Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-12
ho'd them up as aaron and Hurr held up
tlosa ,f Mesa.

wiped by the seconds, and the same for
mula recalls them to the combat THIS
lasts fifteen minutes, each getting cuts
from which the HOOD runs literally down
on their shirts. until they look like butch
cred hogs. But she 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, Tor there has been an army eff
Ger there clnsely watching the fight. He
has noticed thaS the challenging party, who
wished by this fight to prove his courage,
had lodged back on two occasions So,
| snl told. tho poor youth viii noe get to
be an officer, foC il is an infiexible rnls that
no such lodging can be tolerated hid
not noticed this act of perhaps Involuntary
shunsing, cut mere experienced eyes has,
and his fate wss sealed.
The ooinbatsuts were nov diyested OF
their bloody garments, and it seemed to mo
wero relieved TO be quiz of heavy task.
took the opportunity to glance around
the room at the students. They nearly all
had sisshea faces. Oae had a replaced
nose. My Captain had 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 aistine.
tons here, and therefore decorations |
was foTcihly reminded of remark have
heard, also, that the Germans are becoDl.
lag q near sighted people, by observing
that nearly talrd of those present-9nd
ali were young but me--wcre glasses. We
adjourned once more 10 the open air and
resumed our seats at the table.
a MATTER OF ETIQUETTE
How would it do for me to call for
beer Tor this company at our table - said
| 10 my American companion.
Well, don't thiuk you Would be- chal-
leuge6, but it would not BE- well taken.
Each one Gale for his own oeer, and pays
FOR 1t himself; aud he would consider it a
reflection on his pcysrty # any one else
offered it. Stili," said he musinely, /" l
believe they spend AL their pockes money
Ia beer"
Ia half an hour we were Informed that
the next duel vas about 20 begin. We rs-
paired TO the hall and found tall young
man who hsd come as deiegase from a
scnool n the TnuriEgiau forest TO tighe
some OF the Berlin boys, and who vas
cousin OF our captain, pitled against Ber-
lin student reaEiy as tall, but more
slender, who fought with his left hand.
TINS gave him the advantage, So he was
accustomed 20 hght men WAC used their
right hand, while left handler was proba-
bly, a novelty to MS antagonist. Bas BITS
were excellent Swordsmen, and at the word
so parted blows that puf me in mind of
oarprt- bestin2. The superior strength OF
the TnucingIao youth and the pscuharity
at tho others fighting seemsd to equsliza
matters. Their Sword play was something
wonderful Tie forest youth was Ill
smiles between actual blows, the other
seemed iiEyle nervous. He got the most
cuts, ta5lsh he touched his adyersary oc-
casiouaily. ! hai noticed an extra leather
hand On bis head, AID asked the reason.
l. SCENE that Ia : former Rgat ae had had
his skull laid open, and woaud on the
sane place would have endangered his life.
why does be fight thsn?" I asked.
He ha5 certainly proved his courage, and
nj ght sgaLd excused
"OA, no. Tnere sno excuse but death.
EE MUST KEEP MS RECORD GOOD"
Yas nc seems to be nervous. and
doesl'1 stand still = moment in The psuses.
/ should think 1t would take q good deal
o. moral courage for so nervous a man TO
stand up aud fight like that
Yes bus it would take more moral
courage 70 BACK out"
The fight lasted half an hour, and both
combatanss were exhausted. and struck
rather fsebly before it was over. The Ber.
lin youth bled freely, and his basin Of
water, in which ths sponge to wash his
wounds was dipped, was red as blood.
Oae wound in his sealp caused the doctor
TO pause before allowing the fight TO pre-.
coed. His antagonist was little marked.
and had display ed admirable skill, temper
and eRdurance-iIom q student stard.
Point.
] stayed TO see no more. l took leave of
my Captain, who, | was sorry 10 learn, IS
to II yht with sabers to the death OF mutt
latlon next week. Also babe adisu 20 the
boys in green, who eourteousiy bowed
me out, cap in hand. and | returned home
by the elevated road, | had seen one Of
the features Of German student life not
usually exhibited 20 strangers, and in fact
hidden from the police and authorities.
Yet II mu<5 DC wipked at by these latter,
or it could not 60 on upon such . scale. 1t
Is more prevalent IN smaller towns like
Heidelberg than in Berlin; yet here it
takes two days il the week to settle scores.
or practices blood-letting. 1t is defended
on the ground that it makes men uuA nch-
ing before an enemy, and skillful in the
practice q defensive warfare. The ranks
OF the officers are recraited from these
corps, and their mettle is tried and tough
ened by these experiences. Bismarck
fought many or these dusis when a stu
dent Every army officer, many a judge
nov on the bench, N ny member OF the
Prusslan and Imperial legislative bodies,
have thus seasoned their youth. Reason.
ing from their own training, and from the
necessity Tor martial spirit, these find q
public advantage and private pTopriety in
these exercises, which, to my unaccus-
toned eye, bad only the element of physi.
icai-psrhaps moral courage, to elevate
them above hog buschery,
AT THE MORE DANGEROUS DUELs.
No limit ia placed OF weapon or method,
always excepting the requirement of fair
play. Only the American duel is ruled
out, ssld my informant, q student doctor,
VINO had kiadiy favored me with interest.
Ing comments. as tins fights went on.
And what is an American duel 2" l
asked. with some surprise
Nhy" said ne, 1.-The duel where one
pistol is loaded aud the other not and
lots are cast, and the party who draws the
loaded pistol must take it, and go away
aud shoot himself with il, as You Ameri-
cans DO, - he added, with an assuring smile.
think he was a little incredulous when
] asserted that we did not Indulge 20 any
great extent in such dueling in America
IN fact that had never heard of it before.
But he was TOO polite to insist. The one
fact which CLEANED was that, in the regu-
lations for students in Germany, this ssyl
Of 81 fighting" ia called "American, and
is ruled out.
You msy, perhaps, expect me to indulge
in appropriate reflections upon the scenss
which l have tried to describe. Well, /
will not, except to say that think
! THU EXCESSIVE MILIrAR1sM OF GERMANY,
! OF which thsse scenes are an outgrowth,
is natural, considering the danger from its
, geographical position and the necessity for
keepinp yi1ilaus watch ppop warlike and