Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-04-12
AN AFFAIR OF HONOR IN THE GER
MANY OF TO-DAY.
Interrupted by the Police-A COmpli-
Gated Series Of Padded Armor and
Cloth Word
"Go"-Hors de Combat.
IGottingen Cor. Minneapolis Tribunel

The affair" was to take place in a small
village at little distance from the town,
and thither we were driven early one morn
ing over the frozen snow. Having arrived
at one Of those picturesque old "Wirthshaus'
as well known In German song and story as
in the Germany Of to-day, and our cards
having been sent in and duly inspected, We
were ushered into long. low room, moder-
ately well filled with students, AMI artistic
ally draped with wreaths of tobacco smoke,
touched, it must be confessed, with frequent
dashes of the amber color proper to the na-
tional beverage Preparations for the af-
fray were evidently well under way. There
were two objects half reclining on the
edges Of two chairs in the middle Of the
room; Of the general human shape, but 50
much wrapped up that only their heads and
arms revealed their affinity to humanity.
Two surgeons were enjoying Q preliminary
cigar, and at the same time looking over
their stock Of carbol and lint, and the friends
Of the belgerents were evidently arranging
the last technical points and assuming the
customary supreme importance Of thoss
fortunate persons In all lands to whose lot it
falls duel or dog fight, or any similar
pageant, to superintend.
But the course Of true 1chivalry" in this
particular instance resembled that Of true
love-" which, it will be remembered, rarely
runs with all the felicity that could be de-
sired. Just at the juncture when every
thing and everybody, except the actual par
ticipants venture to say, were ready, a
man whom the students station at certain
cross roads for such emergencies came rush-
ing in and breathlessly announced "polizie
A runaway on Washington avenue could
not have changed the aspect Of things there
more quickly or more effectively. The
bandaged and helpless were hustled down
cellar, the implements Of war were thrown
in q closet, and the onlookers having dis
tributed themselves judiciously but hastily
in the various guest-rooms Of the hou q,
proceeded to innocentiy sing and yell after
the student fashion the world round.
1t is difficult to imagine why the police
choose to interfere in this way at stated In.
tervals with the student duels. They an
prohibited by the university laws, to be
sure. but so openly practiced squarely under
the nose Of all authorities, and 50 invariably
winked at, that the only rational explana.
ton seems to be that the police choose thus
to give the students hint now and then tc
keep within proper bounds-which probably
is to mean that they shall not quite kill each
other. However this may be, one 'particu
lar policeman stAid only long enough b
sample the @Witsh's7 brew, and the due
soon went merrily on. The two persons most
Immediately concerned, reappeared from
below, still wearing their complicated serie,
Of padded armor and cloth. wrapping,
around the trunk, arms, and neck, leaving
only the face and head bara While the lefl
arm was being tied behind them, and thl
iron-framed spectacles adjusted to protsc,
the eyes, the referees, seconds and otha,
important functionaries, each wearing tn
coIors Of his corps" took their positiona
A short period Of suspense followed
broken only by the formal half Latin, hall
vernacular proclamation Of some sort from
the referee, followed by q rssponss from al
the seconds, surgeons, and other officials, in
turn; SO that more impressive moment il
has rarely been my fortune to experience
second later but family expresse-
the way those two students stood
up to each other and tried to the best o
their ability to mutilate the Others head
The right arms were held straight up in the
air, and every motion came quick as light
ming, seemingly all from the wrist and fore
arm The steel rapiers, nearly as sharp q,
razors, flashed back and forth 30 rapidly
that it was impossible for the unskillei and
barbarian eye to follow them Pretty soor
blood frcRl somewhere began to trickle down
the sidefaces Of both men. Then q briel
halt for the referee to take notes on the stu.
alton.
Another halt, with more notes By this
time there were spots Of Venetian red On
the clothing of men and on the noor Still
another Lalt, with still more consultation.
A few minutes later the decisive blow had
evidently bet n given and received, although
the time had not yet expired The blood
streamsd down the forehead and face Of one
Of the gladiatcrs SO plsntifully that it wa
evident That he was -hors de combat" The
referee gave his decision, the wounded re-
tired under escort Of the surgeons to an ad-
joining room, the spectators sat down to q
small lunch and . scientific discussion Of
the details Of tho affair."" and the world
went to its old work again Of turaing round