The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-15

as ne QarCed out OF the carriage at the
very next stopping place.
ADUEL ABOUT 4 HAT.
Arsene Houssayes Paris letter in N. Y. Tribune.
l once had hat adventure myself. 1t
was in 1850. was at the ball Of the Ho-
tel de Vile, escorting Nine. Victor Hugo,
while Victor Hugo gave his arm to Nine.
Houssaye. There was chair empty, and
The next one to it contained a hat. I
took up the hat and gave the chair to
Nine. Hugo. OF course did not propose
to hold the hat all night. so put it on the
floor. Its owner soon arrived. It was a
celebrated duelist, M. Sherbette, Deputy
from scissors. He came straight to the
chair which had had the honor of holding
his hat. He was about to attack Nine.
Victor Hugo, but, as Twas. talking with
her, he turnednpon me. r .1 ~
us it you, sir, who have displaced nay
hat?
eyes, SIR
'Did you ppt it on the floor p
''Do GU think Fought to have put it
on my head o.
''But, sir, you have irsulted me. Here
is my card.'
took out card and threw it in his hat.
"Monsieur!'' said the deputy furious
ly, do 70 suppose am going to pick up
"Do you suppose 1 said *'that am
going to put it on your head?'
Victor Hugo laLg hed, Nine. Hugo
smiled, but Nine. Houssaye was not at all
amused.
II require, sir,'' said the Deputy Of
scissors, that you replace my. hat on
the chair where it was
I began to laugh. A little circle had
gathered.
NJ. Sherbette finally picked up his hat
under pretext Of taking my card.
''Monsieur Arsene Houssaye," he said.
ave are from the same place, a reason
more for our meeting
II await your seconds, NJ. Sherbette''
I replied.
AT what hour. We can fight as soon
as we leave the ball. ~
Nj. Sherbette bowed to the two ladies,
and went off in search of two seconds. l
asked Victor Hugo and the Marquis de
Belloy to act as my witnesses in this rid
iculous affair. NJ. Sherbette's seconds
soon appeared. 1t was decided that we
should fight with pistols at twenty PAGES
at the Bois de Boulogne, at day break.
1t was then hardly midnight, but we re-
solved to pass the rest of the night at the
ball. At that time ! was very fond of
waltzing. They told Nina. Houssaye
that the affair was amicably settled, so
that we amused ourselves pleasantly
until nearly dawn.
AS ill-luck would have it. we all met in
the cloak.room, principals and seconds.
sit is nuisanse,' said one Of :.,her.
bettes seconds, ''to 90 to the Bots in thi:
snow-storm.''
''Come,' said the other laughingly to
NJ. Sherbette, .'as you are the injured
party, you can apologize"
"Never,' said NJ. Sherbette..t
The two seconds came to me. ''Say
che word to free us from this task. We
want to 60 to bed.'
"Never!'' cried, in my turn.
NJ. Sherbette put on his hat with a
slant over the right ear.
| Iput on mine With slant over the
left.
| The four seconds besieged US, and said
they would not accompany US unless We
were more good natured about it.
"After all, said Victor lingo, Il think
tat Arsene Houssaye, having; only in
suited NJ. Sherbette's hat, mi ht make
his apologies to it,
At this moment word from M. Sher'
bette changed the'face of things
IF NJ. Arsene Houssaye declares that
in offending my hat he did not Intend to
offend me, | will hold myself satisfied
with the declaration.''
I declared that L had not aimed at NJ
Sherbett under his hat, and the duel was
at al end.
1t was agreed, in the verbal process.
verbal, that, whenever we met thereafter
we were to salute each other by touch
of the hat.