The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1893-12-08
FAMOUS FOR DUELS.
A Quiet Spot Where F'renchmen
Settle Affairs Of Honor.
The Island of La Grande Jatte and Its
singular Restaurant-The Scene
of Battles Between
Women.

Several Frenchmen have recently
been doing the proud honor business.
They satisfied their outraged feelings
by brandishing rapiers and firing off
pistols at each other. The other day
brace of noblemen had a set-to with
swords on the island of La Grande
Jatte, and one of the furious lot got an
ugly thrust. On the following day
there were two encounters between
journalists, during which pistols and
swords were used with vicious inten-
ton.
A few days ago, writes a Paris cor
respondent, l, accompanied by a friend,
went to a famous restaurant in the
island of La Grande Jatte, opposite
Coi1rbcvoie, where most of the duels
that take place near Paris are fought.
was quick to take advantage of the
walters surmise that the pair had
come to arrange for tilt and in conse-
quence the landlord was summoned.
This proprietor is a jovial individual
and has just turned his fifty years. He
welcomed us most genially, and ex-
claimed
oh! so duel! Well, there is the
ground. behind the swings; twenty
meters of splendid ground, quite
smooth and hard. Beautiful trees and
shrubs; plenty of shade; quite quiet
and private, you see. Over there on
the quay, bordering the narrow branch
OF the Seine, is where the carriages
stop. NJ. Dehaynin and M. Jacques
Lebaudy fought here only the other
day. N. Lebaudy received three CEN
timeters of steel in the middle of the
chest. Would you like more open
ground? Here you have it.
Last month there was an exciting
affair on this very spot. A duel he-
tween ladies, and smart ones, too,
can tell you. They were actresses.
Love was the cause of the dispute and
they fought like tigresses. Upon my
word, you would have thought they
,Tere mad. The seconds were elderly
Gentlemen, both decorated and evil
IDENTIFY rich. The girls were naked to
tie waist and wore full riding breaches.
:)nc of them had her breast pierced
three times before she would give in. :"
Upon being asked if he witnessed
thcsc duclS the urbane proprietor
somewhat rcproachfully answered.
Most absolute solitude reigns here
OF those occasions. All the doors are
H:ltcd and the walters arc shut up in
,e cafe. remain near ct hand-be-
I'D one Of the bushes, for example
Il give assistance if needed. My clients
Dced bring nothing with them but
tl:eir arms. l supply everything, ex-
ccpt the doctor and his instruments, of
course. Two salad bowls full of car
boiic acid and water to wash the
wounds, handages, lint, cottonwood
in fact, ali that is required for the first
dressing. In a word. you are just as
comfortable as if you were at home
The ground ] have just pointed out
to you would not do on a rainy day. In
bad weather these affairs are settled
in the ballroom, which has q beautiful
smooth even foo ring, as you will see.
Just like sale d'armes. twas there
that the Morcs-Mey Ell duel was fought.
NJ. ClamanccaIl, who is one of my best
customers, will never fight anywhere
else lie was here few weeks ago to
settle All affair with a deputy. but the
commis*ary Of police arrived upon the
| scene. III such an eventuality. every
thing is prepared. AS the commissary
entered by one door, my customers
went out by another, and did the bust
ness in Rothschild's park, where M.
Clemenceau had all the time he re-
quired to put two or three inches of
steel into his adversary's ribs. When
III. Clemenceau is not here, others are
generally have two or three duels a
week.
''As for the fee?-oh, a mere nothing!
"a couple of louis, service complete.
If it were not for the refreshments, it
would not repay one the trouble.
| When the affair does not terminate
badly, the gentlemen often lunch
here"
Then, in answer to query, this &C
ommodating host continued:
NO. 1t is not now customary for the
dleliSts to shake hands and lunch to-
rcth2r when the encounter is over
One of the principals lunches with
hi:; two seconds and his doctor in one
arbeI and the other with his friends
il another. fifty meters apart But
;'ia s:"jcuner that is the most curious
a:}ti profitable is that which is given a
f:.3kl' tivo afterward. A duel ratur-
~. mares lions of the principals. who
- led ABOUT by their friends, and
y 80 it ha not had an unhappy issue
o. II ctiier of them, sometimes both.
bi:d ~ sii55f rent times, returns here
ut Il part of ladies and gentlemen
nnl fight; his battles DER again'-in
words.
The ground is inspected and every
thing j. infinitely explained The hero
Il applaudcd by the men and admired
by the ladies, who give utterance to
suppressed shrieks, and. exclaim: SO
you wounded him, mon chcri, did you?
WE'LL it was very chic, anyhow Then
they cuddle and kiss him. and you can
easily imagine what set-out there is
after that" Thereupons the landlord
burst out into a fit of laughter. When
his hilarity had somewhat subsidized.
he exclaimed: ''And now, gentlemen.
lets have q look at the culinary ar
rangements.
And the monarch of the SWELL king
dom led the way from the garden into
the elegantly appointed edifce where,
in sumptuous dining-room, most
savOry menus are served.
BONES OF A DEPARTED RACE.
Found in Two Large Burial Places in Me-
braska-Men of Great Stature.
| A farmer blowing near Calhoun, Neb..
recently turned up human skull, and
search revealed large number of
other skulls, besides bones. These