The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-31

turned the point of his dripping sword &c
the ground and awaited the next
The next is not long in coming. Jean
Louis has only rest of two minutes when
he is called 20 his guard by an eager
Italian. who burns 30 avenge the dead
master he deemed invinclble But the
Italiani is too eager. The fight does not last
ten seconds. The blades are barely crossed
when the mulatto is seen to lean forward
there Is cry, Sigh. and another corpse is
lying at his feet. The dark features of Jean
Louis show neither regret nor exultation.
lt Is not his personal quarrel. He is simply
fighting for his regiment by order of his
emperor. He is entirely serious, without
anger. and COMFORTS himself as if it were a
bout in a fencing school.
Again he turns the twice Redeemed point
or his rapier to the ground and waits.
The third Italian is sent to the attack. he
IS tall and supple. He multiplies the feints,
the attacks, the jumps, the cries, the -four
lsneS OF the others. 1t does not assist him.
tIhe mulatto is not to be moved, overcome.
or bafiied. His wondrous skill is impenetra-
BILE. In half minute his sword is sheathed
in the Italians breast. The victim is borne
away insensible, but not to die. He re-
covers.
b Jean Louis still holds his front untouched.
Since the combat began he has uttered
neither word nor sound, but fought in
silence. He has slain two men and disa-
bled one, but by the rules OF the duel he is
to stay until he himself shall fall. So he
awaits the fourth man, as he did the others.
1t is unnecessary to multiply details. One
after the other ten more of the Italian fen
GERS crossed blades with the mulatto. They
were each and all skilled and experienced
masters of fence. Yet one after the other
b the silent mulatto dealt them death or such
/ grievous wounds as put them beyond pres
eat power of contest. Thirteen In all, aud
they, the equal of y swordsmen IN Europe,
the thin, sickly Louis overcame.
The whole had been accomplished in
forty minutes. Tue almost superhumau
skill of the mulatto was evidenced by the
fact that to conquer the entire thirteen he
had made but twenty-seven thrusts. One
would think he might now with honor re-
tire and leave the remaining two Italians
TO his fourteen comrades.
1t was proposed to him; and then, when
for the first time since the duel began, he
spoke, it was apparent how intensely, al
most to the swapping point, his emotions
were strung. When he was urged to give
way TO one Of his comrades he said:
Never. | will stand here while | can lift
the point of my sword. | am here for the
good of my regiment, and here will remain
to the last"
As he said this his nervous strain was 80
great that he made convulsive and almost
involuntary mo vement of his sword. and iu~
voluntarily wounded one of his own COM
rades. The wound was but slight and in
the leg, but at the sight of his friends blood
the overweight mulatto, who had dealt
death to thirteen men without a sign of
emotion, burst into floods of tears
But one man of the Thirty-seoond has
been wounded to-day" he exclaimed, land
he Is hurt by my hand.n
Still Jean Louis was as determined to
fight as ever The two remaining Italians
were pale, but resolutely looked on fate
Even were they so fortunate as to kill the
invtnclble Louis there were still fourteen
Of the best swordsmen In Napoleon's army
for them to meet. 1t was not promising Of
anything but death. But these two could
die and so they would fight on to the last.
But those who had control interfered at
this point and declared honor aud disci-
pine both satisfied aud the duel was at an
end.
So terminated contest without paral-
lei in the history of the sword. One man
conqusrs thirteen and comes off without a
scratch. Such skill is beyond description.
Jean Louis was afterward offered the
epaulettes of an officer, but declined. He
would accept nothing but the cross of the
legion. H9 continued with the army, aud
taught fencing. while his fame ran riot over
Europe. Jean Louis taught fencing unit
| 1865. He was then over 80 years of age ant
blind, but he could tell by the feeling of al
adversary's blade on his own when he wa
proceeding rightly. Nov. 90 1865, tho grea
mulatto died at the town of Montpsl or
where he lived ami had his fencing school.
He had continued in the army until within
fifteen years of his demise. His funeral was
worthy of an emperor.