The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-01
TUELLING AND CARNIVAL.

TUELLING AND CARNIVAL.
A Frenchman of fashion does not mucl
care to reach the age of thirty without hav
inc "made his proofs !" that is, withou,
having fought somebody. If he be of q
temper naturally amable, he Wilt best CON
suit his own interests by getting three duels
comfortably over before his twenty-tiftl
year; then he can practice amiability for the
rest Of his days without being open to mis-.
construction. Of course, in the case OF
OIympian young gentlemen like the Due de
Sangbleu this rule suffers exception, for in
the first place duke is everywhere treated
with the Difference he deserves, and, in the
second place, should he not be so treated,
be may resent the first symptoms of imper-
thence with Geld stare, which will freeze
the insulter's tongue to his palate, recalling
him to sense of social differences. In fact.
if duke has a duel it is one of bis own
choOsng-except, indeed, he patronizes the
turf, in which event he will have temporari.
ly exchanged his coronet for jockey cap,
and must bear the rubs Of Longchamps and
Chantilly as he finds them.
But take the case of man like NJ. Pista-
che, who has nothing Olympian about him,
and whose cold stares might not produce all
the effect desired. 1t is not enough that
people should be able to say in answer to
the inquiry: "Who is M. Pistache9" IN.
Pistache is that young man with black
head and buff gloves; he sits on the commit
tee for encouraging wOOdcocks, and leads a
cotillon now ard then with rare spirit" The
people should be able to add: "And NJ. Pts
tache is plucky fellow, too, who fought
Monsieur A. with foiIs and Monsieur B. with
pistols, both about nothing, for he is ter
vii Ia oho ,o<x u ~
bis nose" This sort of certificate raises
man in the worlds esteem; and, failing it,
M. Pistache might risk being called zee bon
Pistache," which would be intOlerahle. For
"le bon Pistache" would mean the Pistache
Of an obliglDg turn, like the dog who let
his tail be trodden on: ''You may slap him
on the back, send him to Rome with tele-
gram on All Fools Day, and joke with him
about his OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES not to be
endured moment by any Frenchman care
ful as to appearances. Besides, dueIling
has this advantage, that until you have
pinked a few contemporaries it is not decent
to proclaim your opinion that duelling is
foolish custom. weak and absurd.
Now M. Pistache when he came to Paris
last December for the winter season had not
yet made his proofs, and was inwardly hui
inflated at it. Was it that his sweetness of
disposition had prevented him from quarrel
ing without reason, or that he lacked that
where none are meant! Anyhow, he had
Kept at peace with the world, and, as re-
'ult. saw that repugnant adjective "bon
coming nDOn him with perceptible speed.
Yet he could not call q man out for slapping
linn on the back, nor force people to say dis
agreeable things which must he washed out
n blood. His mood was to be smleful,
ind mankind paid back his smiles SO cheer
'ully in the same coin that, short of going
nto his club, catching up the hat of some
esty member and putting it politely but
irmly into the fireplace, he saw no method
whatever Of getting up an affair of honor
However, when man knows that he must
,ay subscription at some time, he natu
ally makes his arrangements for paying
and M. Pistache, who knew
hat his tribute of blood could not be STAYED
,ff eternally, had actually been liking a Sc
les Of ferocions fencing lessons with view to
Meeting his call with intrepidity so soon as
t SHOULD arise, when that highly unpleasant
Soutzo trial occurred. A term of solitary
in the prison of Mazas with
Matchmaking for his daily Occupa-
ion was not the kind of fruit which he
Wished his duel to yield, so that on the
whole this sad affair wreathed his brow IN
Note that if NJ. Pistache had
,een truly bent on drawing the sword, the
ear Of penalties need not have deferred
him an hour. Nothing is easier than for
principals and seconds to pledge their
words to secrecy, and under such cOndl-
ions murderOus combat can be fnngnt
nut pleasantly in sequestered spot beyond
we and earshot of justice-indeed, such
iuels are fought every week in France by
men who mean business.
But then, NJ Pistache did not mean bust
ness in the tragical sense Of that term.
What he wanted was gallant, undeadly
luel of the traditional sort, with plenty OF
Newspaper putting, mutual compliments,
breakfast, and perhaps small
Inc to wind up with. Thus he would have
exchanged bitter but witty words with his
antagonist in public place-say the slips
II play-hOuse-and a cartel would have
been hurled a la Regence, amidst bevy OF
actresses paling with emotion and imposing
heir tears and white arms to stay the mar
al ardor of the disputants. Then. when
he duel had triumphantly ended in two
scratches and champagne for seven, includ-
ng the surgeon, the press would have pub
ished minute and excited process re'ba"r OF
he whole affair, stating how chivalrously
he parties had conducted themselves; and
'oVu tuc IuDllC tTOseCuCOT duu tHC Juus0
would have borne their own homage to tho
general bravery Of the proceedings. This is
low proper duel between Frepchmen
mould be carried through, as every living
luelist Of note from NJ. Henri de Pene to NJ.
raul de Cassagnac can testify; but your
sashing, hole and-corner duels, with no par |
graphs in the papers, no champagne, but
policemen and imprisonment as climax, are
evolting things-orly fit for Germans or
avages. 80
All this clearly laid down, let it be
imagined what were the feelings of N.
'lstache when, just - he had begun to
Ell himself that he must be prudent for . |
shile, duel fell upon him al Of suddea,
ma most ugly looking duel too, with q
y. american, ono Mr.. Domocrit.s o. Tn4
= Petroleumville, United, Ststss. Mr..
.un had como to Paris to amuee
amself h. net n. PisGooAo - the cl.b
y which they both belonged, and teesn-
.Mn proceeded 10 poke faa at him. TAses
~ pro some who said that pokin9 nun w:s
..eocnd nature With NJ. 116, cd thee n!s
ssaaooslng Il Pistsche for ~ butt Of .hM
=. - ntxies was N accidental circan
s ~ 10 the knewledtea tAas -hS naat -
al0Qo 1of far ~ iA0e;aonsaamk hA6 Oof