The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-04-06
A WOMAN,S BATTLE.
Fierce Hatred Between Women Of Ranl

Fierce Hatred Between Women of Rank,
GThis is the manner in which two Ia
dies of. title. settled their disputes
in France in the year lG91-in the
good old days, when men, and partfcu-
larly women, were so much better
than in such degenerate times.
The Marquis de Tresnel and Lady de
Liancour were two neighbors, living
in the country; both being young and
beautiful, naturally they hated each
other, but rivalry was not the only
reason for their mutual detestation.
Lady de Liancour and her husband
had been very intimate with the Mar.
|quise de Tresnel before his marriage.
This did not suit his wife, because
Nine. de Liancour was handsome
enough to arouse the jealousy of the
bride.
An open rupture took place, and Wis
iting ceased. Shortly after, some sa-
tirical verses, aimed at the Marquise,
were published, under the form of a
request to the intendant of Paris. The
substance of these lines was an endeav.
or to prove that the lovely Marquise
should be sent to a reformatory for
women.
She Immediately attributed the au-
thorship to Lady Liancour, and com.
planned to the tribunal of the Marshals
of France. The scandalous verses had
spread everywhere, and had made Il
fortune for somebody. Who? In
spite of all her inquiries Madame de
Tresnel could not prove that Lady
Liancour was the author of the libel.
The Marquise was none the less per-
suaded that her rival wrote them, and
|swOre to be revenged.
One day she went to church and met
there very young daughter of her en-
emy, who did not offer her her place.
This was another affront. After the
sermon the ladies were invited to cold
collation. by the sisters of a religious or
der. At table the Marquise complained
bitterly of the incivility of the child,
hoping that her words would be car
ried to Lady Liancour, which proves
that tale-bearing is not an invention of
the nineteenth century.
Soon the two fair enemies met in
that very same church, and hostilities
began. The Marquise entered followed
by her lackeys and magnificent reti-
nue.. Seeing Lady Liancour, she went
straight to her, pushed her headlong
from her seat, and sat down in it her.
self, saying:
Il cannot write verses. but 1 can
knock you over"
The quaint old chronicler of this sto.
ry remarks ''that this was not really
worthy of a woman of her rank, and q
sad, sad thing to do; but anger will
make any one forget ones-self."
The battle began in good earnest.
Lady riancour confessed her inability
to knock her down in return, but gave
her, as the vulgate hath it, the length
of her tongue. The Marquise threat
ened to make her husband chastise her,
and called her little stuckup, upstart
nobody, who had dared to make eyes
at a Marquis, her husband-the shame.
less flirt, the hussy, the baggage! Upon
which Lady Lianc0ur swooped down
upon her antagonist by calling upon
the Heavens to witness that she (the
Marquise) had no character to boast of,
and no beauty!
This was the worst of all. The Mar.
quise flew at her, threatening to tear
her to pieces. The gentle creatures
had to be separated and led from the
church by their friends and followers.
This was another sad, sad scene above
all, in church. .-.
Certain friends of the combatants
thinking that matters had gone far
enough, undertook to reconcile the
ladies. They pursuaded the Marquise
that she owed an apology, to Lady Liam.
cour, as she had given the first offense.
She consented, and a meeting was ar
ranged between them, butt: instead of
receiving the apology Lady Liancour
Expected, the Marquise heaped upon
her fresh insults, and again they had to
be separated.
Lady Liancour took the next step,
|She wrote to the Marquis full particu.
lars Of the quarrel, and of her injuries
at the hands of his wife. But. it is not
unlikely that he was of that class of
men who have a faculty of getting wO-
men by the ears and then leaving them
to fight it out themselves, while he slips
|away safely, like a dog slipping away
with a bone. He is dead now,' poor
man, so let us not judge too harshly his
motive for not replying to the lady's
letter. His silence did not soften Lady
Liancour's resentment, but if he had
interfered, he might have got into
trouble with his wife. All things con-
sidered, discretion in his case was the
| better part of valor. Still the running
| feud continued The Marquiso Tres.
incl sent out spies upon her rival. One
day they reported that Lady Liancour
was going to pay avisitt TO I lady whose
castle was on1yia short distance from
her own. - - .',s ',s'
! .'.Come, saddle my horses, and Gallup
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