The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-11-20
POLLMET'S DUEL.
sY J. c. meemBorHAM.

Felix Depaille. professor of music
In our town, for the following story,
which happened in those bad old days,
when scoundrels who were expert with
weapons terrorized over whole city,
because the insane code of honor COM
! PEELED an inoffensiye citizen to go out
to meet certain death at the hands OF
o ruflian who had wantonly insulted
him.
"Ah, those days, mon ami" said De-
paille, $50 different from my life now!
You love not the duello in England
you laugh at us, and beat man with
your brutal arms and fists when he in
suits you. That recalls to mind the
Englishman who came to Dion so, 60
years ago, and fought a duel. All, but
be was drole, that Englishman!"
ut is a good story, ! can see." said,
glancing at Depaille's deep-set eyes
sparkling.
"You will love it, mon ami; but in
those days was furious against your
brutal ways. have learnt better since.
This Englishman, see you, came to Dion.
lie was great and rich, and he was
named Sir Evelyn Booth Baronet; but in
those days we did not understand your
English titles, and we called him Milor
Sir Lord Booth. He was young and very
rich, and he roamed about France with
his attendant who was his secretary;
perhaps remaining day in one place,
a month in another. He was great,
tall man, with powerful limbs; but he
was lazy, oh, SO lazy-whcn he seated
himself, was to sprawl on three chairs.
He looked upon us as an inferior race,
and was very insolent and arrogant,
but spent lavishly. Also he disdained
10 speak our language, which he called
lingo, and NJ. Pointon, his secretary, in
terpretcd for him. Milor, assure you,
was we'll known in the city, where he
stayed three weeks.
snow, at that time Pollinet, one of the
most infamous duelists, was residing
in Dion, where he had made himself
feared; but when Milor Booth came to
Dion, Pollinet, to the relief of good
citizens, was away in Paris, and there
were many who hoped he might meet
better man than himself in the CAPT.
tai, and never return. But they were
disappointed; Pollinet returned, more
insolent than ever.
"You must understand that Pollinet
professed to have the greatest hatred
for the English, whom he declared were
all brutal, ignorant, and clumsy, unfit
for association with refined race, and
to kill whom was duty ord service
to humanity. At that time you were
not popular amongst us-it is often so,
my friend-and these sentiments were
looked upon as highly patriotic, and
were applauded by his friends. What
more natural than that on his return to
Dion he was told of the rich English
Milor who was, what you call, swagger-
ing about the city in his insolent way +?
"'Ah,' said Pollinet, one of that ac-
cursed race in this city? Well, we shall
see, we shall see! If it be possible to
force him to fight, there shall be one
less of those insolent fools. Bah, but
doubt it! They are towards, and will
lick the dust rather than fight. Where
is he to be found?'
He Is staying at the Hotel Lisbon,
but he is often in the cafes said Bra
CONNER, big-bellied, loud-voiced fell
low, who looked up to Pollinet as his
master.
Tonight, them" said Pollinet, with
meaning smile. This Pollinet, 1 must
tell you, was great fellow of nearly
six feet, broad and plump, and very
: good liver. He must have the best and
plenty of it, and he daily increased in
embonpoint, though he lost little of his
activity. With rapiar or pistol he was
supreme, and it was said that he had
already gilled his 21st. He had served
in the army as q colonel, so he declared,
though there were some who could take
an oath that he began life as a bakers
apprentice, and was afterwards valet
+ to Col. de la Tournies.
"That evening Pollinet sent three of
his friends out into the city to obtain
news of the Englishman, and present.
ly Braconnier returned breathless to
say that Milor had just entered the
Cafe Grande Monarque, in Rue Pelis-
sier.
"'Come, then, my friends said Pol
linet, with laugh, let us call on this
terrible Englishman- You shall have
good sport on the word of Pollinet,
unless he is coward. And even in
that case I shall terrify him.
Laughing gleefully, Pollinet and six
OF his friends set out for the cafe. They
were in luck. Milor was there, sprawl
ing as usual. He was seated with a
bottle of wine at one of the tables near
the door, with a chair for each foot,
and he disdained to raise his head when
the party entered. M. Pointon, in APP
pearance gentleman. was slipping wine
with him, and they only spoke in mono
syllables at long intervals.