Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1883-04-28
THE HOT BLOOD OF YOUTH.


70 Qnnrrels, and at Inst TO Twenty-Ono
Dneis in n Day.
The Vienna correspondent of the
London Neos writes under recent
date: The University of Jena, and
indeed the whole city, have passed
through week of intense alarm and
anxiety. On one day twenty-one
serious duels took place among the
students, and the arms used not being
properly cleaned, all those who were
wounded had their blood poisoned.
About forty young men are lying in
the hospital in serious condition.
One great favorite, the only son of
wealthy parents, had his mind upset
by an intense attack of fever, and COM
mitted suicide by taking strychnine.
He died after a terrible agony that
lasted many hours. Two more have
died already, and there is little hope of
saving more than one-half of those
who are still in a pitiable condition.
This dreadful calamity will 40 doubt
serve to make university dueling very
unpopular in Germany; if not with
the Young men themselves, certainly
with their relations. 1t is difficult
for an Englishman to believe on what
pretenses duel will sometimes
take place. At Heidelberg an English
friend Gnce dined at the table d'hote,
and being seated right opposite to a
young man who wore the badge of a
corps" across his breast. he could not
help noticing the extraordinary man.
ner in which this young man took his
meal. At first he admired him for the
skillful manner in which he managed
his knife, which necessarily passed
from his plate to his mouth, heavily
laden as it was with green peas But
when the student, having finished his
meal, took up his gravy with the knife
the Englishman began to feel his blood
boil Pudding with apple sauce fol
lowed, and the student operated with
his dessert-knifo just as he had done
with the larger knife. But the Eng
lishman could control himself no longer.
In hoarse whisper he addressed his
vis-a-vis, saying: " You will cut your
mouth open if you don't leave off eat
ing gravy with your knife" The stu
dent looked up and answered: What
is that to you? l can cut my mouth
oYen TO my ears for all you have ri Iht
to Interfere "Oh, nonsense" sad
the Engiishman, cody; "you can't ex-
pect decent person to let you butcher
yourself at dinner p "Oh, but can
tn .'gh, and you shall see drummer
Junge !" With that the student rose
and left the room. Drummer Junge
(Stupid fellow y signifies as much as
a challenge.
When the students seconds came to
arrange details with the Englishman
he was terribly surprised at the seri-
GUS consequences of what he had
deemed most natural remark He
ffered to apologize. and begged them
to remember that he believed himself
il the right. But the seconds de-
clared their friend would accept no
apology, and they even limited that the
Englishman had probably been told
that his opponent was first-class
fencer, the pride of Heidelberg. Of
course, when matters took this turn,
the Englishman spoke in very differ
cnt tone. and everything was arranged
for duel with pistols, he being no
fenccr. He spent dreadful night,
because he was told that the young
student was in such foaming rage
that his only desire was to see his op-
ponent lie dead on the ground. The
Englishman did all in his power TO
have the matter arranged, but he did
not succeed, and on his way to the
trysting-place he said to his seconds:
ut is dreadful shame that should
have kill this young man because he
does not know the proper use of his
knife and fork. Still, it would be just
as unfair to let him kill me-
The Englishman inteRded firing in
the air if he had the second shot, hut
chance was averse to him. He had the
right to shoot frst-the aim was
deadly. the young Teuton fell with
out a grcan.
Next day the nhlishman Travelled
to the town where his victims Wild
owed mother lived, and at the end Of a
two hours conversation ne convinced
her of his sincere regret and bis wish
to serve her. She admitted that her
son had not died through his fault. but
through the mistaken notions o. honor
current among the youth of Germany.