Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-30

vicomte, proportional like Grecian marble
may be ANONYMOUSLY touched and touched
again by stu:Dpy, knock-kleed youth who
has never had the slightest success with the
ladies' And, ON the other hand, the delicate
and languid dude may overcome tine ath-
letic, self-confideh and brutal common SOL
der. You can never tell. THE fear CT pro-
voking duel with an adversary of un-
Known force" said the austere and pacific
Culver. has contributed to the progress of
urba ity."
Men VINO have practically no knowledge
OF the sword are permitted to accept sword
duels If they insist. In such a case they
give up all other business pending the hour
or the encounter, spending their whole time
with maitre d'arrles. The latter will not
teach such pupil the guard positions, but
Will permit him to place himself as he
pieases-on oni:tion always that his feet
shall stand sufficiently far apart, the right
before the left and in the direc ton of his
adversary. The second position SIM
pie guard, is then taught to him, with a gen.
eral idea of two or three parades and the
easiest and most brutal attacks which fol-
low them. These, together with the prac-
tice of regaining the guard, must be suf-
hclent- The novice will be taught to modify
his guard by drawing his sword hand nearer
10 MS body with view to making his ad-
versary advance. And then thrust and
God save your
Influence on Manners.
The experienced fencer is in a painful
position. His own practice has been in a
school of finesse limited by conventional
rules and habits. If he simply seeks to
give clever flesh wound, his interest may
be aroused in studying exactly how it shall
be done-and to such a degree that a
chance rush and flourish on the part of his
enemy, quite outside of ordinary ways and
habits, may surprise him and put him to
such disadvantage that he has nothing
4eft but to strike seriously in order that he
through himself
1t may be imagined that all this gives its
influence to public intercourse in France.
During years of residence in the gay cap
!tal, l have never seen 4 blow given be-
tween gentlemen. The bullying and open
insolcnce of the American bar room will
be looked for in vain in French cafes. And
even street rowing, except among the
worhingmen of the suburbs, is almost un-
known.
The general principle is this: Every act of
personal violence gives the right to de-
mand an encounter. No explanation, no
Justification, based on whatsoever violent
provocation, need be accepted by the
seconds of the offended party. 1t is
necessary, nevertheless, to limit the
meaning of "acts of violence" A simple
pushing in the crowd, for example.
ought not to take that character. \ very
intimate friend who lightly pulls his
friends ear in a playful conversation has
not committed such an act of violence. But
any slap or striking, even with q cane, fan
Or folded newspaper such to knock off
a gentleman's hat if he has insufficienty
saluted you, demands meeting. The
throwing down of glove though now out
of style, keeps its old Specification. Spit
ting in the face is an act Of violence. In
all other alterations the great point is the
offerse. Has there been one? 1t must be
decided by the seconds, called witnesses
il French.
Duties of the Seconds.
The most important act before a duel
is the selection of the witnesses. There
should be two for each. 1estis unus
tests nullus. Violence, family outrage