The record-union., 1895-05-25

along her weapon for fully minute be.
fore Sue fired. and with the report the
Marquise de Nesles fell. The Comtesse's
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 they would be severely punished.
But Louis only shrugged his shoulders
and laughed IS he declared that it was
not his affair, since he had only for bid
den dueling between men.
Another woman duelist was Mime. de
Chasteau-Gay, who, having been Of
tended by one of her men friends, chal-
lenged him. He was borne wounded
from the field after the duel which fol-
lowed. Nine. Chasteau-Gay's sister,
Nine. La Douze. went further yet. She
fought her own husband on the field of
nonor. 1t seems the poor man and she
could not agree on some matter, and after
a furious quarrel she challenged him to
duel and goaded him until he accepted.
Ihey fought with swords and he was
thrice wounded.
OF feminine -''spadassins'
they were called-there were many in
the seventeenth century. One of the
most noted was IAN adorable rascal in
petticoats," but little more than this
statement and her name-Henriette SyI-
vie de Moliere-have come down to these
end-of-tbe-century days. Another was
Mile. DurieuX. who must have had a
tabasco sauce temper. for she was walk
ing along Paris street one day with her
lover when the latter made remark at
which she chose to be offended. She
snatched a 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 SOL
diery.
AS dauntless fighter as ever buckled
a sword during the years when Louis
XIV. was King, and the wicked Nine.
fompRdour and Nine. Du Barry, the
beautiful and bad, ruled France, was the
Cheyaliere a. EOn. Whether this strange
being was man or woman-improbable
as 1t may SCENTS not positively known
to this day. For nearly two centuries
historians have disputed over this veXed
question, and romancers have spun
countless tales based upon the incidents
IN the Chlyaliere's adventurous career.
Charles Genevieve Louis Auguste
Andre Timothee d. Eon was the full name
Of this mysterious parsonage, who was
generally known as the Chevaliere d Eon.
or Eon de Beaumont For many years
be (or She was one of Louis NV.'s secret
agents and among the best dipiomatists
in Europe, wearing with equal grace the
habilaments of either SEX In woman's
Court of the Empress Elizabeth of Rus
sia from 1855 to 100. and later, as man,
was ambassador to England.
The Chevaliere's face was beardless
and the voice high pitched. When dressed
in feminine attire d. Eon was as hand
some woman as any in the courts of
Europe, and as man, in the silk and
satin bravery of those picturesque times,
there was not noble among all the
courtiers who could drink deeper or
throw dice for higher stakes than the
Chevalier.
No mans hand more readily sought
the hllt of his sword than did d. Eon's.
The Chevailere was one of the best
swordsmen OF the epoch, and was a uoted
and much-feared duelist. She for on
this occasion the Chevaliere wore the
costume Of the gentler SEX had notable
encounter with the Chevalier de St.
Georges one bright summers day in the
Place Royale-a favorite spot-and was
wounded in her sword arm. AS SOON as
she was recovered from her hurt she
again picked a quarrel with her former
adversary and ran him through the
heart.
But perhaps the best known of all is
Mile. de Maupin, who has been made i'm
mortal by Theophile Gautier. She was
an actress in Paris, but she fell in love
with fencing master and followed him
to MarseIlles. There they disagreed,
fought with swords, and she returned to
Paris, leaving him to find some one else
TO nurse his wound. In Paris she entered
the opera and attained great celebrity,
both by her talent ami eccentricities. An
actor named Dumeny displeased her one
day, and she lay in wait for him in the
Place des VICTORIES. Being unsuccessful
in provoking him to fight, she tore his
watch and snuff box from him and car
ried them off as the spoils of war. An
other actor she forced to beg her pardon
on his knees before the entire company.
One night at masked ball at the Royal
Palace she was disguised as a man, and
paid violent and unmistakable attentions
to one of the ladies of the court. Three
gentlemen provoked a combat with her
on this account, and she fought them one
after another, aud killed them all, after
which, relying on the impunity which
she enjoyed, owing to her nigh protectors,
she returned to the ballroom aud amused
herself until day ybreak.
Such characters as these are rare to-day.
1t would be difficult to cite i'll the present
century half dozen actual duels between
women. Two ladies of Austria settled
love quarrel some years ago with poig-
nards-both died. Two Italian ladies of
rank not long afterward fought with !
swords near Genoa. Both wanted the
same sweetheart, and one was killed.
Several Partisan actresses have at va
rious times, actuated by love or jeal-
ousy, talked loudly of putting their |
quarrel to The sharp adjustment of the |
sword, but the affairs have always been
amicably arranged before any blood was
spilled. Save some obscure Or i'm |
promptu battles, which had nothing to
do with the noble science of fencing, this |
is about all, there being but one more |
event, and a comparatively recent one,
to chronicle.
Mime. Astia de Valsayre, in 1886, con-
sidered herself unduly provoked by an
American girl named Miss Shelley, who |
laughed at some OF her notions. Nine. |
de Valsayre demanded the satisfaction of |
a duel. and it was fought upon the his
toric field of Waterloo. Swords were the |
weapons, and Nine. de Valsayre declared |
her honor satisfied after wounding Miss |
Shelley slightly in the arm.-New York |
w orld.