Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1880-08-05

hisN UUELLIN8 At HEIDEL9E38.
Passing over TIE historical old bfiak
that spans the Neekar. ~ lock aFoad
hg the TiEer's bank in nOF1heriy direc-
ton for aboet . quarter Of mile when
we turned up iEf0 deep gouTge be-
tween iLe high overhanging bulls. We
soon came 20 large old-siyIe building,
two stories high. the upper one formed
huge gable roof, reminding one Of the
old Dutch fayerns TO be seen through
out Holland, and built $50 or 900 years
ago. The yard 10 front was used foE 3
beeT-gardcn, and The rough tables and
benches under The shady trees and irrl-
lises were covered With empty and
half-empsv braF-mugs. a. some party 81
jewellers bad taken . sudden fright. No
person was to be seen stirring. and an
ominous silence seemed to brood over
the building and its Surroundings. The
place appeared deserted but for the
presence OF dozen or more OF huge
and ierce-looking bulldogs. mastifs and
deer-hounds OF rare breeds which were
chained about in the garden and which
the students carefully lead through the
streets 10 Heidelberg. roa
The driver dismounted from his seat
and gave several heavy rsps with iis
whIp handle on the old fashioned door.
In few minutes it was cautiously
opened and mans head, evidently a
domestic, appeared. He was handed
our cards and told to take them to the
Presidentoi- the yellow-cap corps
Soon yelIow-cap student came put,
and after giving Us very ceremonious
salute requested us to fellow him. Af-
ter passing through a long ball we
mounted two flights of Stair, made q
turn, passing through dimly lighted
corridor and entered large ante-room
which some OF the students call the
'.repair shop" The room was like
field hospital during a bloody battles--
Sponges, towels, strips of CO Ion cloth
and rags saturated with blood were ~
ing about on the benches and tables,
while wash-bowls, pals and footballs
partly filed with bloody water were
stationed around the room either on :he
floor or benches. Blood was to be seen
everywhere. A case OF surgical instru-
ments was on table, near which were
piles of lint, rolls OF bandages, sheets Of
sticking plaster, two or three TASKS oI
brandy and various remedies and med
icines used as restoratives when people
have tainted from loss Of blood or other
causes. The floor was sprInkled with
blood that had escaped from wounds
caused by sword-tbrusts, not only this
day but on former occasions.
II seems one duel had taken place be-
fore our arrival. 1t did not matter
the results were before US. Passing
the hospital room, in which we did not
tarry long to scrutlnize. we entered the
duelling hall, a large. high room about
so feet long, 80 wide. The second duel
W as in progress. of which we had been
forewarned BY hearing the clashofswords
in the other room. AT one end of the
ball and facing each other were the
1wo duellists engaged in what appeared
to be deadly combat. The face ofone
was soscovered with bloodlthat / could
not recognize hiss featares. The other
duellist, although bis face was bIbody,
tA1a Vbt4CusAN l80t QGNM ~ iUNUty D0lA~
ished as bis adversary. He bad only
received so far two or three slight cuts
on his face, from witch blood was
flowing down has bosom. Each wore
aprons originally made from some white
material that looked as IL il had seen
long service in q slaughter-house-and
so they bad, for they were almost black
with the human gore that had accumu-
lated from many previous duel. Their
heads were bare and their faces unpro-
tected, save by black steel goggles WITH
out glasses which covered their eyes.
Heavy wrappings ofsilk-Iayerupo lay
er--were wound around their necks,
and their sword arms were incased in
thick shields or sleeves, wadded or pad
ded with cotton, 50 that the shar?est
blade could not penetrate them. Aside
from these precautions they were at
the mercy of each others swords. Both
combatants were about thirty years OF
age, athletes in size and strength, aud
had been practising Tor years under
skilled professors for such an, occasion
as this. they were in terrible earnest
and their long sharp swords played over
each others heads with lightning like
rapidily, bat SO skilIfnily were The
blows parried that most OF the wounds
were only caused by the bending or the
breaking OF the blades. The moment
sword became disabled, which was con-
siantly occurring. the seconds interfered
and cried .Halt ~ and the uplilted arms
came 20 rest. Soon as fresh swords,
which had been sliarpened like razors,
were brought and placed in their hands,
there was no ceremony or waiting.-
The seconds gave the signal and the
two men sprang forward at each other
like blood-hounds. Steel clashed against
steel again, sparks 6ew as If from a
blacksmith's i0r<e, and turlls OF hair,
cut as If by invisible hands, were waf-
ted long distances from each others
heads. Occasionally squirt oil blond
would tell that bad wound had been
given, and the seconds would interfere
while the surgeons could examine and
hastily quench the flowing current
The dueilist who first attracted my at
tention BY bis CORY face was evidently
getting the worst Of the. battle. Blood
was flowing down bis face and body
( rain aud forming little p0ols m the
sawdust that was scattered around his
feet. The scene reminded me of The
bull fights Witnessed ia Spain, only This
was the more brutal and inhuman OF
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