The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1902-03-05
INTERESTING DUELS.
THE YANKEE AND THE ENGllSHMAN
WHO DIDN'T FIGHT.

A Curate Who Was Made Dean
and Who just Missed a Bishopric.
Dancing Under Compulsion-A Fa-
nous French Female Duelist.
The stories OF American duels are Of
great interest and are among the most
famous in the whole history OF ducling,
but they are too well known TO be re-
peated. The majority have been desper-
ate tragedies when good men and true
have been led to kill each other often
through Misrepresentation that lost the
world many noble and helpful life.
One, however, that was not so disastrous
was between an American and hot
headed foreigner. What the quarrel was
history statcth not. Perhaps it was 50
small as 10 be quite overlooked, but at
all events il was arranged that the two
take their places on kegs OF powder with
a lighted fuse placed in the bunghole OF
each The kegs, Of course, were empty,
but as the foreigner saw the fire slowly
burning down to the supposed volcano
below him his courage failed him and he
fed.
Still more interesting is the story of
the Yankee skipper and the Englishman.
In the earlier days there was not much
love lost between the two factions, con-
scquently il was no very hard matter TO
pick quarrel. especially when each
thought the death of the other would he
a service not only 70 his country, but to
the world. In this particular case the
skipper Of weather beaten Yankee
whaler met an EngiShman in foreign
port and had an alteration with him,
perhaps over matter of precedence.
A duel was arranged, and at the ap-
pointed time the Englishman appeared,
bringing with him two swords, as though
the Yankee had the choice OF weapons. He
inferred that the armory Of the whaler
contained no such luXuries. But the skip
per would not accept the proffcrcd weap-
| ons, whcrcupon the other brought out n
| handsome pair of ducling pistols. These.
! too, were refused, and the EugliShman
demanded in astoniShmcnt what his oppo-
nent did want to fight with, whcrcupon
the Yankee replied he had brought his
weapons with him and produced pair
of well SharpCncd harpoons. The Eng
| lishman, Of course, protested, but as the
| choice Of weapons did not lie with him
/ he was Obliged TO accept the harpoons.
| When the Yankee raised the murderous
looking piece, the EngliShman knew that
arm, experienced in piercing the lodging
whale, could not fail to miss him. The
unwicldy harpoon began to shake in his
awkward hand, and he flung it down.
leaving the cxultant Yankee master of
| the situation.
Another interesting duel fought with
out the use OF ordinary weapons had for
one Of its principals the Duke Of Rich
mond. then viccIoy Of Ireland. His title
] to faTc rests on the fact Of his being a
/ great dueliSt and six bottle man. able
TO drink all his stafI and gentlemen guests
under the table. On q visit to q friend
| in the west Of ireland the duke complain
/ cd that he had no one to drink with him,
/ and his host, wishing to remedy this de-
hcicncy, sent for curatc famous for his
liquor drinking. After five bottles had
| been disposed Of by each the curate com
| plaincd that il was too slow work and
proposed bumpers Of brandy. These were
Immediately illcd and as quickly empticd
/ Fresh bumpers were then filled for each,
hut as the representative OF the church
| stretched out his hand TO receive one he
| fell helpless to the floor. On the follow
ing day the duke made him a dean, re-
marking that il he had been victorious in
the drinking duel his curacy would hav,
been exchanged for a hishopric.
\ little earlier than this the famous
| DIR. Young. going with some ladies "a
! NauNhall, then the rendezvous Of all the
beauty and fashion Of London, played
an the German flute to amuse them. just
behind them came Il boatloud OF officers
and when the doctor ceased playing on,
Of them insisted that he should continu,
or he thrown into the water. Wishing tC
avoid dispute before his friends, he con
tinued; but, arriving at his destination
he sought ont his tOrmcntor and demand
ed satisfaction with swords and without
seconds early the following morning
When they met, however. and had takcI
their places. the doctor instantly drew on
a huge horse pistol and. pointing it at tn,
officers head, compelled him TO dance
minuet The officer had no choice but e
obey and foe n quarter Of an hour KEEP
up the dance. The doctor then lowered
his pistol, saying rs they were quits they
might now arrange another affair viii
seconds and the officer might have salts
faction.
But IL England was an uncomfortable
place TO live in those days, France wa
still worse. Such a state of affairs ex
listed that in 10i1 was instituted the 'Sa
vior's truce" whereby duels were prohib
tied from Wednesdays until Mondays
But, like all other forbidden things, tn
duel rather grew in favor than decreased
MOntaigne says, IF three Frenchmel
were put Into the Libyan desert, the
would not be a month there withou
fighting and quarreling." Cases are re
corded OF father and son facing each 9th
er in mortal combat, brother arraye
against brother and the dearest of friend
killing each other for absolutely nothin
except perhaps a misplaced word. Eve
the women OF France have fought
though indeed, it was no very unusui
occurrence in any country for wife
disguise herself in her husbands armo
when he was unable TO meet the foe hin
self.
One of the most famous Of the wome
duelists of France was Maupin, one Z
the performers at the opera. Serane, til
famous fencing master, fell in love wit
her and gave her many valuable lesson
in the art. One evening at ball Maj
pin was very rude to another lady an
was requested to leave the room. 81
replied she would if those gentleme
who had espoused the lady's cause woul
accompany her. This they consented
do, and after a hard combat she kille
them ALL Then she quietly returned
, the ballroom.
I But Of these affairs no count can
( made. More people have probably lo
= their lives over some foolish bubble tina
Z have been killed in a dozen wars for the
e country's good.