Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1895-08-03
FIGHTING WITH THE SWORD.
Historic Changes In tho Weapon and In the
Art OF Using IL.

historic ChnnEes IN tne weapon anu IN tno
Art OF Using II.
In our time the word ''fencc" Is ap.
piled technically to exercise with tho
sword or with the foil, which was only
recently invented. In the Cirque d Etc
spectacle, the word was extended TO
all weapons, offensive and defensive,
used In battle-shield, sword, rapier,
two-handed sword, cutlass, saber and
bayonet
II Is interesting to follow the various
transformations wherein, little by lit
tie, skill replaced brutal force, Mt first
treacherously, and, later, more loyalty,
rs manners became more civilized, at
tanning ut last the modern art of fenc-
ing, which. pure art or serious battle
on the field, exacts absolute equality
In weapons and in material condition
of battle.
The Gaul was armed with the So
called Gallo sword. the blade of which
was In the form Of leaf. widened In
the middle, thin at the guard, and
oval at the point. He was defended
with the shield. which was long. and
with the helmet, ornamented with
large wings and name. The soldier
wore coat of leather and cloth
trousers The Roman legionary wore
n supple cuirass, made Of bands OF
steel, which was articulatcd so as to
rive freedom to all the motions of the
body. lie wore short, round helmet.
He carried long shield and sword,
which was wider. longer and Halter
than is generally believed. Both Gaul
and Roman had offensive and defen-
sjve arms. The same arm was not
used to attack and defend. us Is used
to-day with the sword or the foil. This
is to be observed because the interest
Of the spectacle was in the gradual
development Of the attacking weapon
rs defensive weapon. In the remot-
est epoch, when one Of two adversaries
had lost his shield, he was at the mercy
of his enemy.
The second phase of the spectacle
leaped TO the time Of Francis !. Then
the defensive armor had been so devel.
oped that the knight became a mass OF
iron, an ironclad. A battle was only u
question of solidity in armor The
longer one could strike the armor
without breaking IL. the more chances
had the one who wore II to win the
battle. Then appeared the bonn
bardes" and cannon. which iron could
not resist. Heavy armor became use
less, and soldiers defended themselves
with their offensive weapons, the
sword and the dagger. This was the
origin of the real art of fencing. The
lansquenets wore no cuirass. and did
not carry shield. They had enor.
nous two-handed swords, solid enough
TO break what remained of the ancient
armor A battle between two men
using this sword must have been terri
BILE. Nobody knows when II first ap-
peared. The only certain fact about
it is that the art OF fencing with 1t was
as complete rs the weapon itself, which
was learnedly devised. The handle
was not simple cross; 1t protected
the hands and could be used effective
ly at close quarters
The ambuscade In which Busy
d'Amboise fell in the time Of Henry
ILL.,, influenced the definite abandon
ment Of the shield. The Mignons car
ried the attacking sword with the
right hand, and held dagger with the
left hand. The dagger had the nd.
vantage over the shield of serving as
IN offensive weapon in case OF need.
Busy defended himself valiantly
against his adversaries. lie defeated
two OF them. The third made his
sword fall from his hand. and, Us his
dagger was too short against his ad'
versary's long sword, Busy used his
cloak and killed his enemy AS tore
ador does bull. This was the finest
epoch Of dueliny. Manuals of fencing
began to appear, but duels were then
often compounded felony. Then ap
peared the tall red figure Of Cardinal
Richelicu.
In 1927 occurred the famous duel be
tween Montmorency-Boutt and
Count Beuvron. The former had fought
twenty-five duels. Richelieu issued IN
edict prohibiting dueling under pain
of the scaffold. Montmorency took
refuge In Brussels, and there asked
permission to return to France to fight
one more duel. The permission wa:
refused. Then he swore that he would
return to France in spite Of rybody
and fight in Paris, in daylight, in u cen
trail square. lie did II. But Richelieu
had him and one OF his seconds arrest
ed, and both were executed in Place
de Greve. The meeting had been q
loyal one.
Duels diminished in number, but die
not vanish, and the science OF fencing
was improved. Fencers begaa to de-
fend themselves with the sword, and
to lunge. The Italian art OF fencing
lost its Importance in 1923, when Thi
baust published his compact folio vol
ume on ''L'Academie de rEpec." Ac
cording to its rules, the feneer lunget
with both legs, whereas the fencer o.
the present time lunges with the RICH
leg only. Mile. de Maupin fought II
accordance with Thibausts rule. Hei
greatest pleasure was TO dress like
man. Imprisoned In convent she sci
fire to her cell and went on the stage
One night she met one Of her comrades
in deserted street, and stole his purse
The next day he related that he has
been attacked by numerous band
"You are boasting," she said. 9TH
numerous baud was myself alone. Her,
Is your purse" Her adventures wer,
innumerable. She quarreled in pla.
house with three gentlemen.an and fourth
with and killed each one successfully
The assault OF the Chevnliere d'Eol
against the Chevalier de Saint George
was not. properly speaking, an assault
but o series Of plastic poses Thi
Chevaliere d'Eon Of classic memor.
was not q woman, but man who, tn
- A.