The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-08-02

III y>IlD I'LL colonel made complaint 70 the
AS3S#xAE czar who sent for KumTone ana
Nc }NA 4 demanded to know why the sur"
IT,. ..-JI geon had resorted 10 the courts
N---% instead of to the duel. The cu1'
writ exn,ained that he had religious scruples
against dueing.
cPeIieion" the autocrat retorted, sis one Sn1ng'
honor Is another anu he coihhhano ~ ~
geon's resignation -,
In the German Reichstag Socialist recently
attacked William for the imperial sanction gwen
IN dueIing He concluded a fierce denunciatlon
with the assertion that were the royal exemption
from the code removed that the crown prince
reiebt become a principal in an affair OF honor'
the kaiser would instantly put the ban on such
personal combats.
It is probable that the allegation of the Social
list was without any warrant, and that, did honor
permit the kaiser would send his ne1r 70 the
field without a whimper. But this charge, as
well as the cars pronouncement, calls attention
anew to the fact that dueling Is still encouraged
by the highest civilization on the continent OF
Europe though for generations the divinity that
doth hedge about a king has commanded that
the immediate family of royalty, as well as the
sovereign himself, must not be exposed to such
periI of bullet or blade. Aforetime 1t was not
So Many kings became famous for proWess IN
personal encounters with the foe, and more tnan
once duel has served to determine sovereignty.
There has been nothing of the sort, however III
~
avoided an encounter between George III. of Eng
land and Frederick of Prussia.
King Georges Duel.
These two peppery and opinionated monarchs
dad long list of grievances between them AT
the time OF crisis the chief quarrels between
them were marriages and Meckienburg
Finally they agreed to settle their disputes by
personal combat according to the code.
King George chose, as his second, Brigader
General Sutton while Colonel Dersheim was to
serve Frederick George was in residence at
Hanover. The Prussian monarch was at Saitz
dahl which Is Brunswick. Arrangements
for the duel were formally completed and Hide
sheim, on account of its convenient location, was
selected for the place of meeting Naturally
those In the confidence of the two sovereigns
were in state of frightened suspense, and every
effort made to prevent the fight These fail
ed, however until the Prussian minister to the
court of st. James by ruse secured slight de-
lay. The interval suf7ced to remove the causes
OF bitterest contention, and the monarchs grew
calm enough to hear reason.
Under all the circumstances, that would have
been the most curious of duels had 1t been
brought to pass The outcome might have been
either fafcical or tragical.
For the matter OF that, there have been actual
meetings aplenty Of either kind the ludcrous or
the CHASTITY.
a Sompac IN Tne iree-Tops.
Perhaps the absurdest duel was fought in the
eighteenth century. The Marquis Merle de
sainte-Mare was an indefatigable duelist An
other gentleman almost equally busy on the field
was Monsieur Pierrot d'Isaac Now pierrot In
French ts sparrow and merle is blackbird. Out
OF these seemingly innocent facts came combat
FOR d'Isaac, on visit to the nobleman delivered
@smseif in this wise:
am Bonapartist. monsieur le marquis: you
are Royaltst. I am the sparrow: you are the
biackbird. Isn't there one bird too many?"
The marquis gracefully accepted this suaye
aaatement OF the situation
/ Precisely he agreed MY choice is pistols"
AND he added, las is aparopriate for birds of
our species, let us fight in the trees"
rms whimsical suggestion was carried out
The seconds had their places on the ground but
me principals were aloft In the branches of trees
that stood the requisite distance apart The in
sdgator OF the duel was the victim for at the
nrst hre dIsaac received bullet In the leg
Which sent him crashing through the branches
he managed to seize one of the lower limbs, and
rom there was helped down by his seconds
But the marquis failed to be discreet in the
Sime of victory. Seeing his adversary laid low,
ne began twittering joyously. initiating the song
OF biackbird. D'Isaac only waited for his leg
TO heal before issuing challenge on account Of
the offensive chirpng, and in this second en-.
counter, which lacked any bizarre feature, except
Aeo eduSSp tA6 MdIqulS uS Salnte-MaT16
verely wounded
"A duel more amusing in wholesome way was
fought in our own country some seventy-fve
years ago. An itinerant preacher named Brown
used to travel through Kentucky. He was man
possessed of mighty sinews. and, too, of GER
tain skill that would have delighted a league
manager the event showed. In his exercise
of the ministerial function he scathingIy rebuked
man of notorious profiigacy who retorted with
challenge.
The paraon, as the challenged party had
choice OF weapons. He selected for each COM
blatant halfbushel Of Irish potatoes-large ones,
solid and well rounded. The further stipulations
OF the engagement were FOR distance of fifteen
PAGES and the taking OF only one potato at
time from the receptacle
The profigate protested, but in vain. Event
sAaliy the two met in accordance with the clergy
mans requirements. When the word was given
the parson instantly hurled a potato which
caught his enemy in the ribs before the man
could lay hold on missile.
The first was followed by Ave Others and
every one smote the wretched target. The vic
tim never secured potato, much less threw
&Sw,a~