Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1908-12-03
A Unique VindiCatiOD.
!.


[Originall
When Evan Bancroft. youne v,-
glnian, went to study at the Trntvor
sity of Heidelberg he promised ~.
mother that he would never fight
duel. But Bancroft did not consider l.
necessary to refrain from Joining tba
fighting corps and engaging in harr,
less encounters Indeed. There ro,
plenty &C fighting material in him n
herited from his progenitors. aud this
was why his mother had exacted Tho
promise. Her father had been killed
In a duel, one Of her brothers throucb
reckless exposure in the civil war
while another had been shot attemnt
ing to defend prisoner from a mob
These shafts of death. striking SO near
her, caused her to brood and induced a
fear that her only son should fan
through a similar cause.
Bancroft at Heidelberg proved 50
handy with all sorts of weapons as ia
distance all competitors save one
young Englishman named Horcut
The two held the record for being tba
best swordsmen at the university and
there was a desire among the students
that they should fight for the cham.
pionship Bancroft made no obieo.
ton to a friendly encounter. the vital
parts Of each disputant being covered
according TO the corps rules But IN
truth he did not relish even friendly
fight with the Englishman, who was
an ayowed Halter of Americans.
When the terms of the fight for the
championship came to be arranged
Horcut insisted on certain innovations
rendering the affair dangerous. 1t was
suspected by a few that he considered
Bancroft the better swordsman and
| judging him to be timid, wished to
! force him to decline the combat. This
would give Horcut the championship
without fighting for 1t or risklng to
lose It. He would then return to Eng.
land TO enjoy his honors.
Whether or no this was his object,
It was accomplished. Bancroft de.
clined to fight except under the rules
for friendly contests. Horcut accused
him of cowardice, and there was now
nothing for him to do but challenge
the Britisher to an "unprotectedo
! fight or be cut by the members Of bis
corps He declined to fight either for
the championship or to vlndicate his
courage, but he wrote his mother the
facts and begged her to release him
She declined to do so. Besides, friends
at home assured him that she was IN
a critical physical condition and Il
anything happened to him it would
kill her.
Bancroft neither cared to give bis
true reason for not fighting nor be.
lieved that 1t would be accepted 1t
would have been accepted and be
would have been respected for It II be
could have satisfied the students Of
its truth. In 30 country In the world
are parents more beloved and respect
ed than in Germany. But to convince
couple Of thousand of young men
that he was not hiding behind his
mothers skirts was out of the ques-
ton.
So Bancroft finished his university
career a cut man, though he was burn
ing to meet his adversary When be
went home to Virginia, finding that
the story had preceded him and pref
udiced some people against him, be
went to the farther west and engaged
In sheep raising. Soon after this his
mother died
Several years passed One day Ban
croft was treadlng his way on 4 path
barely a foot wide around the side of a
preciplce While doing so be saw
party of tourists coming. Persons
meeting on the path must pass care
fully, the one taking the outside the
other the inside. Bancroft was ex-
pecting to take the outside when sud
denly he recognized In the leading
man In the line of tourists his old
enemy at the university. He was also
recognized.
"Walt there" said Horeut, pointing
TO a place where the path widened
little II pass inside" He spoke
with his old domineerlng tone Ban
croft stepped to the spot Indicated
saying as he did so:
II pass inside"
You pass outside. l say groWled
Horcut. remembering that Bancrol'
was a coward.
Are you armed?" asked Bancroft
quietly.
No"
Bancroft took revolver from hLs
hip and flung 1t over The preclpIce -
struck 500 feet below
"What do you proposeT asked tlo'
cut blanching.
ITO settle feud of long stahuins
We are about the same build. Leg oue
Of US throw the other over y ~
victorious l win pass inside the 'es'
of your party"
uorcut stood aghast my God man.
that would be certain death for po'u =
u.s.
ct would prove Us both brave men
But
we are Keeping your friends war.
ing"
The friends were as terrified as 'as
principals Th~ begged Horcut ny "
accept such a i'arful challenge
"Do-do I understand falterea NJ
cut. that you VIII pass inside 'los'
behind meT
THAT IS my intention