The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-10-21
'PoLlNErS DUEL.
" J. c. nCCuID0THAN.

TWAS indebted to my good friend
n Fslix Depaille. professor Of music
h our town, for the following story,
which happened in those bad old days,
wlon scoundrels who were expert with
weapons terrorized over a whole city,
bee@use the insane code Of honor COM
PEELED an inoffensive citizen to go out
b meet certain death at the hands of
. ru1fian who had wantonly insulted
him. T.:
>':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 a 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 duel. All, but
he was drole, that Englishman!"
1T is good story, can see," l said,
Elancing 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
He was great and rich, and he was
named Sir Evelyn Booth Baronet; but in
j., lhOse days we did not understand your
English titles, and we called him Milor
+ !. Biz Lord Booth. He was young and very
sssich, and he roamed about France with
:. his attendant who was his secretary;
perhaps remaining day in one place,
\ month in another. He was great,
tall man, with powerful limbs; but he
was lazy, oh, so lazy-when he seated
himself, twas 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 M. Pointon, his secretary, in
serpreted for him. Milor, assure you,
was we'll known in the city, where he
stayed three weeks.
Nov, at that time Pollinet, one of the
most Infamous duelists, was residing
In DIXON, 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.
tsl. and never return. But they were
disappointed; Pollinet returned, more
insolent than ever.
You must understand that Pollinet
protested to have the greatest hatred
3or the English, whom he declared were
all brutal, ignorant, and clumsy, unfit
&srr iof until
10 kill whom was duty and service
-, humanity. At that time you were
net popular amongst us-it is often so,
my friend-and these sentiments were
hooked 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
Aaos who was, what you call, swagger-
ing about the city in his insoleut way {?
~'Ah.'' said Pollinet, 'one of that &C.
cursed race in this city? Well, we shall
Zee, we shall see! If it be possible to
force him to fight, there shall be one
sess Of those insolent fools. Bah, but I
doubt it! They are towards, and will
feR 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
soonier, a big-bellied, loud-voiced fel-
Aew, who looked up to Pollinet as his
master.
Tonight, then," said Pollinet, with
= meaning smile. This Pollinet, I 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
I'm the army as colonel, so he declared,
though there were some who could take
IN oath that he began life as bakers
apprentice, and was afterwards valet
10 Col, he la Tournies.,
That evening Pollinet sent three of
his friends out into the city to obtain
news. Of the Englishman, and present.
y Braepnnier returned breathless to
say that Milor had just entered the
Cafe Grlnde Monarque, in Rue Peis-
Ser. = e.
~:tCome, 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,
snless he is coward. And even in
that case I shall terrify him.
Laughing gleefully,, Pollinet and six
Il his friends set out for the cafe. They
were II luck. Milor was there, sprawl
h4 . usual He was seated with q
beAt1s Of wine at one of the tables near
~ deoey with Q chair tor each foot,