with becoming official gravity. ''Offi-
Ger, what charge have you to make against
these senoras?"
"Senor," replied the policemen, g had
good reasons for believing that the prison.
ers were about to fight duel to the death
For that reason we have brought them be-
fore your honor, that they may be punished
according to the law"
"lf you please, senor," one of the pris-
oners replied, we have done nothing, nor
were we about to do anything for which
we can be legally punished"
Thereupon the girl pointed out to the
astonished official that the law for sup
preston of dueling applied to men only,
they being specially mentioned in it and
they only. Thel legal erudition of the
young girl took the empleado completely
by surprise, and perplexed him greatly
After n careful examination of the codex,
he came to the conclusion that the law did
not reach the case under consideration,
and he was reluctantly compelled torelease
the prisoners, but not till he had obtained
from them a promise that they would de
sist from their murderons design.
1t is related that two girls in the royal
tobacco factory recently had killed each
other in a hand to- hand contest. The
mode adopted by the combatants was as
romantic as it was barbarous. The antag-
onists, who We're both about twenty years
old, and remarkably handsome, repaired,
one Sunday morning, accompanied by GER
tain of their comrades, to a village some
four or five miles distant, where they break
tasted sumptuously at different tables.
The repast ended, they closed the window
blinds, stripped themselves to the waist,
and requested their friends to leave the
room. Then, at a given signal, they at
tackled each other with their navajas, and
cut. and slashed, and thrust, until both fell
to the floor, mortally wounded. When a
few minutes had elapsed, their friends re-
entered the room. Estefania, one of the
combatants. had:received ten wounds, from
which she bled to death in about half an
hour Casilda, her antagonist, died some
what sooner, from ghastly wound in the
neck.
In this instance the authorities were less
scrupulous than in the case of the two
manolas. The participants in the horrid
tragedy were arraigned and punished
Translatcd for Appleton'S Journal.