Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-09-23

HOW the University Boys Settle Their
Little Difficulties.

The Sacramento Union Record publishes q
long letter from Minister Sargent to his son, de-
scribing some duels he has seen fought In Ger
many. Here is one Of them:
Two young men were seated in chairs facing
| each other. The right arm, neck and breast Of
each were protected by heavy quilted stuff, and
over the eyes pair of iron goggles. So heavy.
Is the padding on the arm that two men support
the weight for the fighter in the intervals of rest
So protected the face and head are liable to
cuts bat it is difficult to infiict serious injury
In the pending case it was said that one of the
c0mbatants was an officer in the reserves, and
the other desired to be. but some reflection on
MS courage had been made by the officer and
hence this duel. Perhaps it was some evidence
IN favor OF the truth Of the assertion that the
challenger sought this comparatively harmless
moGe OF satisfaction rather than combat with
sater and naked breast. :. -..s.st
AT word Of ertief the men took their feet.
their seconds put fapiers i'm their gloved hands
the handles of which had been well chalked.
These rapiersi are about three feet and half
long, sharpened about a bf3ot at the end but
not pointed. They advanced to- within about
TWO feet OF each other, and stood with the wea-
pOns raised aboye their heads, waiting for the
word. AT the Side of each was his second an
umpire was close by and a doctor for cmer-
gencies. The crowd pressed back respectful
distance.
.'.Auf neasn!," (To the fghtD exclaims one
of the seconds
''Bi,.del die Ktingent' Swords together.)
"Gebenli,at Sindi' (SwOrds are readyD
"LOssf' FghtD
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 visible on
the forehead of one of the parties.
Halt! exclalms his adversary and the sec
onds at the same moment. The combatants
drop their fatigued arms to the supporting help
Of their assistants who hold them ND as Aaron
and Hurr held up those of Moses.
The doctor examines the wound and spOnges
IL. and both have their faces wiped by the Sec
Onds. and the same formula recalls them to the
combat. This lasts fifteen minutes, each getting
cuts from which the blood runs literally down
on their shirts. until they look like butchered
hogs. But the time allotted is up. They have
cut and slaSied ut 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 noticed that the challenging
party, who wished by this fight to prove his
courage, had lodged back on two occasions!
so. am told the poor youth will not get to be
an officer. for it is an nfiexbe rule that no
such lodging can be tolerated. / had not no.
ticed this act of perhaps involuntary shrinking
but more experienced eyes had and his fate
was sealed
The cOmbatants were now Invested of their
bioCcS StiIci:tS, ana III seemed TO he were re-
Eeyeti to be quit OF heavy task. l took the
opportunity to glance around the room at the
students They nearly all had sashed faces
One 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
distinctions here. and therefore decorations [
was fOrciby reminded of q remark | have heard
also, that the Germans are becoming near
hy-I y-iy,fr
of those present-and all We're young but me
wore glasses.