Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-02-03

is. to fight 4 mortal duel with Veronin de
Precy, without any witnesses, and the
combat not to cease till one or the other
is dead. Do you except the.challengc =
II do 7" exclaimed Martin Louis un-
hesitatingly.
When will you meet Monsieur de Pre-
Cyl" sd
"And where ? Will the grove Of wal
nut trees on the highway to Tours, which
is we'll known to you be convenient =
"Perfectly 50. -
"What arms do you choose -
Martin Louis reflected moment; then
he said disdainfully:
II should like best to meet your friend
with the same weapon with which pun
ished him this morning. But let it be
swords
The Marquis de Cauchet bowed stifay
and withdrew.
Strangely enough the dangerous chal'
lenge made no apparent impression upon
the assembled Montbaisson family. They
all of them were animated by too bitter q
hatred of the Precys not to almost vel
come an event by which they might graf
ify it in bloody manner.
"My sons,' said the old Count at last
gravely. ''let US take, in the presence Of
your mother and sister, a solemn oath to
avenge your brothers death in case he
should fall in his combat with the com
mon vile enemy
The two younger sons, Rernardin and
Charles, repeated the awful oath which
their father uttered. The remainder Of
the day they spent as if they were not on
the eve of terrible tragedy.
The 9th of July, ITO, tlawned. No
more glorious morning could be imagined
but, when the first rays Of the sun dis
PEELED the lingering mists of the night,
two human tigers rushed at each other
in the above mentioned grove Of walnut
trees. Both Martin Louis and Veronin,
like most young noblemen Of that period,
were skilled swords.mcn. The first few
rounds were bloodlcss. Suddenly, Yer.
onin uttered q cry. His left shoulder
had been pierced, and the blood began to
stream from his wound. He turned very
pale, and with desperate effort rushed
again upon his antagonist.
Martin Louis smiled disdainfnlly. He
easily warded of the stroke. But the
next effort Of Veronin was more success
full. His blade pierced Martin Louis
breast. A groan of pain escaped him.
He staggered as if ready to sink down.
Veronin uttered triumphant yell.
"You will die dog !" he said. as he gloat'
ed upon the livid countenance of his
wounded adversary.
mo! no you shall die!" roared Mar
tin Louis back.
He gathered all his strength and at
tackled Veronin with fury which the
latter was unable to withstand. A mo-
ment later Veronin's heart was pierced
by Martin Louis sword. With yell OF
pain he fell, and expired. But Martin
Louis too, was MORALLY wounded. His
life.b blood was fa ebbing away, and two
or three minutes afterward he was also q
corpse.
An hour later Baron de Precy found
his sons cold and stiff remains in the
walnut.tree grove. For moment even
the thought that with his first.born had
fallen the hated first.born Of Montbaisson
was unable to assuage his grief. But
when he turned round and met
|
which the father of the slain Martin Lou
is de Montbaisson, who had likewise come
to look after his son, bent upon him he
said:
"Ha, Montbaissen! The sons have
fought. 1t is now the turn Of the "a
thers!'
BE it so :" said the count haughtily
II shall wait here for you tomorrow
morning 1t this hour with my brace Of
pistols, without witness. 1t shall be
death for one or both of us -
| The challenge was communicated to the
anxiously waiting families Of the two old
men at the same time 1T which tho cory
remains Of the two slain young men were
taken home. So terrible was the thirst
for revenge At both castles, that hardly
q tear was shed for the dead.
The duel next merning resulted in a
similarly fatal manner. Baron de Pre-.
cys first shot severely wounded Count de
Montbaisson. The latter, however, had
strength and firmness enough left to send
= bullet through tho Baron's heart.
There was gnash:ng Of teeth at Castle
Precy when the Baron's remains arrived
there, and they heard that Count Mont.
baisson was likely to recover from his
wound. Such did not prove to be the
case, however. Three weeks later he
died in the greatest agony, causing, on
his death.bed, his remaining two sons
Bernardin and Charles, to repeat their
oath of vengence against the Prccys.
OF the latter, but two were left-Vic'
tor and Lucrece. Victor and Bcrnardir
fought duel. They only inflicted pain
full wounds upon each other.
By this time the royal Government had
heard of the murderous sentiments enter
tanned by the two families toward eact
other. King Louis the Sixteenth, in or
der to prevent any further bloodshed
had the two wounded youths conveyed t.
tho Bastile, where Precy died soon ate,
his arrival, while Bernardin dc Mont
baisson remained prisoner for thrc
years when he also expired.
Thus in the year 1852, but one NAL
member Of each family survived :
!. Charles de Montbaisson ard Luerece d
Precy.
They were at this time little more tina,
boys. and rs dissimilar in character 4
I possible. -. -.-.-..
Lucrece Dc Precy, then fifteen year
old, was . somber and almost misan
thropic person. OF slender build, he ha
never manifested much liking for the pun
} suits Of the young scions Of noble houses
He disliked fighting and sport, wa
!. passionately foud Of books, and above al
things, m enthusiastic student of astron
omy. His favorite resort was an oil,
tower on wooded hill in the neiehbor
hood, which in medieval times had bee1
used as lookout BY the knightly noble
men Of Touraine. From the top of tn
tower Lucrece dc Precy often made as
Economical observations, in which h
spent there occasionally whole days.
As time wore on, his prediction TO
this lonely spot grew stronger and strong
er. To show an appreciation of his 1t
tatchment to it, he had q tall flag stat
erected on the top of the tower, owe
which thenceforth foated the banner Q
his noble house.
Young Charles de Montbaisson was