The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-10-17
Politician and DnelIIsi.

The dcbauch OF reporting in which the
Partisan press has been indulging under
the title Of "Les Coulisscsdu BOulangisme,
has ended In puddle OF harmless duels
No ending could have been more appropri-
ate. The whole bother began in shameless
acknowledgements, and has gone on in it 10
the finish. IL Is apparently certain that
the revelations which NJ. Mermiex has been
serving up 10 the scandal-loying public
which buys the Figaro are tolerably trust
worthy. There never was anything i'm
probable about them, and within the last
few days some OF those implicated have
FASTENED to confirm them. In that there is
really nothing surprising. Ii il an obser-
walton which, we take IL, must be familiar
even TO the ignorant scribbling men OF the
Partisan press that there is a stamp of the
man land wOman) which would rather
speak i'll of itself than not talk OF itself at
all. To that race belong the gentlemen
who have been posing before Paris in this
silly season. They hunger and thirst TO be
talked about, and are quite indifferent how
their desired object is obtained.
As Tor the third parties whose naT,es
have been dragged in, we really do not know
that they are entitled to any sympathy. The
lady who gave 20,OO0l. Ga handsome sum Of
money, but little more than half what has
been known 10 be spent in this couatry on =.
single contested county election) comes
best out OF the publication Of secrets. We
may add that she seems quite satisfied 10
''cOme OUT Indeed, the least one can get
in return for such pocketful Of money Is
the sweet knowledge that all the world
knows one has layished II regardless Of eX-
pense. The other pers0nages in the pOllti-
cal pantOmine have all behaved after their
kind. That the General was an adyenturer
was no news; that he was cocktail we
had learnt; that he was surrounded by a
mob of pushing journalists was patent; that
the ROyalist agents were capable Of any eX-
cess Of Stiffness is what experience had
shown us; that the Orleanist family ha S
never been able to resist the temptation to
NEEDLE with dubious intrigues, while stead
lily keeping a face Of SNUG responsibility is
one of the best known facts in modern pO-
lifical history.
In this case that Royal house has lent its
credit land induced somebody else 10 lend
money! in order that small mob Of jour
nalists may advertise itself. This is the
final outcome Of the whole adventure. y
score or so Of "gensdelettres" may he seen
running about in their shirt-sleeyes, strik-
ing attitudes, m0uthing phrases, pretending
to fight, and not pretending 70 write whole
columns about their proceedings IN the
papers. VI. ROcheiort and NJ. THE
baud arrange a duel on the pave
ment, at the tops of their voices
After warning everybody where they were
going, they pretended to 90, and, as mat
ter of fact. do spend several days in the IN
tense enjoyment Of knowing that they arc
watched In order that there may be NJ
mistake. they have n newspaper man VIII
them. At last they find a quiet place some
where and capcr about. one of them Is
good deal less hurt than than hemight have
| been in smart gloye-hght. and their homo
| is satisfied. Very like. 4 little would SUI
| flee. Another heroic encounter came OF
about the same timc-betwecn NJ. MermelA
and NJ. Labruyere.
These gentlemen encounter, attended by
| their little tail Of seconds. etc, all III iroch
| coats, all holding their hats in front OF then
| bv the brm, all with new gloves on, all very
| ''dignes"-we shall not say dignihed-bt
cause we retain some respect for the Engllsi
| language. MN. MermeiX and Labruyer'
also skip about, having first got to such
distance that they can do one another NJ
great harm, according TO the habitua prac
| tice Of the valiant journalist Of that Nalian
people when what he calls his honor has Il
| be satisfied. NJ. MermeiX's sword went M
NJ. Labruyere's sleeve a very little way
| Then the ludiciOus bOttle-hOder cried
"StOp: You are hit NJ. Labruyer'
did st0p-he says ne stuck hi
sword in the ground-and just a
he stopped. NJ. MermeiX mnged with SO fe
rocious lunge that he just touched his op
ponent on the hand. IereupOn there aros'
cries Ofh0rror, and the clamor has not cease
vet. The intelligent Partisan journals
saw a chance for a newlsh pose. Duellln.
is a little played out. People are becoming
tired OF it. So now 2 little novelty Is intro
| duced by playing at refusing TO night be
cause the other gentleman is felon. Th
half dozen other duels which VI. Mermeil
was 10 have fought are OF. because the bal
dozen heroes who were to have fought then
will not demean themselves by meeting
such low fe OY.
| Now they are all writing letters TO tn
papers calling one another bad names, aul
| saying how heroically they would light J
only their honor would allow them. This j
| to be the new duel "nn de Steele" We sup
pose. You say: M. Chose Isl coward. liar
| thief: he hides behind a woman's petticoats
and has insulted me. If he were not scum
| | would call him Out.n II. Chose replies
you are felon, whom cannot condescenl
| to meet" and then honor Will be satisfied
| After all, it will be quite as respectable
state Of duelling Is the present one.