Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-03-28
A HISTORICAL DUEL.
III a0s1ssEa ss 81
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8a 2s Ae 70 WAat 4 Man
aauss feacIa2 thoroughly.
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NJ exssaaaary tlds egtassst
YesAl d 1 rnalanae bad 4 npf
e Ngaa by i Whole army Ih
here Is Jean Lofts one OF lie great
Esasfes Of he beginning Of last Gu
fnY. as1 III duel hapFened In Madrid
iii ISLE EIe was the naster.at.arals IS
liz Thsrfyeuasd regiment ot Freneh
Infantry The Firss regiment com
tssssa entirely III Italians. formed part
OK Tie satae brigade.
Ressssengai esprit de corps and riyal
riss of nasi0aailty caused constant
quarrels. when swords We're often
whipped out or bullets exchanged.
After q small battle had occurred in
the streets Of Madrid. in which over
30 Frsnea and Italian soldiers had
taken part. the officers of the two regi-
naents. Ii 4 council 81 war assembled.
decided ID give such breaches of order
i great blow and to re-establish disci-
pllne. They decreed that the masters
alarms 81 the two regiments should
take up the quarrel and fight IL out.
Imagine a whole army in battle array
on one of the large plains that sur
round Madrid. In the center a large
ring il left open for the contestants.
This spot is raised above the plain 80
that not one or the spectators Of this
tragic scene gnyly dressed officers.
soldiers In line. Spaniards, excited a.
never d bun fight excited them-will
miss one phase Of the contest. II Is
before 10000 men that the honor OF an
army Is about to be avenged In the
blood of thirty brave men.
The drum Is heard. Two men. naked
10 the waist, step in the ring. The first
Ii tall aud strong. His black eyes roll
iisiaiufnlly upon the gaping crowd
He ii GiacoIno Fcrrari. tla celebrated
italian. the second, tail, also hand
some and with muscles like steel, stands
| mneiestiy awaiting the word Of COM
maad Ills name Is Jean Louis, The
seconds take their places on either side
of their principals. A deathilke silence
ensues.
"On guard.
The two masters cross swords. Gin
como Ferrari lunges repeatedly at Jean
Louis. hsit III vain. His every thrust II
met by i parry fIe makes up his mind
| To btde his chance and caresses and
teases his opponents blade. Jean Louis.
| calm and watchfui. lends himself 10
the play, when, quicker than lightning,
the Italian jumps aside with a loud
| yell and makes q terrible lunge Ut Jean
Louis. a Florentine trick. often M
cessfnl. But with extraordinary rapid.
nv jean Louis has PARTED and risposts
quickly In the shoulder.
III ii nothing" cries 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, penetrates
deeply. Giacomo's face becomes livid,
his sword drops from his hand, and be
falls heavily on the turf. He Is dead.
Jean Louis Is already in position. HI
wipes his reeklng blade; then, with the
point Of bis sword on the ground, he
calmly awaits The next man.
Tie best fencer az the First regimen,
has just been carried away d corpse,
bur the day Is not yet over. Fourteen
a%dvprsaries nre there. impatient "a
measure swords with the conaueror,
burning 10 aveuge the master they had
deemed inNincibie.
Jean Louis hardly had two minutes
rest. IL d ready a new adversary
stands before him Al sinister click d
sMulas IL heagll 4 inngs, i parry. 4 rls
posi- ard fiien \ cty. i sigh, and M L
over y sse0nd body i before Jean
Louis.
4 Third adversary advances They
want Jean Lonis 10 rest. II am mol
tired. he answers. with ii siuiie.
The signal Is gwen. The Italian Is n.
tnlt ~ the onc who lies there a corps,
covered NJ i military cloak. He has
closely watched Jean Louis play and
thinks III las guessed The secret ~ iii,
victories He multiplics his fcints and
tricks. then. all al once. bounding like
tiger on his prey. he gives his opponen,
terrible thrust IN the lower line. Bu,
Jean Louis sword has parricd and 1,
now deep within his opponents breast.
What need we 10 relate any more
Ten new adversaries followed him. and
the ten fell before Jean Louis amid thu
excited ,ells and roars ~ an army.
Az the request of the Thirty SECOND
regiments colonel, who thought the lee
o sufficient. lean Louis after much
pressing consented to stop the combat
! and he shook hands with the two sur
riyors. applauded by 10000 men.
From that day lights ceased between
French aud Italian soldiers
This wonderful and gigantic combaI
might he held 4 fable were not ali ~
facts above stated still found iii HI,
archives III tle ministry III war. Ltp
rincpfi's
KNEW Three az Them.
Dearborn Io you know The sever