The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-07-21
TRI-WE EEKLY EDITION.
station : n, without, where we took the troil

for Lille.
GAS soon rs I could do so, I hastencd
to the general commanding our division
L told him all AS you may imagine, he
reprimanded me severely.
What! said he, AN officer of your
rank to babble thus in public, like raw
boy just out Of the military school? It
is the fault of the War Department..
They should not promote mon so young
rs you to positions of Importance.
'T privately thought that if I had
been general the affair would have been
the same. But I. so richly merited his
severe language that did not reply.
We'll, said he, finally, what do you
propose @ to do?'
There is but one course open to me,
general I replied. Il have grievously
offended this young man. have, there
fore, placed myself Mt his disposition.
We must fight
"tA duel! You are mad! A major
cannot go upon tho fold with a private
soldier
General, you must allow me to say
that there are certain insults 50 grave
that military usage must yield to them.
Grant me permission to do this
But cannot-I have no right to do
So
"rhcn telegraph the Minister of
War;
&c He will refuse.
well, if that be the case, I shall
notify George dc Ferisset, and we will
fight in Belgium
"Then you dcscrt?'
yes, general, will desert and then
return for my punishment. [ have once
dishonored myself in publicly insulting
q woman; shall not again do SO in re-:
fusing satisfaction to her son.
"rhe generals pcrplexity and anger
began to pass away; he seemed moved.
Ho strobe up and down the room for
some moments, and finally, turning to
me, said:-
&c BE it so. Do as you will. Bear in
mind though, that I know nothing of
this affair-this conversation has not
taken place
'T thanked him, and repaired to my
quarters. That evening, De Ferisset's 5
seconds arrived They were civilians,
rs was also the two friends whom I
named to arrange matters with them.
The weapon chosen was the sword; the
hour, six o'clock the following morning;
the place, little village just within the
Belgian frontier. put my affairs in
order that night, for had determined
to offer but slight defense to my oppo-
nent.
cat the appointed hour the next day
we were alone. 1t was q raw, drizzly
morning, and the mud was ankle deep
Dc Ferisset appeared i'll uniform. One
of my seconds remarked that he, like the
rest of us, should have come as u civil
ian. He replied that he had bccn insult
ed rs a man and soldier, and that
reparation was due to him rs such. L
made a sign to my second and he did not
insist.
eve took our places. It was a curious
spectaclc-a private soldier in his uni
form facing his superior officer in multi.
''The swords were crossed. The word
was given. watched his face with n
feverish curiosity. In his eyes there
was tho same glare of the day before the
same indecision. Suddenly strange smile
appeared upon his lips-tho smile of a
broked heart-a smile I shall never for
get though I live hundred years.
Quick as flash he abandoned his guard,
and grasping my sword with his loft hand
he hurled himself upon it. It ran him
through the body. Uttcring hoarsc
cry he fell backward; q bloody foam
tinged his pale lips. A conclusive
shudder ran over his body-anothcr--
then groan. He was dead"
I listened with horror to his story.
He noticed my looks, but went doggcdly
on
"Of course I had not killed hint
had even resolved not to defend myself;
md I quilted the army. But still feel
like murderer; L feel rs though had
committed a. crime When L think of
that poor boy-loyal to his mother, bad
though she was-slain in the first flush
of youth, feellike MI assassin. And
think of that wretched mother! How she
must mourn her brave boys fall!
It was growing late; the people were
pouring out of the afes-concerts. Now
and then a passer by would hum over
the latest comic song. Strange contrast!
The follies of the song mingled with the
words of the sombro drama just unrolled
before me. Gustave walked on by my
side, with bent head, crushed by the
weight of his tragic story.
And still the Champs -Elysecs swarmcd
with people. Around us was the intense
life of summer night in frivolous Paris.
On the avenue wore innumorablo car
riages, and all around gayly dressed
loungers on tho iIon chairs.
AS my eye roamed carelessly ovel
| them, I saw one group. the center OF
which was woman of forty-five, but
| still very beautiful. Ses was dressed
richly and tastefully, and bore in hen
hand boquet which q smirking dandy
had just presented to her. I could not
repress an exclamation. Gustavc fol-
lowsd my eyes.
"Whatr he cried, "it cannot be she. ,
eyes," I answered him, "It is Madame
dc Ferisset."
"A race of kings re lgned in India 230C