Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-03-20
Twenty-one Duels in One Day,

NHolc Guy uitFe passed through Il week Oh
intense alarm and anxiety. which are far
from being at an end even now On one
day twenty-onc serious duels took place
among the students, and, the arms used not
having been properly cleaned, all those who
were wounded had their blood poisoned
About forty young men are lying in the
hospital in Il serious condition. One great
iavoritc, the only son Of wealthy parents
had his mind upset by an intense attack oi
fever, and committed suicide by taking
strychnine. He died after Il 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 pitiablc condition. This dreadful
calamity will no doubt serve to make uni
vcrsity dueling very unpopular in Germany,
if not with the young men themselves, GER
taInIy with their relations. Its difficult for
an Englishman to believe on what pre-
lenses Il due! will sometimes take place.
AT Heidelberg an English friend once dined
ut the table d'hote, and being seated right
opposite to Il young man who wore the
badge OF corps across his breast, he
could not help noticing the extraordinary
manner in which this young man took his
meal. At first he admired him for the skill
iul manner in which he managed his knife,
which incessantly passed from his plate to
his mouth, heavily laden as it was with
green peas.
But when the student, having finished his
meat took up his gravy with the knife the
Englishman began TO feel his blood boil
within him. Pudding with apple sauce fol-
lowed, and the student operated with his
dessert knife just as he had done with the
larger knife. But the Englishman could
control himself 10 longer. In a hoarse
whisper he addressed his vis.a-vis, saying:
~ on will cut your mouth open if you don't
leave of eating gravy with your knife"
The student looked up and answered :
"What is that to you? / can cut my mouth
open to my ears for all you have right to
interfere" "Oh, nonsense" said the En-
Slishman, cody you can't expect de-
cent person to let you butcher yourself at
dinnerr' "Oh, but can though. and Won
shall see Dummer Jungen With that the
student rose and left the room. Dummer
Jungc stupid fellow !! signifies as much as
a challenge
When the students seconds came to ar
range details with the Englishman he was
terribly surprised at the serious consequen-
ccs of what he had deemed most natural
remark. He offered to apologize, and beg
ged them TO remember that he knew moth
ing of German customs, and had believed
himself in the right. But the seconds de-
clared their friend would accept no apollo
gy, and they even limited that the En-
glishman mad probably been told that
his opponent was II lirst-rate fen
Ger, the pride of Heidelberg. OF course.
when matters took this turn the English
man spoke IN very different tone, and
everything was arranged for duel with
pistols, he being no fcncer. He spent Il
dreadful night, because he was told that the
young student was in such foaming rage
that his only desire was TO see his opponent
lie dead on the ground. The Englishman
did ali in his power to have the matter ar
ranged. but he did not succeed and on his
way TO the trysting- he said to his sec
onds:
st is Il dreadful shame that should have
TO kill this young man because he does not
know the proper use Of his knife and fork.
Still, it would be just rs unfair to let him
kill me-
The Englishman intended firing in the air
if he had the second shot but chance was
aversc to him. He had the right to shoot
Iirst-thc aim was deadly, the young Teuton
fell without IL groan.
Next day the Englshman travelled to the
town where his victims widowed mother
lived. and at the end ofa two hours convcr.
sation he convinced her of his sincere regret
and his wish to serve her. She admitted
that her son had not died through his fault
but through the mistaken notions of honor
| current among the youth of Germany
! I'"nh" letter 10 tn" London Daily NcmS