Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-05
WOMAN SAW DU-lo FOUGHT
a Graphic Description Of the Fights of
German utents.
One Combatant Who Had a Brave
Face and Weak knees-FiEhtcrs'
LudicrOus Appearance.


Munich Correspondence Chicago Post.
duel' We had heard of the custom
and mad seen many Of the saber-scarred
Germans. Now VIC Were to see the fight,
thsEks to the courtesy of a most gracious
Heidelberg student and less a person
tlan German prince, 1t is probable that
all the wCmen in our party would hesitate
to see one of our own prize fights but the
alaerity with which accepted this invi-
tation showed an uneAp ected touch of the
bIrbaTic in our natures. surprising to our
selves, mingled with a humIiating curios-
ity. with which. however. l believe the
weaker always has been credited 1
am glad to note this instance in which
our Teutouic sisters were our superiors
for they were Mortified at our mad desire
10 SEE the blood splitting. as they cannot
appreciate our love of adventure or do not
know the charm of having stepped out of
The beaten path Ct cDnventicnaity.
Ii was beautiful morning, and Heidel-
berg was at its lOvelicst. We were up
early. and / confess a feeling of expectant
excitement heretofore unknown rat
tied over the stone paventnts. The hack
rn"n seem to nave imbibed the reckless
spirit Of the students and dashed madly
over tho old bridge, across the Neckar,
and UP the hill with its splendid view of
the grand old Heidelberg Castle passing
students wearing the different colcred caps
Of their respective orders We mounted
short. steep hill and stopped at our place
Of dC situation.
Waiting for the Surgeon.
There was a few minutes delay while
awaiting the arrival of the surgeon, who,
by the way. draws salary OF 50 a week
t. sew Up the sIasEes OF the boys Our
German prince and q friend Of his Rus
sian count. did the hCuors as hosts, escort
ing Us In Il litiiC bed room with windows
ttart overlooked The hail in which the trays
t1ks place Our Russian friend spoke
German fiuentiy and understood English;
the German prince could neither under
SAM nor SPEAK English. but he could
sfiI!" ard box aJ"rabiy and without as
sr-at d struggle as might be imagined
w learned that these dUsIs take place
tSict Il week, Tuesdays and Fridays Two
hours day is given 70 the practice and a
Stm'cut must h@ht three times before he
may wear the ribbon of the order across
his chest. The BarauSsen Corps is the
order Of the nobility, claiming Emperor
William as one OF lis members, and we
have since learned il i impossible to be-
long 10 this fraternity without an income of
at least $500 year The colOrS of the
I''tr"lISsenS are White, green and black,
which, Of course. We picked our favor
ties.
Thv fighting ABOUT to begin There
Nsre To be six ddclS. hut we were disap-
Tpiu'ed TO learn that the special feature of
the mornings program had been declared
otf- The best fighter in Heidelberg" whose
skill mad let an ugly mark the Rus
sans forehead which ne proudly dis
played was i'll and unable to appear. There
We're several OF US. and the windows were
81 all, hut We managed by climbing on
chairs and beds. leaning recklessly over
stoves ana pulling rutnlessly at coarse and
fortunately strong curtains to obtain a
View Of The hall
The DneIinG Room.
On" corner of the room was reserved for
The tuelists. Around this were grouped
i-w al thu students; the others were uncon-
r',rI'"ftlF sitting at the long tables, eating
smoking and drinking what we hoped was
r"ihins stronger than Rhine wine, for the
amount consumed was astonishing if not
r'm'ralizins The combatants were led on
Vitn their right arms extended made nee
'.~Sary 10y the bandages. They are care
fIIIy protected about the throat and torso,
So - 10 guard against mortal wound and
present Il iduShab4e appearance with their
immense goggles and long brown overdress
Used a a shield from their own aristocratic
gore; Behind each Of them was a bowl
li.aeG with absorbent cotton soaking in
~''fns. aHtiSeptic, and the left of each
-i"'d the seconds, both wisely guarded.
h. umpire and what seemed like an as
E->sStl- ~at before them and the last imDor-
itHt member of this interesting cast was
The physician. who smoked nonchalantly
through the whole performance.
Fifteen minutes IS the specified time and
II the men are not fncapacitated when it
has elapsed they are stopped Each at
t3cK-i scarcely know what TO call it; pos
SD round would dO-lasts but a few in
Siaut~- the seconds g-v.ng the signal Los
- starr and Halt to stop. At the sound
or the first signal the combatauts $1,000
,-',.' took q Few steps toward each other
t"id their arms high above their heads and
dashed swords The fighting was done over
Inc h"d1S and II was all quick that We
d" none OF the actual woundng, only
TEln& hair and streaming blood. But that
was enough. The doctor wiped away the
m"'a with the soaking cotton. the attcn-
@ants SAW 10 the swords in like manner
the umpire stepped up to the seconds Eff
Cd his hat politely to each jotted down
ihe number Of wounds on a paper pad and
returned 10 his seat. The signal was given
again and the attack repeated until the
light was over. Then the Spartans were
4@d away. covered with blood but showing
10 slSrs Of pain
Sewing Up the Wounds
The next fight does not begin until the
physician has carefully sewed I'D the heads
% me enthusiasts, who appear later look
ing pale and triumphant We were horri
Hed az TIE first sight Of their bIood-stained
races BAT were treasured by our friends
WI" >ald blood came easily and that the
lam was not great unless the bone was hit
or me nose cut on Never for one moment
20 Inc students stop drinking or smoking
lhrE watched the scene most careIessIY
ana only occasionally rushed up To the
heht'FS TO inspect cut which seemed ex-
ccptlona4ly severe. We were especially in
teFeStVn IN one OF the boys who appeared
too young to be fighting Che was twenty1
ana me sight OF his pale. boyish face sent
Is all away from the window He was
badly cur up. but we learned afterward he
was Happy and jubilant over his right to
wear the ribbon. the certificate of pluck
and the badge of courage
am rather ashamed to acknowledge
was the last woman to watch the fourth
hGht. and l am not Inundated TO admit
that felt physically weak and that my
curiosity was satisfied. 1t was only nv
senSt OF the ridiculous that kept me still
watching. fascinated by the knees of one
o. the lighters He was plucky and skill
Lui swordsman. receiving never a scratch
from his opponent. but he was suffering
with intense nervousness. and OH horrible
70 write II, evidently greater fear, shown,
however. only by his expressive Ines
which wabbled and shook in true burlesaue
fashion The contrast between his brave
nninoNaole race and his Bob Acres legs
was truly amusing
Is dueling a barbarous custom and en-
tIrely absurd, or does il afford discinIina,