St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-09-11
Students Duels in Heidelberg.


1t was blazing hot morning, when
conducted by DR.. Ellis Oberholtzer {
young pressman of Philadelphia, us. A.
but still studying at Heidelberg, anc
Herr Heimbach another student, accom-
panied also by charming young Irish
girl, Miss Donovan, and another lady
we started a party of five to witness
with our own eyes some of the actual
duels between Heidelberg students con-
corning which so much has been said and
written.
Arrived at our window at the Hirsch
a little old-iashioned country inn, we
saw loose crowd OF students inside the
room surrounding pair of combatants
who stood face to face, ready for action.
The upper part Of the body is protected
by thick padding. Only the head and
face are exposed, the eyes being guarded
by metal goggles. Each man stands
stiff and erect; and in fighting he never
changes his position hairs breadth
There is no thrusting, and therefore he
neither lunges forward nor falls back
and to finch would mean disgrace. Each
man raises his sword hand above his
head, and keeps it there during the whole
of the lighting, which is done by rapid |
movement of the wrist alone.
At the word Ready" the uplifted
arms culver with the strong nervous
tension instantly impaired into muscles
trained and knit together to strike sharp
and fast "Go!" and clash, clash rings
the steel in rapid blows, right, left, right,
left, flashing like wreathed lightning
round the heads of the antagonists Is
one hit? We can't see! Halt" cry
the seconds, at the same moment strik-
ing up the clashing blades, often at no
little risk to themselves. The combat.
ants stood motionless. A man steps up
to each OF them and supports his heavily
padded sword-arn, that the limb may
not be tatigued for the next round. The
doctor examines each gladiator, and
hnding no severe wound, salutes the
seconds one after the other The salutes
are acknowledged with punctlious deco
rum, and another round is fought. This
lime blood is streaming both men have
)een touched, but the scratches are slight
when examined, and a third battle is
ought before one of the swordsmen is
hors de combat.
The weapons used have long, narrow
blades, sharp on both edges, with the
POINTS cut off square, so that touch
With the sharp corner will sometimes
mp piece OF bone clean out of an oppo
tents skull. The steel appears to be
oit, tor it bends with an unskilful cut.
md has to be Strengthened, as well as
wiped alter each bout.
We witnessed three duels altogether,
md the last was between a left, handed
md right handed man. 1t hardly
eemed fair; the odds were against the
after, who, though evidently a skilled
encer, was unable to defend himself long S
.gainst the abnormal. He was out OF
he night in the second round with Sc
ere upward cut under the check bone.
he doctor opened the ugly cash with :
htf AZ fgl1 nI O..
few words were quietly exchanged, and
he combatants, who are never them 1
elves consulted were conducted from =
he arena. Z
The wounds received are GLORIOUS
cars, i" the pride of their possessors; but {
hey are, at least sometimes, highly dis
CURING. Take, for example, a slit nose,
ivided down the middle with deep red {
roove. 1t may be honorable, but it I
an never be becoming. 1t is said that :
nose has been shipped off,
nd in such case it is the duty and
leasure of any student near enough to =
match up the excised piece and pop it
ITO his mouth to keep it warm and liv-
1g until the surgeon is ready to sew it
n again. 4
1t once happened, however, when !
ose had been shipped off that student
ad unluckily brought his dog with him.
he dog snapped up the detached nose
nd and swallowed it before any student
Duld say Jack Robinson" The lost
lece was irrecoverable, and regulation =
'as made that henceiorward dogs were =
} be excluded Correspondence of the