Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-05-07
puELINa IN FRANCE.
Some Of the Oddities Of Custom Now
In Decline.

It Is said that the practice Of duel
ing Is on the decline In France, the
country that has been peculiarly Its
home. Perhaps the sense of humor
has had more to do with the decline OF
Dwelling in France than any diminution
of the Gallo ideas Of honor. At any
rate, there has during the past hun
dred years been q tendency to poke
fun at the whole system.
The most laughable duel ever
fought" in France was that which
took place in November 1878, at Pies
-Piquet between Messrs. Gambetta
and de Fourtou.
Some heated words had passed be-
tween the two distinguished gentlemen
in the chamber Of deputies, for which,
according to their ideas Of honor,
nothing could atone except duel. The
men met, therefore. on the field. at
tended by their seconds and the sur
geons.
A look over the field was enough to
convince any one present that there
would be no occasion for the doctors
services. A thick November fog hung
over the scene-so thick. indeed, that
one could hardly see his hand before
his face. The arrangements for the
duel required that 1t should be fought
at 35 PAGES.
Nor was the fog the only circum-
stance that tended to place the COM
batants out of sight Of each other. On
the way to the field M. de Fourtou Is
reported to have said:
Monsieur Gambetta has but one
eye and I am short-sighted; so the
game will be about even."
It was, Of course, rendered still
more "even" by the fog. Neither man
could see the other, and the sole dan
ger was to the seconds and the doc
tors.
Almost miraculously the two bullets
that were exchanged missed the per-
sons in attendance. Everybody's hon.
or was satisfied and the whole party
went home Gambetta said that the
affair was as near to being a skir-
mish in the dark as anything he ever
saw.
"A certain notary, highly esteemed.
helped, during the reign Of Napoleon
iii, to throw some ridicule on the
CODE" Meeting Marshal Valiant,
somewhat inflated soldier and func-
tionary, in a public place, he achieved
the distinction of offending that i'm
portant parsonage in some way. On
the same day he was called upon by
young man whom he did not know,
who challenged. him to fight duel.
81 do not understand" observed the
notary Are you the principal in this
AFFAIR.""
"I am" replied the young man.
But how have offended you?"
You have not, sir" returned the
unknown, offended me personally. I
am the aide de- camp Of Marshall Vail
lant"
"I see," remarked the notary. with
smile. 1T is beneath the marshars
dignity to fight me. 1t is beneath mine
to fight you. I will send one of my
clerks to oblige you in this little mat
ter"
Needless to say, this delegated duel
never took place.
Not more than fire years ago jour-
nalist Of Paris, who had by some crit
icism offended a well-known politi-
clan, received from the aggrieved the
following communication:
"Sir: One does not send a challenge
to bandit Of your species; one sim
ply administers a cuff on the ears.
Therefore, 1 hereby cuff your ears.
Be grateful that have not had re-
course to weapons"
To which. remarkable note the jour-
nalist sent this reply:
my Dear Sir and Adversary:
thank you, according to your wish, for
having sent me cuffs by mail, instead
of slaughtering me with weapons.
Cuffed by mail, l respond by dis
patching you by mail-six bullets In
the head. You are, therefore, killed by
letter. Kindly consider yourself dead.
With respectful salutations to your
CORPSE, am, etc"-Philadelphia Led
] ger.