The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-03-09
STUDENTS DUELS.
Deliberate and Bloody Butchery BY German
Duelists.

was young surgeon of promise.
1t is 'mensur,' quoth he; there
will be hot work, for some Of them
are old hands .
A batch of Students duels was to
be fought off, and my friend was doc
tor for his old corps, the 'Silesla =
You must be colleague for the
nonce,' said be, as We turned down a
narrow side street. I can hardly in
troduce you to 'mensur' unless you
pass as Doctor
So I buttoned high my coat and
looked professional. We entered a
little restaurant, passed through to
the back, and so by narrow passage
to door with peep-hole.
'Ah, doctor!' called half a dozen
voices, as We entered.
Ny conductor, turning to me, said !:
Gentlemen, here is an English col
league of mine desirous of witnessing
our 'mensur,' let me introduce him.
Long lasted the bowing, shaking of
hands, and exchanging of names, for
punc:ilious politeness is never more
derigueur than Oh such occasions. A
long room with table at either end,
the walls hung with -.lck red gold
flags and shields of the 'silesis' an
arsenal of swords in the racks
gloves, masks and paddings in pro-
fusion. A group of red-capped stu
dents standing and sitting round one
table, a group of green capped stu
dents at the other-the whole in q
6ue atmosphere of tobacco smoke.
Plastered we're the faces Of many, and
almost every left cheek bore proud
traces Of doughty blows. Our ad-
versaries at the other end of the
room were 'Saxonia.'
My friend and his. colleague of the
other corps now busted themselves io
laying oct the implements of their
art-while the first pair Of combatants
prepared for action. Goats and waist
coats were removed the sword arm
was swathed in many folds of black
silk as was also the neck, while wad-
ed garment-horribly stifened and
discolored from use-protected the
body, and the eyes we're guarded BY
google like spectacle frames. A fel'
low got up in this guise has right
'uucanny' look about him, especially
with the long straight sword with the
fearfully sharp blade and a great
basket guard in bis hand.
We will commence at once, if it is
agreeable to you
I'VE are entirely at your service
The presidents of either corps sa
lutte tremendously, the crowd Of stu
dents fall back, the combatants ad-
vance to chalk line. The presidents
Oh either side are in full student gala,
booted, capped and ribboued- their
naked swords ready to parry an unau-
thorized blow. The recorder reads
the protocol of the fight, the senior
calls: 'Silensium! Ready! Guard ?
There is a seconds pause, and then al
the word los y (let loose) the ham,
mering begins. 1t is not at all like
,broadswords or singlcsticks-still less
like foils, for the students 'paukerei'
is quite sui genesis-au iuelegant
hacking at close quarters with moth
ing but the over guard 'terce and
quart
They. are to fight for fifteen min
utes-rests not ;ncluded-unless, oi
course, before that time the doctor
declares it to be dangerous to pro
ceed. Halt is called for few sec
onds. First blood. 1t is nothing,
declares the doctor, and the swords
men advance again, but one Of them
has dripping cash in the cheek
'Halt' is called at least dozen times
and each time another cash is re
corded One man can hardly see fol
the blood which triekles down hi
forehead and gets under his goggles
aid so the doctor, with calm readi
ness, smears the upper rim with th'
grease from a plate of 'guylasch,' ant
thus diverts the CORY stream.
Our man can 60 on bit more,
from the Saxonia.
Our man is quite ready from tn
Silesia.
Ready Losv once more. Ham
mer, hammer; clash, clash.
Halt p a lock Of hair futters t
the ground; Saxonia staggers back
the doctor is at his side.
we must stop, remarks Esculapius
after glance; "a deep scalp wound.