The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-10
FOUGHT A DOZEN.
The Story of a Duel in Which One Man
Faced Twelve.
(From Parsons Meeklx.l

So extraordinary is this combat that
1t would be held a romance had it not
been witnessed by a whole army. The
hero was Jean Louis, one of the great
est masters of workmanship who ever
lived. and the combat happened in
Madrid in 1913. He was the master-at-
arms of the Thirty second regiment of
French infantry-the First regiment,
composed entirely of Italians, forming
part of the same brigade. Regiment
al esprit de corps and rivalries of ma
tionality caused constant quarrels,
when swords were often whipped out
or bullets exchanged.
After a small battle had occurred in
the streets of Madrid, in which over
two hundred French and Italian sol
diers had taken part, the officers of the
two regiments, in a council of war as
sembled, decided to give such breaches
of order a great blow, and to re-estab-
lish discipline they agreed that the
| master-at- arms of the two regiments
should take up the quarrel and fight it
out.
The drum was heard; two men, naked
to the waist, step into the ring. The first
| is tall and strong: his black eyes rove
disdainfully upon the gaping crowd; he
is G1acomo Ferrari, the celebrated Ital-
ian. The second, tall, also handsome
and with muscles like steel, stands mod
estly awaiting the word of command;
| his name is Jean Louis. The witnesses
| assume their places on either side of
| their principals. A death-like silence
ensues.
| "On guard" The two masters cross
swords; Giacomo Ferrari lunges re-
peatedly at Jean Louis: but in vain,
his every thrust is met by a parry. He
makes up his mind to bide his chance,
and caresses and leases his oppon-
ents blade.
Jean Louis, calm and watcnful, lends
himself to the play, when, Quicker
than lightning, the italian jumps aside
| with loud yell and makes terrible
lunge at Jean Louisa Florenrine trick,
often successful But, with extraordi-
nary rapidfty, Jen Louis has parred,
and risposts quickly in the shoulder.
1T is nothing" cried Giacomo, "a
mere scratch" and they again fall on
guard. Almost directly he is hit in the
breast. This time the sword of Jean
Louis, who is now attacking, peretrates
deeply. Giacomo's face becomes liviG
his sword drops from his hand and he
falls heavily on the turf. He is dead
Jean Louis is already in position He
wipes his reeking blade; then, with the
point of his sword in the ground, he
calmly awaits the next man. He has
hardly had two minutes rest He is
|
/ him.
; A sinister click of swords is heard. {
, lunge, parry, a rispost and then :
cry, sigh and all is over A secout
body is before Jean Louis. A third cd
f versary advances. They wanted Jeal
f Louis to rest.
( Il am not tired he answers with
smile The signal is given. The Italian
= is as tall as the one who lies there
y corpse, covered by military cloak H
+ has closely watched Jean Louis play
and thinks he has guessed the secre
:. of his victories. He multiplies his feint
y and tricks, and then, all at once
i bounding like a tiger on his prey, n
/, gives his opponent terrible thrust i
the lower line. But Jean Louis swor
: has parried, and is now deep within hi
opponents breast.
b What need to relate any more. TIE
81 new adversaries followed him, and tn
81 ten fell before Jean Louis, amid the eS
q cited yells and roars of an army.
81 At the request of the Thirty-secon
n regiments colonel. who thought the les
n son sufficient, Jean Louis, after muc
E pressing, consented to stop the comba
NJ and he shook hands with the two SUI
q vivors, applauded by 10000 men.