The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-07-12
BRILLIANT FENCING.
A Self-Sufficient Young Albanian Chal-
Ienges the Wrong Mani

A young clerk in Albany is wiser
than he was a year ago. In the bank
where he was clerk a new man was
given somewhat inferior position.
The new conner was a s1fialtI slight
framed Frenchman, whose English
was decidedly lame, but who so
seldom spoke that it made little differ
ence. The senior clerk had a decided
penchant for fencing, and, compared
with most fellows of his age and position,
was unquestionably good swordsman.
In addition he was most insufferabie
braggart, and his military accomplish
ment was his one topic of thought and
conversation. He had about him a
very patronizing air, which he pro-
ceeded to infict upon the inoffensive
Frenchman, and his familiar slaps on
the back evidently displeased the
stranger. Finally, particularly en-
phatic thump between the little French
mans shoulders produced as response
a singing slap in the face, which left
the red mark of small hand sharply
prominent against the otherwise
deathly pale face of the young Amer
lean.
Speeches. with rage, the young man
found his desk, and shortly afterward,
through friend, challenged the
Frenchman to mortal combat. The
latter apologized, in fact did all in his
power to undo the mischief of his hasty
blow; in vain. ''Nothing but blood can
wipe out that insult" the young man
said, haughtily. The details were ar
ranged, the Frenchman, as the chal-
lenged party, choosing rapiers. Greatly
to the surprise of the hot-blOoded young
challenger, the cashier of the bank,
who knew the Frenchman well, acted
as the latter's second. The day came,
and the hour. The principals stepped
to position, saluted, and the blue blades
crossed with that smooth, gliding
sound which is music to the ear of the
true swordsman. The Frenchman,
whose familiarity with his weapon was
evident at the start, confined himself
opponents point with grace of move
ment and absence of fear or nervous
ness which were poetry in action. The
young man grew bolder, his thrusts
began to have an air of ferocity which
seemed to anger the Frenchmen
trife, and turning aside his opponents
thrust he made a quick lunge, which
the young American barely parried.
Another quick thrust and turn of
the wrist was too much for him. There
was sharp snap and the top button
of his coat flew across the room. An
CRY at this evident trihing, the buttons
owner made a spiteful lunge, which
was quietly parried, and the next but
ton was snapped away. One after an
other the shiny buttons on his natty
blue-braided jacket were cut off by the
Frenchman's ready point. Decidedly
''rattled" at his opponents skill and
the irrepressible smiles of the seconds
and surgeon, the young clerk now,
with greater rapidity and less caution,
made fierce lunges, any one of which
would have driven the sharp rapier
through the body of the cool French
man, while the little man, quietly
parrying with the sharp point of his
weapon stripped the front of the young
mans jacket to ribbons. The contest
had lasted some twenty minutes when
suddenly the Frenchman caught the
swiftly advancing point of his opponent,
turned it aside, slipped his own sword
quickly down along the others blade,
turning it with quick wrist motion
so that it partly wound around it, and
with sharp wrenching motion tore
the weapon away and sent it flying
across the floor. Then he saluted,
threw his weapon down, and left the
room. 1t subsequently transpired that
the foreigner was, and is, a member
of once noble French family, a Cap
tain in the French army, and his teach
ers have been some of the best swords
men in France. The young American
has not challenged any miscellaneous
foreigners since then and is less in
clined to talk of his experience or
skill.-Albdny Journal.