The morning call., 1893-01-03
MY FIRST DUEL.

''Who is that pretty girl who bowed to
you?"
THAT Is Carmen Ellaur de Garcia" AS
| lie spoke an amused smile passed over the
| face of Carlos Gonzales.
This short conversation was held be-
| tween two young men one afternoon as
| they Stood under the arcade of La Conf
| terra del Aguela. in Gale Floridaf, in the
city of Buenos Ayres.
Both young men belonged to the jeunesse
doree of our city. and having very little to
do were amusing themselves by watching
all the pretty Portenyass pass along la Gale
Florida.
"Why do you smle?" asked DR.. Fedrico
Pinares, who had been the first one to
speak.
You would also SMILE" answered Carlos.
eff you had made fool of yourself about
woman. sent her enough flowers every day
| TO adorn church, stayed awake all night
to write a few lines of poetry 10 send her,
| danced with her so often that every one
| said, On, yes, they are going to be mar
ried'; fought duel for her, and then had
| that very same woman pass you in the
street with cool bow and ompletely ig-
! more you otherwise"
You fought duel, why?" asked Fed
| erico.
1T is a long tale. and it happened while
| you were in Paris studying medicine. l
| presume you never heard Of itY
If l did l do Lot remember now"
| answered PinaIes. Nov, Carlos, tell NE
| all about it,
| at is nearly half-past 6. Let us 60 10
! the Cafe de Paris and have dinner. There.
| after dinner, / will tell you the story"
4 hn tpyn vpIl an
/ Piedaj street and entered the brilliantly
lighted restaurant OF the Cafe de Paris.
| After costly dinner, for in Buenos
| Ayres everything is costly, they asked for
| their coffee and chartreuse, and Carlos
| Gonzales commenced his story
"Three years ago / would have gone
| fighting wndmills. flock of sheep. or
worse. like Don Qaixote, had any one told
me that Carmencita Ellauri was not the
prettiest girl in Buenos Ayres; but. for
that matter, | could name you half dozen
men who thought the same thing, and
| am ang them was Ernesto Frias.
you perhaps remember what great
| friends Ernesto and ] once were; but when
we both began counting Carmen all our
| friendship flew away upon the wings OF the
| wind.
Carmen certainly gave me reason to
| think that she was serious, and | suppose
| she did the same to Frias, for many people
believed she would marry him.
Zone night--t was really 2 o'clock in the
mornipg-we were playing cards at the
| games. one of the men remarked. by the
way krias, when does the wedding come
| Off9'
What weddngY he asked.
| why, your marriage with Carmencita
| Elanrl'
Nov don't he foolish Frias calmly
said; go on, give ME my cards
"Al the men laughed, and one of them
said:
"'Silence gives consent. and so we may
believe that yon are engaged to her. Well.
| let me congratulate you,' and so saying he
| SLAPPED Frias on the shoulder.
| "Fras only smiled complacentIy, and they
| continued their railIery until ] could stand
it DO longer, lnasmuch as had been on fire
| during all the conversation. So | lifted
| my head and said as calmly as could:
Gentlemen, 1t is in very bad taste to
| thus use the name OF a lady, and any one
| who does IL OF allows it without reese nting
| the insult is a coward
"EInesto turned pale. and, pushing back
| his chair. rose to his feet.
| :" Am | TO understand that this insult is
| directed to me@ he asked.
i L care not what you understand
| answered; l expressed my sentiment
| And do you know what my sentiment
Isl he asked. L think that you are the
greatest coward for daring to take that
| y
a quarrel
"Blind with fury, l advanced toward
| Frias, ard with my open palm smote his
| cheek lightly. Ernesto clenched his fists
| aud made a move toward me, but some of
! his friends held him back. as others were
| holding me. Ernesto took out his card
case. aud with trembling fingers opened il,
| got a card, threw 1t OH the able and said :
| i hope that Senior Gonzales will not be
| coward enough to refuse to meet me. To-
morrow-or rather to-day-at 10 o'clock in
| the morning | will send him my seconds
| "Mine will be ready to meet those of
| Senior Frias, / tremendously answered.
"'Well, / thought on leaving the club,
| here l am, engaged in duel; but don't
care. | was defending her; besides, / shall
have the choice of weapons. and certainly
| l shall choose swords.
II was an expert with the sword, as had
| taken lessons from the celebrated Italian
| Professor SIgnor Spadachini, so my mind
was perfectly at peace.
when l reached home | wrote two or
| three letters to friends of mine who /
| knew would be my seconds, ordered my
servant TO take the letters to their respect
| i've addresses as soon as it became light,
and then went to bed and slept calmly until
| o'clock.
AT about l saw my seconds and
| gave them my instructions. L was rather
| excited until l saw them again. nearly
| four hours later. when they acquainted
me with the result OF their interview. We
were to go to Monteyideo to fght for. as
! you know, duelug is forbidden on Argen-
| tine soil. The meeting would take place
| the next afternoon at o'clock at the coun-
try place Of friend of one of my seconds.
In The meantime the story OF our quar-
| rel had become public property, and the
| afternoon papers were full of ii. managed
/ to elude Ill the reporters. and, safe from an
| noyance, took the steamer bound for Monte
| 49, Na~ min I lar lad
in that city, very much the worse for a terri
| bic storm that we had encountered In
crossing over.
Il slept nearly all the morning, and at
| noon they called me to dinner. could not
| eat mouthful of anything. and By a quar-
! ter past / stepped into the carriage that
was to convey me to the meeting place.
1--WE arrived there all too soon, it seemed
| TO me, but no, Ernesto Frlas, with his sec
| onds, was there, and also physician, ready
| for whatever emergency might arise.
when all the usual formalities had been
| observed we began our duel.
'Ernesto Is a good swordsman. and so am
| |. We both went through the forms of at
| tack and defense with such skill that it
| would have made glad the heart of our
| teachers had they seen u.s.
Zone mortal hour elapsed, and not a
| scratch had either of US received. The thing
| was getting to be, to say the least, slightly
| monotoneus, and so / began to charge more
| impetuously. Frias defended himself in a
mastery manner. i began to lose my head.
| Presently felt something cold and sharp
| pierce my upper arm. In drawing out the
sword, blood followed it. Our seconds i'm
medately stepped between US, and the doc
| ter tore off The sleeve of my left arm, and
| disclosed to my eyes small wound between
| the elbow and the shoulder.
| "Frias declared that he was satisfied, and
| so was |, so our seconds solemnly said,
'The hOnor of both gentlemen is yindicatpd
| Our courage,was now unquestienable. We
| shook hands, and so ended my first and
| only affare d'honneur."
| Yes, but what OF the rest, the lady,:
| etc." asked DIR. Pinares.
| .Oh, the papers were full of 1t, some
| praising, few censuring; bur on the whole
/ it was very flattering-to Frias, and a. little
L IN Az har - lnn Inc