Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-06-04

steady" said she, with frown.
Now it is my turn" cried Madame de
Polignac.
She took deliberate aim, and shot away
a diminutive piece of the Marouise's
right ear.
The Marquise fell to the ground as
though she had been shot through the
heart, crying out, oh, am wounded
Madame, | pardon you'll"
Madame de Saint Belmont was mas.
culine sort of woman. Her husband.
while in the service of the Duke of Lor
raine, fell on the field of honor. After
this event Madame determined to man.
age her own affairs, and especially to
look personally after her 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 young man who was enam-
ored of her wit and bright eyes. She
rewarded his devotion by forbidding him
to approach her; but love is sometimes
deaf as well as blind. In this instance it
is possible that the cavalier put the seem
ing invulnerability of the lady down to
atfectation. 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 protesta
tons of love and devotion the hard.
hearted Madame de Saint Belmont replied:
You are challenged Tomorrow |
will run my sword through you"
And it was as she said it should be; the
young man was killed by the hand of her
whom he loved more than life. But hard
ly had he breathed his last when his fair
antagonist was seized with the keenest
remorse. She threw herself upon his
dead body and wept bitterly. From that
day she was entirely changed; she be-
came very devoted to the church, heard
mass twice daily, wrote three religious
tragedies and gave large share of her
income to different religious orders. Her
indignation at the young cavalier was
only an inexplicable caprice; she had, in
fact, unconsciously loved him, as the Sc.
quel fully proved.
similar but less tragic case is related
by Tallemand:
Madame Chateau-Gay de Murat had
lover in the person of certain Monsieur
de Codieres. One day she thought her
self justified in believing that he was un.
faithful. All his protestations were of
no avail. She challenged him to single
combat, and, whether he would or no, he
was compelled to accept
De Codieres appeared on the ground
promptly, and was in an exceedingly gay
humor, for he looked upon the affair as
simply a jest on the part of his lady-love.
lie soon, however, became convinced of
his error and that she was in furious
earnest, for very soon a well directed
thrust came near sending him to the land
whence no traveller returns" From the
determined manner in which she attacked
him he saw that he must be on his guard.
He determined, therefore, to tire his
charming antagonist out, in which en-
deavor he was so successful that she let
her sword fall from sheer exhaustion.
De Codieres now placed his weapon
against her breast and asked, "WellY
A look full of love was her only reply,
whereupon De Codieres dropped his
sword and clasped her in his arms.
In consequence of simple dispute that
took place during the course of per
Torrance, the celebrated French actress,
Baupre, challenged one of her colleagues,
Mdlle. Catharine d'Urlis, to single com
bat, and furthermore insisted on fighting
Immediately. In her rage she went to
the property.room and brought two
swords to the greenroom. Mdlle. d'Urlis
accepted the challenge, and was severely
wounded in the neck.
ColomDey mentions number of duels
fought by the dark eyed daughters of the
lberian Peninsula. Here the leading
role is played by the naDojd, the short,
Il "a VIII; ha orJ
carries in his belt In rage and inditfer-
ence to death no women of the world
surpass the Spanish, Their hatred is
like stream Of molten laya-it destroys
every thing that comes in its way. And
with their passionate natures they com
bine great native cleverness. A single
example will suffice to illustrate these
characteristic traits:
Two man0Las--girls of the middle.
classes-of Madrid commended for the pos
session of rich Andalusian. They de
termined to let a hand-to-hand combat
settle the dispute. One bright May morn
ing, therefore, armed with daggers and
navajas, and accompanied by their sec.
onds, they drove out at the Alcala gate.
The understanding 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 prin-
ciples 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 our personal
liberty"
That we shall see" replied the en-
pleado, with becoming official gravity.
"Otiicer, what charge have you to make