The record-union., 1895-05-25
FRNCERS IN PETHICOATS.
Growth of a Popular Sport for
Our Women.
Some Famous Women DueIfsts-Mod-
ern and Medieval Danes Who
Fought With Men-Mlle. De Maui
pins Three Male Victims.

Dancing and horseback riding until
quite recent years were about the only
exercises considered comme il faut for
women. Now there is hardly mascu-
line sport which has not its feminine de-
votees. Fencing, however, easily holds
the first place among indoor recreations
which are at the same time fashionable
and heaIthful. and the pompous old def
milton of the art-"the science OF the
movement of man for the execution OF
his hostile projects''-is no longer true.
Ten years ago the number Of women
fencers in New York was very small;
but to-day the knowledge of how to
handle a foil is considered necessary
part of every society girls athletic edu-
cation.
There are few exercises which call into
play so many different muscles and facul-
ties as fencing. 1t nardens the flesh and
gives permanent beauty to the outline
of the form. Fencing is especially eX-
cellent for women, because IL does not de-
mand strength and muscular force 80
much as it does Quickness OF eye and
mind and suppleness of the body. w men
these qualifications are combined with
skill, their owner may easily deIeat
more physically powerful adversary who
does not possess them.
AS means OF developing the power OF
concentrated thought fencing is lnValu-
able. The skilled swordsman must
watch his opponents tactics with undl-
Vided attention and instantane eously
guess their purpose. seeking at the same
time to successfully oppose them anu
conceal his own line of attack.
Even though few become masters OF
the art-its devotees call it science
there is plenty of amusement and health
ful exercise from the very beginning. In
fencing, it is one OF the prime requisites
that the lin bs be untrammelled, and tnaT
custom which affords the greatest free
dom of action is the best. Men wear
long, loose trousers. Such a dress would
be out of the question for women, be-
cause, in the first place. 1t Is not pretty.
Tights or knickerbockers 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 inn
modest without the addition OF short
skirt reaching TO the knees.
In New York the number of women
who are experts with the foil is lncreas-
ing each year. AT the Fencers' Club and
the Berkeley Lyceum the ladies' classes
have been better attended during the
past winter than ever before. Nearly all
the maitres d'armes have feminine
pupils TO whom they give class or private
instruction several times week. With
one or TWO exceptions, the fencing mas
ters in this city can speak but little Eng
lish, and are therefore forced 10 give
their lessons in French.
In Europe, and especially in Paris, the
number OF women who fence is also
growing, though the sport is not in its in
fancy there as here. The best known
among the women fencerS is Nine. Astia
de Nalsayre, who is also noted Tor being
the leader of the strong minded" women
of France She is tall and very thin, and
there are lev men whom she cannot van
ouish with her foil or her tongue.
she generally dresses in white gown
trimmed with dark lace, and her snap
ping black eyes look through glasses
Derched on a nose that is strongly aqui-
line. Her favorite topic OF conversation
is The physical and mental uplifting of
women, which she advocates with much
fierce vilitication of the opposite sex.
She says that if women would learn to
fence il would result in their muscular
and moral regeneration, anG they would
soon become mentally and physically
strong enough to throw OF the yoke of
masculine oppression.
She also claims that fencing will pre-
vent and cure women of pneumonia,
Ads
eases: will make their bodies supple and
more graceful and rob child bearing of
much of its pain. One OF Mime. de Y al
sayre's latest projects is the founding OF
q great fencing-scnool for women, where
men shall never be admitted. She has
been a standing joke with the Partisan
paragraphers for years, but, though she
is eccentric, she IS rich, and there is little
doubt of the ultimate fulhlIment OF her
plans.
sword is yet to be written. Not a tale
of women who were soldiers or glorious
herolnes like Joan OF Arc, but of those
who have been noted through the centur-
les for their skill and fearless belllger-
ance when handling arms.
Ceryantes, the author of the immortal
"Don QuiXote,'' tells, quite as a matter
of course, how young man quarreled
with his sweetheart, who challenged him
to duel with swords. They fought and
he was severely wounded. Tallemant
des Reaux. another French writer, speaks
of "a thousand ferrailleries," or women
of gentle blood who were experts with
the rapier.
The scandalous chronicles of other days
have preserved the record OF few actual
duels between women. Mines. de n Nesles
and De Polignac fought with pistols in
the Bois de Boulogne one bright June
morning for the "beauX yeuX" OF the
Due de Richelieu.
The Marquise de Nesles fired first, but
missed. Rage made her hand tremble,"
exclaimed the Comtesse de Polignac, dis
dainfully. as she raised her weapon and
aimed it carefully at her adversary, who.
with set, white face and folded arms,
awaited her fate. With the refinement OF
crueltv tho Comtesse de Polignac sighted