Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-08-12
CLUB DISPUTES.
The Difference Between such Quarreis
in New York and in Germany.

The Dtnerence Between such Ouarreis
in New York and in Germany.
In the parlor of one of the New York
clubs where high play at cards is fire.
quent, says the New York Tribune, a
New Yorker was chatting the other dav
with foreigner, to whom he had offer
ed the hospitality of the place. The Wis
ltor was handsome man of about 40.
who sat bolt upright in his chair as if
his spine was devoid of joints His
soldierly bearing did not belle his real
quality. for he held the commission of
captain signed by the king Of Prussia
The German was loud in his praise of
the luxury OF the clubhouse and the
elegance of all the appointments, and
asked with a show of great interest.
about all the details of New York club
life. In "A room adjacent to the parlor
party was seated over game of
cards, and through partly open door
could occasionally be heard the half
suppressed EXPLANATIONS Of the players
Tell me, said the German, speak
ing in English, though with a strong
accent "how are disputes settled that
arise in the card-roomp'
"Oh, | don't know" replied his
friend. "They seem to settle themselves
in one way or another. Sometimes the
parties apologize; sometimes they dis
pule hotly and don't speak for a month
or 50, until their anger cools oil little,
and then they make it up. Sometimes
one man throws the cards at another,
and then there is a lively time for few
minutes; but the other members gener-
ally manage to separate the bellioerents,
and they are sent TO their respective
homes in cabs, so that they can't renew
the battle on the sidewalk. But there
is never any serious harm done. Such
things, of course, occur very rarely"
As the New Yorker was giving this
explanation with all the innocence of a
school-boy relating how the crack boxer
of the school had trounced his last an
tagonist the eyes of the officer opened
wider and wider with astonishment
But do YOU really mean TO tell me-"
he exclaimed, ''that disputes over cards
are ever allowed to 90 so far in the
club-housep'
"Well, it has been known to happen,
but nothing ever comes of it," replied
his friend. "Why do you seem 50 much
surprised? Are there never any mis-
understandings in the clubs of BerlnP"
'Oh, of course" replied the captain.
"bul you know what club life there is
in Berlin is mostly confined to the Off
GERS, and among us the knowledge of
disputes, if carried too far. must be set
tied on the field of honor leads TO Il GER
tain amount of self-restraint on the part
of all. | knew that thee was no duel
ing in America, but | supposed that
was because there was no cali for it. y
But is not dueling forbidden among
the officers of your army?' asked tho
New Yorker
20 yes, it is forbidden, as believe il
is forbidden in your navy for whisky to
be brought aboard q man-of-wur eX-
cept for medical purposes But the
whisky, they tell me, comes aboard in
soap boxes. and so the German officers
fight duels-not in soap boxes. but with
almost perfect impunity. Let me tell
you what my experience was. When |
was several years younger than ! am
now, ] was III garrison at Bonn. My
regiment was one of the crack cavalry
regiments Of the service The officers
", who had plenty OF money and spent
it freely. there was a good deal of bet
ting on horses, and still more on cards.
Wen, OF course, occasional quarrels
were inevitable. One day some hot
words passed between myself and an
other lieutenant. for at that time
hadn't yot got my captliucy. 1t was
thought by our friends thai we ought
to fight, and fight we did. | escaped
without II wound but my antagonist
died of pistol shot after lingering for
about n week Of course, was court
martialod; there was no doubt OF my
guilt 80 | was found guilty uad con-
dsmned to pass the rest of my life in u
fortress. | passed just six months in
the fortress, and then came my pardon.
restoring me to my former rank in the
army.
Wouldn't it have boen better if each
OF you had given the other black eye.
and il YOU bad shaken hands the next
motninr?" asked the Now Yorker, as
his comment on the story.
Perhaps" replied the German, but
every officer in our army mas one mot
to: .Noblesse obligur That's why some
poor fellows have 10 deprive themselves
OF the nocessaries Of life at home, so az
10 keep up appearance in public. No
wonder some of the poor devils get into
debt and have to leave the service. 1t
wasn't long in a hotel in Chicago, that
man who was formerly my superior
officer, served mo my dinner The SIT
uation was embarrassing, but ! mad 70
w thrnnrh with n.