Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-08-03
DECIDEDLY FRENCH.

]; Both parties came to the ground.
Il 1t was a dining room all oak and leath
, fer, brilliantly lighted, with high cell
, ling, splendid and gay.
II The table was spread with exaggerated
profusion. There were but two, plates
Those of the duelists.
Propriety obliges me to conceal their
names. Let us know them only under
the flimsy DISCUSSES of Ernest and Count
Falbaire.
i In addition, will inform you that
both were accomplished gentlemen, in
the prime of lite, brave, elegant, and wit
ty, with spice of British eccentricity,
Ian admirable seasoning for the French
character.
Z Notwithstanding which, the evening
before, at the club, one of these gentle-
men-I shall not tell you which-seri-
ously insulted the other; so seriously that
duel was unavoidable.
| Both were magnificent fencers and
shots. They disdained to employ ordin-
airy weapons;
Both were gourmands- using the word
IN Its most heroic and recherche sense.
Ernest and the Count decided to settle
their dispute by dinner-duel.
Though unusual, the duel was to be
serious and dangerous. The rules to
govern were carefully settled by the sec
onds.
They were to eat to the bitter end, in
each others presence, without stopping,
till one or the other was hors du CON-
bat.
At first sight this makes us smile.
When we reflect, it makes us shudder.
do your duty, gentlemen" said the
seconds.
At the signal the two adversaries bowed
to each other and sat down.
The seconds were at another table, a
little to one side, where they could watch
the vicissitudes of the combat.
1t was o'clock in the evening.
At midnight the dinner (three courses
of the most expensive and exquisite dish
esq was over. Neither had obtained any
decided advantage.
Ernest smiled.
The Count had dined-that was all.
The seconds made sign to the head
waiter.
| RELOAD j. they SAID.
| On the spot another dinner was served,
exactly like the first. The same roasts,
the same fine wines. This time the Sc
verify of the principals was little re-
laxed. They were permitted to talk; at
first they used this privilege sparingly.
The second ordeal loosened their tongues.
After few conventional phrases, few
brief remarks were made, running COM
mentary on the viands before them.
"These roast thrushes are excellent.n
murmured Ernest.
II cannot altogether agree with YOU"
answered the Count Falbaire. Gin in
the sauce seems to me barbarous.''
"Yet all the authorities on the sub
ject--'
'Tousseuel agrees with me-"
Ernest bowed
| In minute or two Count Falbaire
made an observation.
'If it be the same to you, Monsieur En-
nest, we will abandon the Hermitage
and have some Lat0ur Blanche instead"
Gas you will, Monsieur lie Comte.''
1t seemed as if the first repast had only
been the absinthe before dinner of the
other.
The seconds glanced at each other in
amaZement.
1t is unnecessary to add that the part
they played, active at first, had now be-
come purely contemplative.
'sLet us sup" said the Count Falbaire.
after swallowing the last drops of his
coffee.
sLet us SUPP repeated Ernest.
The eventuality had been foreseen
Consommes, cold meats, crawfsh, and
Russian salad followed one another in
rapid succession, washed down with
draughts of hook, port wine, and cham
payne.
The supper was animated noisy, even.
The duel was coming to crisis. Each
Of the adversaries played closely watch
ing his vis-a-vis the meanwhile.
! OF the two Ernest was the more bril-
liant eater-the Count the more methodi-
cal. One had to admire their perfect
style that of the old masters-with
muscles Of iron.
Each seemed equally certain of success
there was suspicion of defiance in
their voices. Raillery sprang from the
edge OF the cup, epigram from the point
of fork.
Still Ernest's cheeks had a faint tinge of
red in them.
The Count saw it.
"Would you like that window opened,
Monsieur Ernest; you seem very warm. .
Ernest looked at him sternly.
The supper continued.
| Two OF the seconds had gone to sleep.
the others were watching. They had
made arrangements to relieve each other
every hour.
Once Ernest wanted to sing.
His seconds promptly checked this in
decent manifestation. Singing had been
carefully ruled out, because it facilitates
digestion.
This mistake told on Ernest. It was a
sort of s'first blood"
It was evident that Ernest was strug.
Cling against the first approach of drunk
enness. His eye wandered, his hands
trembled little.
''Do you wish to stop?'' said the Count.
Ernest laughed a dreadful laugh. His
only answer was to empty three glasses
of champagne in rapid succession.
The Count quietly followed his exam
pie.
Suddenly pale streak appeared across
Ernest's face. He leaned an elbow on
the table and appeared to be thinking.
After waiting several minutes for his
reverie to terminate, the Count coolly
said:
"Will you apologize?"
''Let us breakfast. !" cried Ernest.
1
The seconds started at this unexpected
exclamation. They held short consul
! tatiOn, and finally gratified their nrinci