The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-09-15
LOVE AND RAPiERS.

favorite dueling ground in the days when
an appeal to swords or to pistols was
thought by southern gentlemen to be the
only honorable way of settling personal
grievances. Those daysare past, and now
there is not more peaceful and certain
ly not more beautiful town in all the
picturesque coast country.
If ever you shall be going to New Or
leans by way of the railroad from MO
bile you win find it well worth while to
stop and spend few days at this lovely
summer resort
If you will take carriage and driver
who knows the place you may spend a
day or two delightfully."- in exploring the
ins and outs, by highway and byway, of
settlement that dates back to the time
when the Spaniards and the French were
PLAYING battledore and shuttleoock with
all our rich and salubrious gulf-coast
country Even now in the streets and
picturesque little shops of Bay st. Louis
YOU hear thesoft Of Spain and the
polite intonations of Paris.
The people have soft voices and gentle
manners, and it is hard to imagine, much
harder to believe that it was ever true
of them that they stood ready, on the
| strength Of tie slightest insult, to fight
to the death rs matter Of honor; but
so it wac There are men living now
who saw many dpels III the days OF the
"code." One charming old gentleman
informed the present writer that he had
witnessed twenty hostile meetings with
sword or pistol.
Before the days Of the T"''rnad which
now makes Bay ST. Loms but one
hour and thirty minutes t.a.6 4>ew Or
leans. the only approach y d "ACer,
save from the interior Of Mississippi.
This rendered the place one of the most
secluded hooks in America and, as a
matter Of course. q considerable number
of refugees from justice or from InlS,
fortune Or tyranny fled thither; but the
larger part of the population was highly
respectable; some Of it was made up,
especially in summer, of the wealthiest
and best French families of New Or
leans, who came by steamboat to spend
the hot season in elegant cottages on the
breezy bluffs.
Nearly all the duels ever fought at
Bay ST. Louis took place in one or an
other secluded spot in the lonely woods
behind the town. These woods are now
dotted with creole and negro cottages,
the homes of poor people, who lind an
easy if not luxurious life where the fish
in the bayous and the fruits on the trees
are to be had with but the smallest out
lay of labor. Ever since the place was
first settled, and even before, these
woods have been a maze of crossed and
tangled roads, paths and trails first
made by the Indians. You can ride or
drive everywhere and in every direction,
and vet the growth is thick, often OBJ
structing the sight on all sides Now
and again you come upon little natural
glades or openings set III wild grass and
surrounded with u wall of trees. These
are the spots that were chosen for the
dreadful work of the duelists
About the year 1924 two young men
of New Orleans were lovers of beauti-
full girl by the name of Marie de Noyant
whose father had summer place at
Bay st. Louis OF course, Marie could
not accept the attentions of both II she
loved either, and as Honore Chauvin
had captured her heart, there was moth
ing for Pierre Nation to do but to chal
lenge his successful rival to mortal com
bat.
The three families -Noyants, Chau
wins and Matons--were of the best IL
New Orleans, and had always been OIL
the most Intimate terms socially. Honort
and Pierre had known Marie from hel
childhood up: they had been her play
mates, her friends. and now they wert
her lovers Both were handsome, ricf
and honorable, as honor was understood
ut the time and place. 1t Marie hesl
tated to choose between them 1T was no
because of any doubt in her heart. Sh'
knew that she loved Honore, and quit
: as well she was aware that under no cir
culustances could she ever love Pierre
Still it was very hard for her, whel
Pierre came to her home on the bay ant
asked her to be his wife-it was hard t
break in on his passionate appeal wit
the truth that must crush hlm. Sh
! begged for time to consider, and thu
put off the unpleasant, nay, the tortu1
!. ing, duty that she owed to herself an
u to her lovers But the moment cam
}, when she could no longer procrastinate
q Honore doubtless aware that his riva
n was besiaging the citadel of his lady
e heart, came also to Bay st. ouls an
i urged his suit.
e Gently, kindly, sweetly as she coulc
|. Marie put an end to Pierre's hopes; bu
it was not IN her power to blunt in th
. least the terrible point of her refusa
Love is not n set aside with polite
ness, nor c,,il II ue assuaged by generou
friendship and tender kindness. An,
thing shor a. = is q stab TO love.
] Then it is nonore Chauvin that 70
care for, Marie;" said Pierre, risin
to go.
Marie arose also, and they stood loo!
ing at eae =. They had been 81
ting onav. q e ,eral versa! Ia, with IL
waves OF tue bay tu.nbhng iii again
the beach in full view.
"Yes, Pierre" she said presently, :
will not deceive you or eva3e yoar que
p ton. do love Hp2oGa, and promise
d him today that woulj ija ais wife"
- s. H. Tbo