Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-02-20
SEVEN HOLES INlIS SHIRT,
NOVEL QUESTION IS BRs.ur I'D nv
A RECENT DUEL IS,.R,s.
Rents In the Garment-The, Ire Held
to Amply Satisfy h DRAGGED
Party-M. Houssaye Sc
Good Example.

The French duel, in contradisti,, ion IN
the real duel. is mostly kept alivey the
newspapers that employ the duelis. II Is
looked upon as an advertisement r the
paper. and they keep duelists on thei.tans
just as some American papers keep cula-
ton liars. says the Chicago Inter Can.
For the man himself it Is also an adv,se-
ment, not often can he write any Der
that he can fight. SO he calls in the ell
as a last resort when he feels that he's
falling out of public view-much the sa,
as an American actress. fearful OF eciip.
lowers her Corsage an inch or two. los
diamonds. or takes the kneipp cure on III
wet grass of Central park. ',
These duels. although innocent things.
are regarded very seriously by. the french.
of course. Before the duel. while 1t is being
arranged. the duelist holds himself very
dignified and important: during 1t he is not
less diSnifed. and ferocious; after II rs over
sans resultat, with hardly an exception
he falls on the neck of his adversary with
tears and kisses. and has a bootmaker tack
another inch TO his bootheels before appear
ing again in the boulevards to receive the
congratulations of his friends.
Wounds in the Shirt.
A good many of these duels took place
last week, and. although the newspapers
gave them the usual importance as matters
of news. no one is yet heard from whose
physical well-being was jeopardized by
them to any degree greater than would
have come from a wettins by a summer
shower. The nearest thing to real tragedy
h b pps1eS IN u a pair Of re eReS~nte dire ln sae on
the Jour, was a principal. This gentleman
is known as the hero of a score Of duels,
out OF every one OF which ne mas come
his opponents. He is bloodthirsty IN theory,
gentle as a lamb in practice, and a poor
fighter. In these two recent affairs he was
almost scratched In the first his shirt
was punctured twice. and in the second
no fewer than five times: fortunately, he
Neither of his opponents had even SO much
as that. The first wept and kissed M Yer
WORT. and declared chivalrously that the
honor of two brave Frenchman was vim
dicated-of course. by the pair Of holes in
the shirt: the second said that he was far
from satisfied. and demanded that the duel
be renewed. What did the man want? The
earth? At least. that was what they meant,
though the French dueling phrase is more
polished. They declined to let NJ Nervoort
shirt were enough to satisfy any mans
demand for satisfaction.
This last duel has caused a Erea. zeal o.
talk, consequently. among the gentlemen
to whom the field Of honor is familiar
ground. Most, of them uphold NJ. YER
wears belongs to him. they contend: there
fore It is a part Of him; Having pun oa-
pOnent ~punctured III. Vervoort-
NJ. Houssaye's Good Example.
Houssaye and his wife once went to the
ball of the Hotel de Vile with Victor Hugo
and Nine. Hugo. When they entered the
dancing hall there were very few vacant
chairs. Upon one that Houssaye noticed
there was merely a mans hat. He took
up the hat and ave the chair to m
Hugo; then, not wishing to hold the hat
the rest of the evening, he put it N the
a celebrated duelist. a deputy, NJ. Sherbette.
He walked straight up to the chair. saw
his hat on the floor. and turned savageiy
to HousSaye:
hat?" he said.
Ibid you put it 81 the f1oor?'
Yes. Do you think I ought to have put
Sir. you have insulted me. Here is my
Houssaye in turn took out a card and
threw it into the hat.
suppose 1 am going to pick up that hat"
sir" answered Houssaye. do you sup,
pose / am going to sp put IT, on ds yonr he aihst
you replace my hat on the chair where it
Houssaye merely laughed. and finally the
card that had been thrown into the hat,
picked the hat up.
the same town. a reason more for our
Il await your seconds" said Houssay,e.
been found, and it was decided that there
should be a duel with pistols at twenty
PAGES in the Bots de Boulogne at daybreak.
ing. principals and seconds met in the
cloakroom ready to proceed to the dueling
ground.
uty's seconds, ito have to go to the Bots
Come said the other, to his principal.
.oe 1-or aro tho fninrod marty Won can
aPelesize," .,,s -. ,.nr,v
Say ass se enc Word 1it to free US from this task.
"" "Never." said i Houssaye.
The Duel Is Avoided.
He thereupon damned on his hat with a
slant over the right ear. the deputy damned
on his with a slant over the left. and they
were ready to start. At this j%uncture Hugo.
who wanted to go home with his wife. in
terposed.
Houssaye. having insulted only NJ. Sher-
bette's hat. might make an apology to It"
The deputy paused.
that in offending my hat he did not mean
to offend me, 1 will hold myself satisfied
with his declaration"
that he had not aimed at him under his hat.
and the duel was at an end.
This case, say NJ. Nervoorts friends IN
the present controversy. Is exactly to the
point as showing that a mans wearing
apparel is usually regarded as being the
man himself. On the other side. it Is con-
tended that the distinction is perfect: NJ.
Vervoort's opponent had no quarrel with
NJ. vervoort.s shirt. therefore it was no
sort of satisfaction for him to be able to
puncture that article five times. At pres.
emit it is uncertain how the matter will
be finally arranged: but it is pretty certain
that NJ. Vervoort will not give another
chance to an antagonist who has proved
himself so bloodthristy in his demands.
The most interesting thing in the. whole
affair to any one without Gallo blood is
the exhibition OF intense seriousness man.
ifested over the proceedings by staid men
of substance. and, presumably. of intellect.
haya become involved in thu discussion.