The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-01-18

The Incident Upon Which Was Founded
Gerome's Beautiful Picture.

Gerome's Beautiful Picture.
Evsry one has seen the engraving Of
Gerome's beautiful but sadly effective
picture, "A Duel In the Snow"
Through the mist of early morning one
antagonist is lying on his back ON the
sward, while his adversary, leaning
on friends arm, is slowly walking
away from the scene Of the encounter.
Both are wearing the incorporating cos
tune OF Pierrot. In thicket car
riage waits to drive OFF with the sue.
cessful opponent
There is every reason to believe, from
recently disclosed information by M.
Alfred Darimon, that in portraying on
canvas that impressive episode the
artist was not influenced by solely i'm
aginative caprice, but that he has repro
duced scene in real life.
The facts are as follows: The duelists
were M. Jules Brame, former minis
ter of public instruction under the Sec
ond empire, and M. ID. D., we'll
known journalist on the staff Of one of
the most influential newspapers in the
north of France. When the duel occur
red, both were studying for the bar.
One Shrove Tuesday they, in company
with friends, had repaired to a restau.
rant on the Boulevard with view of
enjoying good dinner and afterward
Of going to the masquerade ball at the
| Opera. They all agreed to 60 as Pier
rots. AS they all wore masks some one
suggested that they should adopt some
distinctive sign by which they could
recognize one another in the crowd. d.
ID. suggested that they should pin la
| bel bearing number to their backs.
The idea was unanimously adopted, and
| d. d. prepared the labels accordingly.
| While SO doing diabolical idea came
into his head. 1t was carnival time.
Why should he not have his little jokei
When it was Jules Brame's turn to
have ticket pinned to his back, his
friend d. ID. had written in large letters
beneath the number, 81 am Jules
Brame." One can easily imagine what
was the result. No sooner had Brame
set foot in the main passage to the pre-.
miere galerie than he was followed by a
lady wearing a mask, who, on his pre-.
pairing to enter private box, cried out,
II wish you success, Jules Brame. y
Later on, on re-entering the passage, he
was surrounded by a group of masquer.
aders, who with one voice shouted out,
GOOD day, my dear Brame." That
proved to him that he was known tc
every one, although he was puzzled tt
understand how it could be.
Passing in front of box opener, the
girl burst out laughing. He inquired
angrily what she was laughing at
"Why," she replied, 81 am laughing
at the funny idea which led you to pill
label on your back with your name
on it," And, suiting the action to thu
word, she unpinned the label and hand
ed it to him.
Jules Brame considered the joke no
only in bad taste, but insulting. He
sought out his comrade, and, finding
him in the saloon, he reproached hin
angrily in the hearing of the crowd, in
sisting that he should apologize openl.
then and there. ID. d., resenting hi
friends attitude toward him, declined
to apologize. A duel therefore, in &C
cordance with French habits and Gus
toms, was inevitable. Seconds were a
once chosen Short swords were pro
cured, and in their Pierrot costumes th
antagonists started for the Bots d.
Boulogne. Fortunately the duel did no
end fatally, as seems to be the case il
Gerome's picture, for, although Bram
ran his sword right through d. D.
body, no vital organ was touched. III
recovered very quickly, and the two an
tagonists became fast friends again.
Westminster Gazette.