The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-11
[European Correspondence of the Bulletin.]

Dear Bntetla-AMOng my ACQUAINTANCE
here in Bonn is a young Englishman. VII
has lived in Germany ever since he was quit
child, and has become really more like
German than an Englishman, and as he
intimately associated with the students in a
their societies, knows their manners, Gus
toms, ETC., have been able to derive not
little interesting information on these topic
BY cross questioning him. He is very hand
some, well-bsilt fellow, with pleasant Eng
glish face and light, curly hair, and, like good
looking people generally, he is evidently con
scious of his own fine appearance and form
for he wears the ightest Of clothes SO as Il
show his splendid figure to the best ad
vantage, and as he goes strolling about will
his comrades, all in their corps caps of violet
colored cloth with white bands and with tn,
ribbons of their societies across their breasts
one would hardly suppose that he is from
"Old England" except for his face, which
borrows something of the German cast from
the conventional cap and eyeglasses which
SO many of the students wear.
This Apglo-Teuton was the hero of q LITTLE
adventure not long ago, Of which he gave mt
an account in the most matter-of-fact way
imaginable and without seeming to feel any
importance from having played such q pro
minent role. He is young member of one
of the University duelling corps, and being
very ambitious to win laurels with the sword
is constantly on the alert for chances to exer
else his growing skill. His first duel came
off little before Christmas; he had told me-
some weeks previously, that he was to have
one, and said that he confidently expected te
get cut or two, as the party with whom be
was to fight was considered very clever in the
use of his weapon, while he-the young Eng.
lishman-is yet more novice.
Now the University authorities are not by
any means opposed to fencing regarding ii
rs a species OF manly exercise and graceful
omplishment, and even allow the students
Q room in the principal building for their les
sons and practice, but they are very strict
about duelling. and take every means to pre-
vent it. Therefore the students have to keep
matters very quiet, and usually 60 of to some
small town in the neighborhood, where they
secure a room, lock the doors, and have it
to the officers in Bonn. l saw my friend at
the station the very day his duel was to come
off, and then for a week or two he disap-
peared, from which concluded that he had
received his anticipated wound and was keep
ing his room until he recovered. Sure
enough when next saw him he had great
scar extending from the middle of his left
cheek, entirely through his lower lip. They
are quite proud OF these scars, and it seems
that one is never better pleased than when
ones antagonist lays open about four inches OF
his face. was told that of one fellow who
got cut lengtnwise Oh the top Of his head,
and in order to show it he always parted his
hair upon that line afterward
My young friend came out Of his first affair
with considerable credit, having given his
opponent four sllnght cuts before he received
his own, and it was not long afterward that
he went into another, out of which he
emerged with great honor, having by skillfnl
blow cut of q large slice of his antagonists
nose, and merely getting q scratch in return.
1t seems that he is so dIligent in his practice,
and, withal, so strong and active, that he has
made very r ,pid progress, and only a week or
two back had this little adventure which am
about to describe. He had an engagement to
encounter young man belonging to another
corps on certain Wednesday evening, and,
AL huuCIpuLlUu VI scSAuk " NcIy UElbh dLdU,
all the members of both organizations were
present, with surgeon to attend to the one
who vas wounded.
With such large number in the secret, and
perhaps with SO much talk about it among
it happened that the officers Of
the University ..got wind of the affair, and
laid a counter plot by which they hoped to
surprise the duelisg parry iY tue very act.
the ''pedelIs' or college proctors
took secret council with tie police, and get
ting special deputation, repaired by some
private way to the little town i'll which the
fight was to come of, and when the party Of
students arrived, these cunning fellows
watched them to see where they would 60,
and after waiting until they thought the bust
ness was fairly under Roadway, madea sudden
descen. upon the building expecting to find
the two students in the midst Of the perform
ance.
In the meanwhile the duelling party had
proceeded in their usual manner to secure a
large room, and unconscious of movements of
The officers, had gone through with all the |
and ut the moment the latter
rushed into the house the two beliigerents
had just begun their work. However, they
had been sufficiently cautious to fasten the |
loors, and to guard against surprise by
placing sentinels on the lookout. But the
'usn OF the PeueIis ana POHceueu WAS SO
'udden that, tor all their precautions, they
we're taken by surprise, and there was SO lit
lie time to lose, that my friend, who was
sttired in his.fghting costume, had barely an
instant to get into closet before the officers !
,ntsred.
As soon rs he was in, however, one of his
locked the closet door and put the |
key in his pocket, so that when the expect
ant proctors rushed into the room upon the |
opening of the doors, which they had vio-
lently assaulted from without, they found |
only few swords and other implements OF
var, and number OF innocent-looking fell
lows who had nothing whatever to say. They
we're perfectly furious with disappointment,
md swore in their wrath that they would not
cave the house without having the entire
party Of students to accompany them. The
Gene Of all this was in small hotel, and the
Students, on their part, said that they would
not leave until they had eaten their dinner.
It was then about l o'clock, the hour at
which the Germans usually dine. and the
Infatuated psdelis marched down to the host
Ind demanded that he should get dinner
ready for the yOuLg gentlemen Immediately.