Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-09-15

When Peter was twenty-one iuls
shirt developed with a desire TO take
mart I'm a due He maintained that
affairs among gentlemen would better
be settled by the cOde than by bloody
noses. though Why blood coming from
n Mace where there is little or no dan
ger rather than one where death may
no instantaneous did not appear In
Peters logic. He mistook himself
The reason he believed In dueling was
because he rather fancied getting into
a duel.
When this fad with him was at his
height he went abroad. Dueling has
always ueen more or less In vogue In
all the countries in Europe and Ia 50
on the continent today. Peter went to
London. but no one insulted him there.
and he continued on TO Paris. Even
I'm the French capital he saw no
chance to participate in his hobby. so
he went on down into Italy.
The middle class Italians are peace
full people. and Peter found himself rs
far as ever from duel Fearing that
no would be Obliged TO return home
without a scrap. he resolved TO pick
ouarrel with some one. In restau'
rant in Rome he saw man at neigh
boring table eating macaroni In man
ner displeasing to well bred Ameri'
en-. Peter signified his dlspleasure by
calling TO the man not to make PIC
of himself The man. Instead OF CIV
ing a verbal reply. tossed the contents
of a tumbler Of wine In Peter's face
and went on e. ting his macaroni Pc
ter wiped away the wine with bis
napkin and laid his card on the maca
roni eaters table. receiving one in re
| turn.
Picking up the mans card. Peter tool
It TO an American friend OF his, Gun
ter. and told him the circumstances
Gunter looked at the card and ex
claimed:
Good gracious, man, you've chal
lenged CasteIlir'
"And who is Casteli?"
"The principal Of the fencing school
| GeteF lace lell.
"He's not only that" Gunter wen
on; "he's a noted duelist."
| Peter turned very pale.
"He's not only a noted duelist. bu
he kills his man every time. There /
a great deal of prejudice against hin
in Rome. but he finds all the pupil
he cares to have among the yOun
Roman swells who may possibly som
time need to use his instruction. The
find him q splendid teacher"
"But can't we use pistols?" asked Pc
ter. I've done a lot of good wor
with the pistol"
you having challenged the follow
will have to fight with any weapon b
may select"
"That's so. didn't think OF that"
"Of course he'll choose foils or re
piers. though he is dead shot wit
the pistol"
81 don't like this fix" said Peter. giv
ing a SILVER. what can | do to &c
out of itT'
II don't see what you can do, but L
think it over and try to hit on som
plan. Since you are the insulted part
you don't have to fight unless you wis
to, but you don't care to put yourse
in the position of coward, suppose,
"No." said Peter. 81 don't wish
do that"
well. stay here till you hear froI
me-"
Peter passed terrible half day; the
the door of his room was thrown ope
and two men entered and babe him G
with them. They placed him in a ca
rage and took him TO large buildin
that he thought was hospital, II wa
lunatic asylum. He was put into
room by himself with an iron gratin
on the windows and locked In.
Peter never experienced such 10
of relief In his life as he now fe
locked up in a madhouse. where th
fencing master could not get ut hin
He recognized In his imprisonment
scheme of his friend Gunter, who ha
doubtless taken out papers to have hi
confined as lunatic.
The next day Gunter came to see hir
and admitted the plan as his owl
Gunter told Peter that he had see
Castelli and advised him that Pete
was not responsible for his acts. Ca
tell was very much disappointed c
not being able to add one more to tn
list of those he had killed.
Peter asked Gunter how long
would be necessary for him to renal
a maniac and could get no definit
response. But one day Gunter brougt
him letter of apology from Castell
Peter. greatly surprised, asked how b
had secured It.
81 circulated q report" replied Gu
ter "among Castelli's pupils that b
had insulted lunatc. and most T
them left him. Meanwhile had agree
to take lessons Of him. and he aske
me what he should do. | advised hil
% write you an apology, which he did.
Peter smiled slckly smile. He wer
home, but kept very quiet about b
affair of honor. Fortunately for hin
Iince 1t occurred In foreign land b
vas able to keep it secret. But fror
shat time he lost his taste for llstenin
to stories of the civil war