St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-26
FENCING THE NEXT CRAZE.

Professor Who Predicts tbnt 1t WI
soon Re Very Popuar
''fhe love Of fencing'' said Prof. Regis
Senac to Mail and Express writer, has in
creased wonderfully in New York within the
past twelve years. When I came here from
Paris dozen years ago. 1 found few people
who cared anything for fencing. 1 went to
work and got up class. Mr. Perry Belmont
was among my first pupils, and to-day few
amateurs can match him with the rapier.
soon discovered that the Americans could be
taught 20 handle sword as easily as they
manipulated revolver. Ny class was aug
mented from the rich young men, and put
my heart into the work Of teaching them. The
result in every way has more than paid me
for my trouble. Several years ago began to
give lessons to ladies who live in some of the
handsome residences on Fifth avenue and
other uptown streets. The surprise was
great to find that American women were soon
taught to be better fencers than French
women. They have more confidence, and
that is all in all in fencing"
''What are the peculiarities of the society
belle who handles the rapier?'
''They are many. Her confidence is often
weakened too quickly if her adversary scores
too many points in a given round. In such
case she generally gets rash and lunges
wildly without being on guard. This, though,
is more the characteristic of the beginner
than of the woman who has had some months
practice and experience. l like to teach
women. They ale apt and quick, and gen
orally throw more spirit into their practice
than men. / have on my list of pupils more
than hundred society ladies whom the out
| side world would not suspect of being expert
| fencers. Some of them are the wives of mill
| ionaires, and often in fencing place their
| husbands hors de combat with the cunning
of their parry aud thrust. My experience
thus far in New York is that the American
woman, by pluck and confidence, is far ahead
in the art of fencing of the French and Eng
| fish woman"
''You often teach actors and actresses, I
supposed"
Yes, more than l can mention. At pres
ent | have class of ladies from the Lvceum
school of acting. The most expert among
them are Miss Anna Warren Story, Miss Mar
guerite Hld!ey and Miss Mary Sears. They
are capable of putting any frst-class male
amateur TO his pest to score more points in a
SlNtu uulpGT Vi DOutS. w ue(ItT LDPN IN
| tend to play the parts of men in dramas, [
don't know, yet the practice is healthy, the
experience instructive, and the accomplish
ment one of grace and beauty. Miss Story
is almost phenomenal in the expert use of the
rapier, and would challenge admiration from
professional feucers. Among the professional
| actresses at present acquiring the art are
Miss Clara Belden, Miss Georgiua Flagg, Miss
Bancroft, Miss Eva d. Palmer and Miss Ell
len Vochey. Many others are pupils, but
mention these because they have become par
excellent. l have taught many Of the great
est actors and actresses both on the American
and Partisan stage"
"Did YOU ever have any pupils in New
| York who have risen to prOmnence!'
eyes. William p. Emo, II c. Emo, Gen.
Shaler, George Lord Day and George Gould.
Indeed, hosts of Others that can not re-
member now All of the above gentlemen
proved themselves apt and in one or two
lessons showed how they could master the
noble art Of self-defense. predict that in
ten years fencing will be very popular here,
and second only to rolcr-skating on the line
of healthy exercises. Fencing schools will
in time be established over the city and most
general interest will be manifested"