San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-09-14
A German Duel.

Eshes long iossSN S-
cent to his son. describing some daels
o. has seen fought in Germany. Here
e one OF them;
Two young men we're seated in chairs
ling each other; the right arm, neck
and breast were protected by heavy
.,;lted stuff and over the eyes pair OF
;r0n goggles. So heavy is the padding
On the arm that two men support the
vairht for the fighter in the intervals
n rest. So protected, the face and
hood are liable to cuts; but it is difficult
20 iraict serious injury. In the
nending case it was said that one of the
combatants was an officer in the re-
serves. and the other desired to be;
INIT some reflection on his courage had
been made by the officer, and hence
this duel. Perhaps it was some evil
dence in favor Of the truth of the asser-
ton, that the challenger sought this
comparatively harmless mode of salts
isfaction, rather than a combat with
sabre and naked breast.
At word of order thu men took
their feet, their seconds put rapiers in
their gloved hands, the handles of which
had been we'll chalked. These rapiers
are about three feet and half long
sharpened about foot at the end, but
not pointed. They advanced to within
about two feet of each other, and stood
with the weapons raised above their
heads waiting for the word. At the
side of each was his second, an umpire
was close by, and doctor for emergen-
cies. The crowd pressed back a re-
spectful distance.
"Aa4f naens1r" (To the ightD ex.
claims one of the seconds.
"Bindel die Klingenp Swords to-
gether)
"GebaIaode1o Si1ad~ Swords are
ready.)
"Loss" FightD
And quickly following the response
comes a flash of steel, the singing of
the weapons as they whiz through the
air above the heads of the fighters, and
the thud of blows falling on arm or
breast. All at once red streak is visi-
BILE on the forehead of one of the par
ties.
"Halt!" exclaims his adversary and
the seconds at the same moment. The
combattings drop their fatigued arms
to the supporting help of their assist
ants, who hold them up as Aaron and
Hurr held up those of Moses.
The doctor examines the wound and
sponges it, and both have their faces
wiped by the seconds, and the same
formula recalls them to the combat.
This lasts fifteen minutes, each getting
cuts from which the blood runs down
on their shirts, until they looks like
butchered hogs. But the time allotted
is up. They have cut and slashed at
each other, and set their teeth, and lost
their blood, and thereby shown their
courage. But yet, not quite so, for
there has been an army officer there
closely watching the fight. He has no
tlced that the challenging party, who
wished by this fight to prove his cour-
age, had lodged back on two occasions
30, I am told, the poor youth will not
get to be an officer, for tits an infexible
rule that no such lodging can be toll
Grated. I had not noticed this act of
perhaps involuntary shrinking, but
more experienced eyes had, and his fate
was sealed.
The combatants were now Invested
Vi tnelr bloody garments, and 1t seemed
to me were relieved to be quit of a
heavy task. I took the opportunity to
glance around the room at the students.
They nearly all had slashed faces.
one had replaced nose. My captain
had a perfect map of crossing lines.
Some of the wounds were ancient, some
were but lately healed, and few were
cuts evidently made that day. These
scars are deemed honorable distinctions
here, and therefore decorations. 1
was forcibly reminded of remark L
have heard, Also. that the Germans are
becoming near-sighted people, by OBJ
serving that nearly a third of those