Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1890-10-10
THE STORY OF A DUEL

'OODlTduCS. i"NO yO hC"tU tiAS
news? A man hath come forward to
answer the challenge of Jacopo the
Swordsmanp
This announcement, made in one of
the principal streets of Florence on a
fine summer morning ip the latter part
of the sixteenth century, was quite
sufficient to gather an excited crowd
round the speaker the instant he uttered
it; for Jacopo Belloni (popularly
known as "Jacopo the Swordsman,"
from his deadly skill in fencing) was
widely renowned as the most formid-
able prize-figh;er in all Italy, although
according to the custom of those
times) he fought, not with his fists,
but with his sword.
The redoubtable Jacopo had already
killed three or four fencers of renown
who had ventured to encounter him,
and then, finding that people seemed
to be getting rather shy of testing his
------s2s sJ7ssir UUrIIUrs, anu nau offered
to stake a pretty large sum of money
upon the result.
This challenge, however, had al
ready been thrice repeated without
any one appearing particu arly anxious
to accept it; and therefore it was no
great wonder that the announcement
quoted above should have been re-
ceived with looks and exclama i1ns Of
doubt, and even of fiat disbelief.
at is impossible, Maso! (Tom)
No man living would be so mad!"
at must be a jest-and a sorry one,
too"
"Or else Maso is lying. Confess
that thou art lying, according to thy
custom, brother Maso, and we will
forgive thee!"
"Iaugh if ye will, my friends, ="
said Maso, slightly affronted, "but
lie not. 1t stands writ out in the Mar
ket Place, full fair to see, that there is
a man ready to meet Jacopo on the
seventh morning from today"
'FThen there is one more fool in the
town than thought" grunted a stout
armorer," "and there will soon be one
less"
"Who is the man," He must be a
stranger here, or he would know be-
ter"
81 can not tell" said Maso; "for,
although his challenge is fairly writ,
there is no name signed to it,"
''Then it must needs be JEST"
yrowled a sturdy butcher, beside him.
"No jest, i'faith," cried Maso; "for
le hath staked one thousand five hun
lred pistolcs on the event"
Incred BILE as Maso's news ap-
'eared, however, it was speedily and
urely confirmed, and the tidings of
he expected combat flew abroad like
kindling a universal excite
nent. When the day appointed for
he fight came, not only all Florence,
ut all the country round seemed to
ave gathered to watch the sport, and
n the ranks of the spectators were to
9 seen young mobiles from all the
reatest families in Northern Italy.
The stage upon which the two
hampions were to meet was a large
latform of smooth planking (thickly :
-rewn with sawdust to keep their feet $
'om slipping), which, being full
lirty feet in length by at least twenty S
breadth, gave ample space for all !
lelr movements. At either end of 4
le stage was smaller platform, on G
'hich stood tent of white canvas: i
ld upon these tents all eyes were
zed in eager expectation, for they hid i
'om sight the heroes.
Presently one of the tents was seen t
open, and forth stepped the famous h
lcopo Belloni himself, bowling CON
escendingly in acknowledgment of t
e laundering cheers that greeted his il
,pearance.
The renowned swordsman's tell, ac. Il
We, sinewy figure was perfect model r
well-trained agility and strength; h
1t his dark, lean, wolfish face, with a
hooked nose, sloping forehead,
'isuy, black moustache, sharp, white g