The Portland daily press., 1891-03-04
LOVE AND RAPIERs.
New York LEDGER

fayorite dueling ground in the DAVIS 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
tnere Is not more peaceful and certain
ly not a 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 will find it well worth while 10
stop and spend few days at TINS lovely
summer resort.
Tf Won will take a carriage and driver
who knows the place you may spend
dav or two delightfully."- in exploring the
;,s and outs, by highway and byway, of
a settlement that dates back to the time
when the Spaniards and the French were
nlaving battledore and shuttlecock with
ali our rich and salubrious gulf-coast
country. Even now in the streets and
picturesque little shops of Bay ST. Louis
you hear the soft accents 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 the slightest insult, to fight
to the death as a matter of honor; but
so it was. There are men living now
who saw many duels in 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 railroad which
now makes Bay st. Louis but one
hour and thirty minutes from New Or
leans, the only approach was by water,
save from the interior of Mississippi.
This rendered the place one of the most
secluded hooks in America, and, as a
matter of course, a considerable number
of refugees from justice or from mis-
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 find 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 yet the growth is thick, often OBJ
structing the sight on all sides. Now
and again you come upon little natural
glades or openings set in wild grass and
surrounded with 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 if 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 in
New Orleans, and had always been on
the most intimate terms socially. Honore
and Pierre had known Marie from her
childhood up; they had been her play
mates, her friends, and now they were
her lovers. Both were handsome, rich
and honorable, as honor was understood
at the time and place. If Marie hest
tated to choose between them it was not
because of any doubt ia her heart. She
knew that she loved Honore, and quite
as well she was aware that under no cir
cumstances could she ever love Pierre.
Still it was very hard for her, when
Pierre came to her home on the bay and
asked her to be his wife-it was hard to
break in on his passionate appeal with
the truth that must crush him. She
begged for time to consider, and thus
put off the unpleasant, nay, the tortur-
ing, duty that she owed to herself and
to her lovers. But the moment came
when she could no longer procrastinate.
Honore, doubtless aware that his rival
was besieging the citadel of his lady's
heart, came also to Bay st. Louis and
urged his suit.
Gently, kindly, sweetly as she could,
Marie put an end to Pierre's hopes; but
it was not in her power to blunt in the
least the terrible point of her refusal.
Love is not to be set aside with polite
ness, nor can it be assuaged by generous
friendship and tender kindness. Any
thing short of love is stab to love.
"Then it is Honore Chauvin that you
care for, Marie?" said Pierre, rising
to go.
Marie arose also, and they stood look
ing at each other. They had been sit
ting on vine covered veranda, with the
waves Of the bay tumbling in against
the beach in full view.
eyes, Pierre" she said presently. 81
VIII not deceive you or evade your queS-
ton. do love Honore, and I promised
him today that I would be his WIFE"
Pierre stood dumb for a while. There
was nothing for him to say; words were
not made that could in any way serve
hiss&urn in this moment of utter defeat.
ooh, I am so.sory, so grieved, Pierre,
to see you feel like this!" cried Marie.
"You know I love you as brother is
loved, very, very much, and"-
GAS brother!" muttered Pierre, with
bitter, desperate -emphasis-"as BROTH
err And he turned and left the girls
presence without another word.
She made movement as if to follow
him, but he had passed down the steps
and out of the gate with long strides,
like some actor in melodrama.
Her first thought was of danger to
Honore Chauvin; for in those days the
hot French blood rarely cooled without
first having boiled over in deadly fight.
What Pierre Nation did was to go
straight to his friend Honore Chauvin
and slap him in the face.
''That for Marie de Noyant~ he ex-
claimed, still choking with the desperate
choler excited by his sense of defeat.
"That for you'll" he went on, repeating
the insulting blow. Then he turned and
left Honore, well knowing what would
follow.
The challenge was promptly sent and
as promptly accepted.
The following morning at little past
sunrise the combatants, with their Sec
onds and surgeons, met in a small open
space where two or three little wildwood
5c "a.