Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-22
Twenty-one Duels in 8 Day.

Surfeit of Svyord-PIay at Jena and ar ApocryphaI Tale of a Bold BritOn. | fvienna Correspondence London Daily News.l The University of Jena, and indeed the whole city, have passed through week oi 1 intense alarm and anxiety, which are far from being at an end even now. On one day twen ty-one serious duels took place among the students, and, the arms used not having been properly cleaned, all those who were wound. ed had their blood poisoned. Abont forty young men are lying in the hospital in g serious condition. One great favorite, the only son of wealthy parents, had his mind upset by an intense attack of fever and com 1 mitted suicide by taking strychnine. He died after 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 pitiable con- ditioa. This dreaded calamity will no doubt serve to make university dueling very unpop- ular in Germany, if not with the young men themselves certainly with their relations.
 It is difficult for an Englishman to believe on what pretenees duel will sometimes take
 place At Heidelberg an English friend once dined at the table d'hote, and being seated right opposite to 8 young man who wore the badge of 8 ''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 full 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 meat, took up his gravy with his knife,
 within him. Pudding with apple sauce fol-
 lowed, and the student operated with his desert-knife just as he had done with the larger knife But the Englishman could con- trol himself no longer. In a hoarse whisper he addressed his visa wis, saying: 'sYou 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 Englishman coolly ];
 'tyou can't expect decent person to let you butcher yourself at dinner !'' "Oh, but I can though, and you shall seei Drummer Junge!"
 With that the student rose and left the room. Drummer Junge! (stupid fellow) signifies as much as 8 challenge.
 When the students seconds came to ar range details with the Englishman he was terribly surprised at the serious consequences of what he had deemed most natural re- mark. He offered to apologize, and begged them to remember that he knew nothing of German customs and had believed himself in the right. But the seconds declared their friend would accept no apology, and they even hinted that the Englishman had proba- ply been told that his opponent was 0 first rate fencer, the pride of Heidelberg. Of course when matters took this turn the Eng lishman spoke in different tone and every thing was arranged for a duel with pistols he being no fencer. 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 opponent 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:
 '1t is a-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 as unfair to let him kill me-
 The Englishman intended firing in the air if he had the second shot, but chancs was averse to him. He had the right to shoot frst-the aim was deadly, the young Teuton fell without groan.
 Next day the Englishman travelled to the town where his victims widowed mother lived, and at the end of two hours conver- 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.