The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-10-12

| fire or taste steel.
 Harrington tells an amusing story of duel in which an oft- quoted bull was perpetrated. In l7S3 one Frank Skelton, a boisterous, joking, fat young fellow, was prevailed on, much against his grain, to challenge the ex- ciseman of the town for running the butt end of a horsewhip down his throat when he slept drunk, with his mouth open. In vain he did remon- strate. The exciseman could snuff a candle with a pistol ball, and he was as big as hundred dozen candles. He was forced to the combat. Hundreds of people came to see the fight an the green of Msryborough.
 The friends of each party pitched a ragged tent on the green, where whisky and salt beef were consumed in abundance. Skelton screwed up his courage with two heavy drams, and each party took two pistols. "Blaze away boys," beloved the seconds, and Skelton, minding his instructions to lose no time, let fly with one weapon. "Halloa," shouted the exciseman, Pm battered by" "The devils cure to you,', said Skelton firing his second pistol and bringing the exciseman to his knee. Then, however, judging that If he gave the excisemAn time to recover his legs he might have to stand two shots, he bolted as fast as his legs would carry him, followed by his second who cursed him for & cow ard. "Sure it's better to be a coward than corpse" shouted the runaway or, according to some authorities. It's better to be a coward once than dead man all my life."
 Harrington also describes & right angled duel, where seconds as well as principals fought. They stood st right angles ten paces distant, and all began firing together on signal from an umpire. At the first volley the two principals were touched. At the next both seconds, and oncsprincipal staggered out of their places. They were "well hit," but no lives lost. It was, according to custom, an election squabble.
 Ridicule had a great deal to do with the abolition of dueling. The order of "Pistols for two and coffee for one" was supplemented by a message sent by Mrs. O Cornell to two combat ants, "Mrs. O'Connell presents her compliments to the two gentle men and hopes the survivor will come to supper" Such remarks were re- peated and quoted until duelists earnt more ridicule than honor.
 The practice dies slowly in Europe. In France there are still duels, but they partake largely of a farcical na- ture, an the alleged belligerents gener- ally take care that they run no risks. In Germany the practice of dueling still continues, and although fatal re- suits are guarded against and are very rare, wounds are frequently inflicted. At the universities, German students be- padded, be-gloved and be- visored still switch at each others noses and cheek bones with double edged ra- piers, capable of slicing at least three inches of skin from the face of an oppo- nent and consider that they thereby maintain the honor of their families or their corps. MT Motley, in his cor respondence, gives an account of stu dents duels during his residence at Gottingen;
 "Their arms are 6 schlager or saber, about four feet in length, blunt at the point, but very sharp p-edged, and a suit of stuffed leather to protect all the vital parts, leaving only the face and breast exposed. The last time l was af tho sK aiaer, fan inn oufsida ono