New-York tribune., 1886-01-31
SwoRD PLlY and LEGERDEMiiN
4 RFCtPU oN ~ THE TENCING CLUB-MANY FEN
NV MANns ArrIALn ImE sroRE

4 RFClPrI oN LY 1Hf TENCING CrUB-MANY ZEN
lNINl HANDS APPLAUD InE SPORT
There WAS some skllul fcncin. to be seen
yesterday afternoon at the Of tho Fencing Cub IN
Wet T@euty-fourth-s The members Of tho club gave
al exhibition their sE ia tho use Of tho broasword
and the foil invited Their feminine friend, To come
aud admire the plty. They u such numbers that tho
rooms were fun to oycr'owmg Tue people oyernowrd
into thr CONAN OF The Authors club which occupies tho
upper floors OF the building. Eugene Higgins
OF the most skilml fcncers IN the club, opened
the entertainment hY an exhibition OF lcgor-
dsmau. IIa brought dozens Of eggs
ont Of the mouth Of lonc.,lsrns attendant; cut mp
ladies' handsercaic- an then put tho pieces together
again; changed TO uL and milk To wine. and per
formed a whole series OF other astonishing things with
the and dcVery OF another kclar. After he had
entertained the company fur three quarters Of an hour
with his tTck- the chairs Gle Ic' away and prepar
alton. made Tor the boodArsty work OF the occasion.
soon the corridors echoed to the tramp Of armed men
aud clash of steel heard The oncers appeared,
wearing short c.o,r-ttng canvas jackets. and with
their face. covered win wire masks Couple
nauce 10 oach other and salute to the
sick zach other With All She 1Wo'ance Of deadly hteh
The furiOu. thry seemed the moro pleased
were TIE spectators WHO cared Itlc whether the par
res and thru-t- made IA true classic style
ItspossIDc that some masters o tho art might have
continually ndulgcdat tho IoOscne-- ot their
position aud guard aud al the absence Of al attempt at
assault of Mr.. Higgins aud Monsieur Gagcr. of tho Rus
sian Embassy. These tw fenCcrs, although unequal Ia
reach were wcltmat".cd In qulckuess and Judgment
80 sooner hal they put themselves on their guari,
than fo- began To play about each
other ln cuiious little spirnl-, with occas-
ional click which told when steel met steel.
Then with the quckness ola p-toshot and the direct
ness Of an Of The fcncors would drive his
sword straight toward the breast OF , adversaary only
the parted by doft turn Of the wrist
Zach made by Tho 80 two men developed the whole
len 9Th tine reach. each parry mAde without un-
necessary saving of the air each tOuch was just and
true showing that the hand had faithfully executed
what the mind had planned. When they took on their
rask- and their parting salute the ladies capped
vigorously Some Of The other uerc-tng assaults were
those between Mesrs Mitchell aud tarhardt between
McS,rs. sandtord and Eager ana between Messra White
O'CuunUr. Besides fencing there
other exhibitions. Two men appeared In costumes
which would have rendered them inynlnerabo against
blows OF Hercuess club, and promptly proceeded to
beabOr each other with ain e sticks lwo others dealt
zach other slashng with broad sword and third
couple showed how man armed with bayOnet can dc
fend self against another armed with sword Had
ali the which exchanged In been dealt
IN earnest field would have been strown with wounded
blood would have flowed freely at tho famous
tourney of AshDy dc la LOucho.