The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-14
He Mhlppea the rragedian.

| swordsmen on the American stage. His
| proficiency with the broadsword is due
to long course of training, which he
took many years ago, under peculiar cir
| cumstances, says Frank S. Pixley in the
| Chicago Times Herald.
Young Clement carried a letter of intro
| duction to Daniel Bandmann, the TRACE
| dian and asked for an enga cement. The
old man was charmed with Clement
reading of Shakespeare, and after long
| evolutionary trial, remarked, in a rich
| Drogue: My poy, think you will do. You
are engatched. But, tell me, are you able
to defent yourself?"
why, yes. 1 guess So" douhtfulIy re-
| Piled the young aspirant. II don't know;
never had fight in my life. But think
could take care of myself in a pinch
Vel, continued Bandmann, you'll
hat to. want a man who can fight. Ven
l play Richard eet makes me sick-pah-if
l must be kilt by a Richmond who could
not Kill checker in real life Ven I am
Macbeth Wy shout I be kilt by a fellow
VINO could not carve a cheese? I am tired
OF Get all. You must defent yourself. Do
you know the broatsword?"
Well mol don't" admitted Clement.
But couldn't / learn ?" he added, eagerly.
fia' yes-inspee-ration!" cried Band
mann: I GU shall learn. Do you know
my my TRENT Col. Monastery of Chicago? No?
Netter mind; L gift you a letter to him -
turning to writing desk Bandmann
wrote a letter of introduction and filed
out check for $25.
Gl1 dose to my frient Monastery he
sdlu' ana he viii show you how you shall
de1ent yourself. That check will pay for
t"enty-hfe lesson. If you feel you need
more lesson my letter say you shall take
as many more as you like and the bin
WI pay. But remember! You must fight:
II not L think l will keel you-yesv'
element came to Chicago to begin in
strucuon. In this city he met several
actors who formerly had been members
Oh bandmann' S company. They all told
the same story. The tragedian thew said
was most dangerous antagonist in a
stage duel and very often forgot his sur
rouhdlngS and put up a real fight If his
! opponent showed the white feather the
old man would fly into a paroxysm of
rage and fight like a demon. On more
| than one occasion he had completely driv-
en- Richmond and Macduff off the stage.
These stories scared Clement half to
death. He began to regard his training
| as, life and death matter, undertaken
| strictly in self-defense. At the end of
| the twenty-five lessons he felt that he
was only a beginner in workmanship
and instruction was continued week after
week throughout the entire summer.
On the opening night of Bandmann's
| next season a letter was handed to the
| tragedian. 1t contained a bill for pro-
fessional instruction in sword practice
| extra lessons for Mr. Clement on ae-
! count of Mr.. Bandmann-S150."
! The old man gasped. "Votr' he cried
| Are you drunk or am I crazy? A hun
dred fifty tollar! How ees eet? How can
it pep
We'll, you sent me to Col. Monastery
! yourself and gave him carte blanche to
! teach me as long as 1 needed instruction ;"
! explained Clement.
ooh, my poy, my poy," exclaimed Band
| mann, Il sent you to Monstery-yes-b
1 deed not tell you to leeve with heem."
Suddenly the old man stopped. "VeI'
he said how eez eet? Can you defent
| yourself?"
! "I'u try" was the calm reply
80 will l." sententious.y remarked
| Bandmann.
That night when Richard faced Rich
mond on Bosworth field there was bale
| flu gleam in the crook-backed monarch's
! eyes which none of the company ever had
| observed before. He sprang at his antag-
onist like catamount; two swords clash
ed and a shower of sparks gave evidence
| of the force which sent them together.
The followed what was probably the pref
test and most scientific sword fight ever
seen on the American stage. The old
| man fought wickedly, dangerously, des-
| perately. The aggressor, at first, he pressed
his young antagonist hard. The air was
! filled with sparks from the circling swords
| and the clash of steel was almost contin-
| uous. Then Clement began work in earn
| est Step by step the bloody monarch
| was forced backward and his blows were
| parried and beaten down until at last, from
! sheer exhaustion, his grip was loosened
and a deft bow sent his sword flying into
| the wings. moment later Richmond S
| victorious troops were cheering over the
| death of Gloster. and the play was ended.
| couple of solicitous actors helped Band
! mann to his feet. Panung and almost
! breathless, he flung his arms about Glenn
eut, kissed him on both cheeks and ex-
claimed: 1T cost me hundred and fifty;
| but it was wort it,"