The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-16
PETTICOAT FENCERS
STORIES OF WOMEN WHO HAVE
WELDED THE SWORD IN DUELs.
Century Ago and One Thrilling
Incident of Recent Date.

New 1Ork world.
Dancing and horseback riding until quite
recent years were about the only exercises
considered CONNIE ii faut for women. Now
there is hardly masculine sport which has
not its feminine devotees. Fencing, how
ever. easily holds the first place among in
door recreatons which are at the same
time fashionable and healthful. and the
pompous old definition of the art-'the sci
ence Of the movement of man for the exc
cution of his hostile projects'-is no longer
true.
There are few exercises which call into
play so many different muscles and facul-
ties as fencing AS a means of developing
the power of concentrated thought fencing
is invaluable. Even though few become
masters of the art-its devotees call it a
science-there is plenty of amusement and
healthful exercises from the very beginning
In fencing. it is one of the prime requisites
that the limbs be untrammeled, and that
costume which affords the greatest freedom
of action is the best. Men wear long, loose
trousers. Such a dress would be out of the
question for women, because, in the first
place, it is not pretty. Tights or knicker-
bockers with long stockings are the best
costumes for women. Both of these are
much in vogue in Paris, but on this side OF
the water they are considered somewhat
immodest without the addition of a short
skirt reaching to the knees.
In Europe, and especially in Paris, the
number of women who fence is also grow
ing, though the sport is not in it's infancy
there as here. The best known among the
women fencers is Nine. Astia de Valsayre,
who is also noted for being the leader of
the strong minded" women of France
She is tall and very thin. and there are few
men whom she cannot vanquish with her
foil or her tongue.
She generally dresses in a white gown
trimmed with dark lace, and her swapping
black eyes look through glasses perched on
a nose that is strongly aquiline. Her favor
lite topic OF conversation is the physical and
mental uplifting OF woman. which she adj
vocates with much fierce utilization of the
opposite sex. She says that il woman
would learn to fence it would result in their
would soon become mentally and physically
strong enough to throw off the yoke OF
masculine oppression.
She also claims that fencing will prevent
and cure women of pneumonia, hysteria
and all sorts of nervous diseases; will make
their bodies supple and more graceful and
rob collaborating of much of its pain. One
of Mime. de Valsayre's latest projects is the
founding of a great fencing school fol-
women, where men shall never be admitted
She has been a standing joke with the
Partisan photographers for years, but
though she is eccentric, she is rich, and
there is little doubt Of the ultimate full
fillment of her plans
NO HISTORY OF WOMEN FENCERS.
A history of woman wielders of the sword
is yet to be written. Not tale of women
who were soldiers or glorious heroines like
Joan of Arc but of those who have been
noted through the centuries for their skill
and fearless belligerence when handling
arms. Cervantes, the author of the i'm
mortal Don Quixote," tells, quite as a
matter of course, how a young man
quarreled with his sweetheart, who chal-
lenged him to a duel with swords. They
fought and he was severely wounded.
writer, speaks of "a thousand ferrailleries. .
or womeu of gentle blood who were ex-
perts with the rapier
= The .scandalous chronicles of other days
have preserved the record of a few actual
duels between women. Mines. de Nesles
and De .Polignac fought with pistols in the
Bots de f5oulogne one bright June morning
for the "beaux yeux" of the Due de Richie
lieu.
The Marquise de Nesles fired first, but
missed Rage made her hand tremble, -
exclaimed the Comtesse de Poiignac, dis
painfully, she raised her weapon and
aimed it carefully at her adversary, who,
with set white face ace, and nd folded arms
cruelty the Comtesse de Polignac sighted
along her weapon for fully a minute be-
sGaf DE- Neses e The
bullet had clipped the tip off one of her
dainty ears.
The king heard the story from one OF
the ladies' numerous enemies. who hoped
that Icy would be severely punished. But
Louis only shrugged his shoulders and
laughed as he declared that it was not his
affair, since he had only forbidden dueling
between men.
Another woman duelist was Nine. de
Chasteau-Gay. who. having been offended
by one of her men friends, challenged him
He was borne wounded from the field after
the duel which followed. Nine. Chasteau-
Gays sister, Nine. La Douze went further
field of honor. 1t seems the poor man and
she could not agree on some matter. and
after furious quarrel she challenged him
to "A duel, and goaded him until he ac-
cepted. They fought with swords, and he
was thrice wounded.
OF feminine fre-ea neutrality-suspicious." they
were called-there were many in the seven
teenth century. One of the most noted was
IAN adorable rascal in petticoats," but lit
tie more than this statement and her name
-Henriette SylVe de Moliere-have come
down to these notwithstanding days An
other was Mile. Durieux, who must have
had tabasco sauce temper, for she was
walking along a Paris street one day with
her lover when the latter made remark
at which she chose be offended. She
snatched sword from passer-by and
she and her lover fought In broad day.
light with a thousand people looking on
until they were separated by the soldiery.
THE MYSTERIOUS D'EON.
AS dauntless fighter as ever buckled a
sword during the years when Louis XIV
was king and the wicked Nine. Pompa-
dour and Nine. Du Barry, the beautiful
and bad, ruled France, was the chevaiere
d'Eon. Whether this strange being was a
man or woman-mprobable as il may seem
lis not positively known to this day. For
nearly two centuries historians have dis
puted over the vexed question, and roman
GERS have spun countless tales based upon
the incidents in the chevalier's adventurous
career.
Charles Genevieve Louis Auguste Andre
Timothee q Eon was the full name of this
mysterious parsonage. who was generally
known as the Chevalier dEon. Eon de
Beaumont. For many years he Tor shs)
was one of Louis XVs secret agents, and
among the best diplomats in Europe
wearing with equal grace the habilments
embassadress to the court of the Empress
Elizabeth of Russia from 100 TO 1860, and
later as a man, was ambassador to Eng
land.
The cheyaliers face was beardess and
the voice high pitched. When dressed in
woman as any in the courts of Europe.
and as a man, in the silk and satin Drawer v
of those picturesque times. there was not
a noble among all the courtiers who could
drink deeper or throw dice for higher
stakes than the chevalier.
Rnt perhaps the best known of all is
Mile. de Maupin. who has been made i'm
norSal by Thcophile Gautier. She was an
actress in Paris, but she fell in love with q
fencing master and followed him to Mar