Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-08-04
A MOST PECULIAR DUEL
FOUGHT BY YOUNG STUDENTS
IN FRANCE.
Row the American SAVED Himself Prom
Death al the Hands Of an Expert
swordsman Using g Weapon Not
Recognized by tbs Code.

hcieutiilc ana Otherwise said 4 man
who looked as little like a crank o.
faddist a. could well be imagined.
lie was one Of group talking on
occultism ia general AID this as
collateral, aud when he made the
announcement thce was an inn
ediate demand for the reasons for
the faith that was in him.
Twenty years ago. he went on
IN response 10 the demand, II WAS a
student IN France, and, at that time,
hvpnotism. or mssmerism as il was
then known. did not hold the place
II now holds On the contrary. the
believer in mesmerism was con.
sidered by a majority OF the most
respectable people to be mentally
lax. so to speak. My roommate and
best friend was an American attend
ing medical school. aud both Of US
were more or less Interested in
things occult
''One night on our way home from
small festiyity. not al all in the
line Of Oceultism we stopped al
well-known cafe. where a mum Der Of
giddy youths like ourselves were
making a night OF IL, and when we
left the place Walter had d duel on
his hands with fiery young official,
who had been slapped ia the face for
certain remarks, which. il Walter
had been duly sobe~ he woIld never
have noticed However, that was OF
no avail now, AMI nothing was left
except 70 Eight, aud to fight. too.
with the Frcnchman's choice OF
weapons. as Walter was the chal-
lcuger What q fool he was what
fool ] was; what a fool ia French
man was; what fools an 81 Us were
o. course. ala the arrangements de-
VOWED upon me as Walters friend.
and every move / made Ia the attain,
seemed 70 me as Il were getting
Waiter ready for his funeral under
his own direction Forty-eight
hours was the limit Of my time for
sach reflections. however. aud before
the expiration % that duel with
seconds bad been arranged TO take
place a; daylight in the suburbs,
and poor Walter didn't know hail a.
much about sword ne did about
Ii pjowthare. AMI be didn't know
enough about that q nave run q
straight fBrrow IL had been stAkel
ont FOR him across field, while the
Fronchmaa was noted swordsman.
"Nell. the time came, and We
were there prompts. with faint
hope ia nay palpi.-iug bosom that
something would interfere with the
other side 10 prevent an appearance.
hut Is went 20 pieces early; the
Frcuchman was there before we
were, and what was worse he
showed signs Of being glad he was
there. How did want 70 take him
ont 10 some quies spot ami wiring
his Internal neck, And how hand
some Walter looked, palc OF course.
bat the very picture 81 a man. And
now ! felt when ! thought Of what
word might have 10 send home TO
his dear old mother aud father. an q
TO that sister Of his who was more
TO mo than all the oihersl
III both principals had been
Frcuchmcn / might have been les
wrought up but there was an Amer.
lean Ia C. and somebody was bound
90 get hurt
"Beforc We got down 10 business
| Walter began TO act quccrly. and !
thought tnc strain was proving too
great for him bat he whispered
something TO me and ! watched the
rrcnchman Presently he observe
Nal, IRIS peculiar motions and ac.
tions. which were Just enough not 10
excite comment ana they were con.
iiuued NATL the two men :onk their
places II was evident the French.
man thoaght Walter was about t.
work some Western trick on him 10
Offset his superior skill with the
sword and he became more intent
than ever Walter was extremely
awkward with his sword but he
managed TO keep IL in front Of him.
which he did with the point sticking
straight az his adversary lie had
caught the Frcuchm ms eve, mean.
while. and rs the advanced TO the
encounter ! thought from the fixed
gaze OF monsieur that he had made
MP his mind to stick Walter fun Of
holes in the FIRST bout and end the
affair. so he could get back TO an
early breakfast But IL did not turn
ont that way. for when they came
within touching distance Walter,
his eyes firmly fixed on the French
mans. threw his sword point slight.
IL to one side, ana the Frenchmau 5
followed Il. Once, twice. thrice.
he attempted TO mako a thrust. but
invariably the sword Jew wide
Munsieur's seconds noted the strange
actions OF their principal, but could
not account for IL. and at last Wal.
ter, with side swipe, as the boys
say In these days fetched ,he French
man terrific whack ia the neck
with the Tat OF his sword, very much
as II he had hit him with a fence
rail and knocked him out so com.
pletely that he could not respond.
and for some time the surgeons
thought he had been killed When
he recovered consciousness. Walter
h.. 4 IL.