Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-05-01
FAMOUS WOMENS' DUELS.

Familien Zietung'' has recently had thu
curiosity to collect a number OF the mos
noted and best authenticated cases OF du
cling that have taken place between the
members of the gentle sex. From the az
ticle are taken the following. The writer
says:
| Duels between women, during the Sew
enteenth and Eighteenth Centuries, were
by no means rare. France, especially, the
land par excellence of chivalry, furnishes
long list of noteworthy examples.
The first case we shall cite was one which
grew out of the galantries of the famous
Due de Richelieu. A Don Juan OF the
worst type, the Duke was in the habit OF
making his secretary the confidant OF his
intrigues. AS it cost him no effort tt
swear fidelity to Susanna to-day, to johann
ma tomorrow, and the next day to sacrifice
them both for Mariana so, at the same
time, he for the while amused himself at
the expense Of the Marquise de Nesle ane
Nine de Polignac. Each of them sup
posed, of course, that she was sole mistress
of his affections. ~
One morning, as the Duke sat over his
coffee, his secretary handed to him, together
with other letters, two that. had all the
appearance Of billetts doux. These his
Grace handed back to his secretary, with
request that he would read them. The
first one ran thus:
ssMON CHER AMI-For three whole days
have not seen you These long separa-
lions rob existence Of it's value. When
shall see you again AS ever, your
s'MARQUIsE DE NEsLE."
sPoor child ~ said the Duke smiling.
The secretary opened the other note
and read: j.
ssIt seems an age since saw you. A
horrid dream has made me restless. When
shall l see you ? Faithfully your
ssCoMTEssE DE PoLIGNAC."
tWhat time is it p asked the Duke, af-
ter giving moment to reflection.
s'sEleven O'Clock, your Grace" aiia e
ss1Iave we any appointment for this af-
ternoon ?''
mo"
every well write to the two ladies that
[ hope to have the pleasure OF seeing them
at my villa this afternoon-the one at 2,
the other at O'Clock. And let your mes
senger go at once.''
Unfortunately, the secretary inadvert-
emily asked both ladies to come at 2 o'clock.
The consequence was that they treated his
Grace to one of the most stormy and pain
full scenes that could well be imagined.
The following morning Nine. de Polig-
nae sent her rival q summons to meet her
in
SINGLE AND DEADLY COMBAT.
The Marquise de Nesle accepted the
challenge without hesitation, chose the
pistol as the weapon, and designated the
Bots de Bologne, of course, as the place of
meeting. a.sss I
They were both punctual. The murder
GUS weapons were loaded, and the dis
lance measured off.
'sFire 7" said Nine de Polignac to her
antagonist, ssbut take good care that you
~ llOU Illoo lllO IL JCu wv wv AAA''v ~
sure shall not miss YOU e.c
The Marquise aimed and fired, but the
only damage she did was 10 shoot Off two
OF three branches Of bush that CHANGED
to be in her range.
MY Indignation made my hand unn-
steady" said she with a frown.
ssNow it is my turn" cried Nine. de
Polignac. 5...4
She took deliberate aim, and shot away
diminutive piece of the Marquise's right
ear.
The Marquise fell to the ground as
though she had been shot through tile
heart, crying out, "Oh, 1 am wounded!
Madame, pardon you y
ANOTHER. |
Nine. de Saint-Belmont was mascu-
line sort of woman. Her husband, while
i'll the service of the Dude Of Lorraine, fell
ON the field of honor. After this event
Madame determined to manage her own
affairs, and especially to look after her
own interests on her landed estates, which
were large. She therefore spent much OF
her time in the saddle, and, indeed, in the
costume Of The contemporary dandy. To
numberless other adventures and caprices
she added that of insisting on fighting a
duel with a young man enamored OF
her wit and bright eyes. She rewarded
his devotion by forbidding him to APP
proach her ; but love is sometimes deaf as
well as blind. In this instance it is i'm
possible that the cavalier put the seeming
invulnerability of the lady down to affec-
ton. Be that as it may, meeting her one
day in wood where she had alighted to
pick some berries, he threw himself at her
feet but to his protestation of love and
devotion the hard-hearted Nine. de Saint
Belmont replied:
ssYou are challenged. Tomorrow /
will run my sword through YOU"
And it was as she said it would be {; the
young man was killed by the hand of she
whom he loved more than life. But hard
ly had he breathed his last, when his fair
antagonist was seized with the keenest re-
morse. She threw herself npon his dead
body and wept bitterly. From that day
she was entirely changed. She became
very devoted to the church, heard mass
twice daily, wrote three religious TRACE
dies, and gave. large share of her income
to different religious orders. Her indigna-
ton at the young cavalier was only an in
explicable eaprice. She had, in fact I'M
consciously loved him, as the sequel fully
proved. '-1s7S
ROMANTIC DUEL.
"A similar but less tragic case is related
by Talleyrand :sHtz24 "1.t sfA s54e
Nine. Chateau Gay de Myrat had lover
in the person of certain M. de Codieress