Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-07-09
DUELS BETWEEN WOMEN.


DUELS BETWEEN WOMEN.
One of tho contributors to the Al|ge-
meino Famiien- Zcitung has recently
had the curiosity to collect number of
tho most noted and best authenticated
cases of ducling that have taken place
between tho members of the gentlcr
sex. From the article we extract tho
following. The writer says
Duels between women, during the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries,
were by no means rare. France, cs-
pecially, the land par excellence of
chivalry, furnishes q long list of note
worthy examples.
The first case VIC shall citc was one
which grew ont OF tho gallantrics of the
famous Dncde Richclicu. A Don Juan
of the worst type, the duke was in the
habit of making his secretary the conf
dent of his intrigucs. AS it cost him
no effort to swear fidelity to Susanna
to-day, Johanna tomorrow, and the next
day to sacrifice them both for Mari
anna, so at the same time, he for awhile
amused himself at the expense of the
Marqnise de Nesle and Madame dc Po-
lignac. Each OF them supposed, Of
course, that she was the sole mistress
Of his affections.
One morning as the duke sat over his
coffee, his secretary handed him. to-
gethcr with other letters, two that had
all the appearance of biltcts Nour.
These his grace handed back to the
secretary, with tho request that he
would read them. The first ran thus ::
| "MoN CHER AMI: For three whole
days have not seen you These long
separations rob existence of it's value.
When shall I sec you again?
| As ever your
| MARQUIsE DE NELsE."
"Poor cllild," said tho duke. The
secretary opened the other note and read: !:
| 1t seems all age since / saw you.
A horrid dream has made mo restless.
When shall I see you?
Faithful]yyour
! CoMTEssE DE Po11GNAc.
"What time is it ?" asked tho duke
after moments reflection.
"Elevcn clock, your grace"
=" Have we any appointments for this
afternoon?"
"Not one."
every we'll, write to the two ladies
that hope to have the pleasure of see-
ing them ut my villa this afternoon
the one at two, the other ut four
o'clock. And let your messenger 90 at
once" -
Unfortunately, the Secretary indyer-
tently asked both ladies' to come at two
o'clock. Tho consequence was, that
they treated his grace to one Of the
most stormy and painful scenes that
could we'll be imagined.
Tho following morning Madame dc
Polignac sent her rival q summons to
meet her in single and deadly combat.
The Marquise do Nesle accepted the
challenge without hesitation, chose the
pistol as the weapon, and designated
the Bois de Boulogne, of course, as the
place of meeting.
They were both punct,,al. The mur-
derOus weapons were loaded and the
distance measured off.
"Fire!" said Madame de Polignac
to her antagonist, "but take good care
that you do not miss me; if YOU do.
you may he sure L shall not miss YOU, -
Tho Marquise aimed and fired, but
the only damage she did was to shoot
off two or three little branches of u
bush that chanced to be in her range.
my Indignation made my hand nn-
steady" said she, with frown.
"Now is my turn" cried Matlamc de
Polignac.
She took deliberate aim, and shot
away q diminutive piece of the Mar
quise's right ear.
| The Marquise fell to the ground as
though she had been shot throu III the
heart, crying out, ooh, I am wounded !
Madame, pardon you !"
Madame dc Saint Belmont was a
masculine sort of woman. Her lus-
band, while in tho service Of the Duke
Of Lorraine, fell On the field of honor.
After this event, Madame determined
to manage her own affairs, and es-
pecially to look personally after her in
tcrcsts on her landed estates, whicl,
were large. She therefore spent much
Of her time in the saddle, and indeed in
the costume Of the hecontenlporaryt dandy.
10 numberless other advcntu. cs and
caprices she added that of insisting OH
fighting duel with young man who
was enamorcu of her wit and bright
eyes. She rewarded his devotion by
forbidding him to approach her but
love is sometimes deaf us we'll rs blind.
In this instance it is possible that the
cavalier put the seeming invulncrability
; of the lady down to affection, be that rs
it may, meeting her one day in wood
where she had alightcd to pick some
> berries, he threw himself at her feet
but, to his protcstations Of love and dc.
votion, this h.rd-heartcd Madame Il,
Saint Belmont replied
You are challenged. Tomorrow
will run my sword through yon."
And it was as she said it should I've
the young man was killed by the hand
of her whom he loved more than life
But hardly had he brcathed his last
when his fair antagonist was seized
with the keencst remorsc. She threw
herself upon his dead body and wep
bitterly. From that day she WAS ell
tirely changed; she became very de
. voted to the church, heard mass twict
= daily, wrote three religious tragedies
and gnvc large share Of her inconet t.
| different religious orders. Her indig
Z nation ut the young cavalier WAS onl,
: an incxplicablc caprice; sho had, il
!. f,ct, unconsciously loved him, as th'
: sequel fully proved.
= A similar but less tragic case is re
+ lated Ivy Tallcmand:
D Madame Chateau Gay lie Murat hat
J, n lover in the person Of !, certain Mons
j ,r'f dc C"dierc" Ono day she th"uSl,
{" herself justified in !"iirving that H.
! Was "nta'thfn' All his pr"trst,tinn
y, "'r" of II" avail. Sine challenged hi,
IL to single combat, and whether |,
/ wonlt or no, he WAS compelled to &c
ccpt.