The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-29
A TRICK IN FENCING
One Highly Distressing to an Ac-
 c0mpIiShed SWordsman.
TURNS A DUEL INTO A FARCE.
Ussd by Weak or Timid Opponent 1t Renders His Adversary Practically HeIpless-A Case of Two Playing at the Same Game,

''e'P'ess-A Sase or TWO fiayIng at
 the Same Game.
 A long and interesting chapter might
 be written on the humors of duels
 which never came of or which in some
 way fell short of deserving the name. A case which occurred a few years
 ago in Paris. the particular home and
 harvest field of the habitual duelist,
 merits mention.
 A peaceable looking gentleman was
 walking down one of the boulevards
 with a lady on his arm when out of a cafe sprang a man. who dealt him a violent kick. The victim turned. only to meet the mortified apologies of the aggressor. who begged to assure him that it was wholly a mistake in iden- tity. Instead of insisting upon an ex- change of cards and the other custom ary forms. the kicked man answered, with much warmth. but admirable self control: "I cannot. sir, accept your ex- pression of regret as sufficient. Your action may have been a mistake, as you say. but acquaintances of mine may have witnessed it and will go away and spread the news that I have submitted to an insult without aveng- ing 1t. 1 must therefore and instantly slap your face with equal publicity" The other most becomingly assented. the first sufferer administering a ring ing blow on his ear, and the affair ended with entire satisfaction on both sides.
 Weak or timid fencers are sometimes taught by their masters to keep a more skillful antagonist busy by fixing the sword in one position, aimed straight at his sword hand, and then not nov ing except to retreat when pressed too hard. 1t is highly distressing to an accomplished swordsman to have to face a learner so instructed. for it means great outlay of energy and wind to little purpose.
 Comte de Dion once thus chased a retreating adversary across plowed fields for a mile and a half and final ly under the wheel of a cab for the poor satisfaction of giving him slight prod in the back. Dr. Clemenceau in his famous duel with M. Deschanel, after swift and wearisome pursuit. halted. shouldered his rapier like a walking stick and strolled back to his original place, throwing the contemp- tuous remark over his shoulder, And now, monsieur, I will await you here ''
 Catulle Mendes had a similar run after Lugne Poe through the forest of St. Germain, which he ended by fling ing his own sword into the bushes, with the angry exclamation. ''I am willing to die from exhaustion by the roadside, if need be, but not from run ming after a poltroon."
 A yet funnier incident was that which occurred in Toulouse, where a lawyer of some note named Cazeneuve was called out by landed proprietor whom he had offended by a speech in court. He repaired at once to a fenc- ing master. as he knew nothing what ever about handling sword. This teacher gave him the usual advice about keeping his adversary at arms lenrth with the poised and immovable rapier. but strongly enjoined him not to retreat. It so happened that the landed proprietor, being equally igno- rant, applied to the same master for instruction. The master, who was somewhat of wag. gave him the law yer's lesson in duplicate.
 When the two men met and their seconds had duly placed them long and tedious stiffness ensued. For more than five minutes each foeman stood with his sword arm extended at full length, waiting for the other to advance. Then the seconds interven- ed. claiming that both had proved and that nothing further was necessa- " but to shake hands and be recon ciled.
 And this recalls the occasion when Lieutenant Randolph Ridgely of our army while in the Mexican war was sought by two young officers who had quarreled and each of whom wished the lieutenant for his second. Itwas finally arranged that be should act as second for both On the field, where the adversaries were armed with shot guns, Ridgely measured off line of ten paces and placed them respective ly at its two termini, cooked his own revolver and announced that he would give all the orders himself and in his own way and that he would shoot down whichever of his principals dis obeyed him in the slightest particular.
 Then came the orders, very delib- erately uttered: Present armsw Car ry arms" shoulder armsp' Take aim!' They took careful aim and waited almost breathlessly for some for the command to fire It never came. Instead came the orders: Present arms" Garry armsp "Shoul- der arnsp' Right about facew Front" Forward marchn'
 They recognized his commands as given in deadly earnest and knew that 1t would be instantly fatal to rebel He kept them marching till they reached his tent. There he halted them and bade them stand at parade rest till they had listened to a lecture on the folly of dueling which fairly made their ears ring. But he sea- soned his dose of rebuke with a few words of praise for the soadierly met tie they had shown in facing each oth- CTS gun without f1inching. and the two men became fast friends from that hour.-New York Post