The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-02-07
movies" at a French Duel
. NO AFFAIR or HONOR, COMPLETE THESE DAYS IN GAY PAREE
UNLESS THE PICTURE MEN ARR; PRESENT.

Uncomfortable. when confronted by an
exceedingly sharp point which appears
10 he very inconvenicntiN focused on
himself. In this cas- n retreat oc.
ours. Ono of the mon, pursued. goes
back as far as the ground allows.
takes the men back To their places
and the whole thing starts again. until
by some chance the point Of one Of the
swords finds its way to tho wrist Of
II opponent and draws u few drops
ot blood. II is nothing more than a
scratch. You have often hurt your.
sell much more in~ sharpening your
But this Is the Field Of Honor!"
Honor is satisfied! The enemies Of a
minute g fall into each others arms.
y seconds shake hands heartily, the
physician makes q great show Of
binding up the little scratch, and
Everybody adjourns for a good break.
fast.
\ few hours afterward the whole
scene is on view at picture shows in
Paris: \ cinematograph operator has
faithfully reproduced every detail,
showing perfectly we'll that every.
body concerned will be hts best adver-
ttsar Tor weeks to come.
>. When the duel IL to he with pistols
u taxes place at tho Pare le Prince,
some 20 minutes from the city. Here
You can also obtain accommodation
II you are not afraid IF a stray bullet.
bullets OH these occasions have q
curious propensity for. going astray.
Ihe pistols have been previously hired
from n Of the well-known shops in
Parts. and they r usually the same
pair that has, done service for tho last
axe Years.
1t Is the duty. OF the second, to load
|tn0m. a .hnv. of NJ ~ p1r1 , O. l., ~.~l.>~S
and each bullet Ia examined carefully
ny the Tour men representing the OPP
ponents. When this is done and the
ground measured. the heroes" face
each other usually at 20 or 80 yards
from n another. Here. again, their
attire is tho classic one Of the time
OF Dumas. ST.. and the scene reminds
rs a,ooy on the of lie Maitre
des +Forges."
When the signal is given both fire,
both remain standing. Nothing hap.
pens. The seconds run up to render
uncalled for assistance. Everybody
shakes hands and everybody adjourns
for breakfast.
Now. it is a question that has given
tremendous trouble to many in Paris
lately. but out of. say. 100 duels with
pistols there is never anybody hurt
at all. OF course. it is an impossibiii-
ty to prove what everybody knows, but
It ts common knowledge that the cart
ridges generally used have only sham
bullets usually made of '.papier
ma:he." If YOU were to tell this to
any young fellows. and. for that mat
ter. n old fellows who make a prac.
ttce OF lighting several duels a year.
You would probably find yourself COM
PEELED to become an actor in one Of
these farces. which perhaps You might
mind, as 1t would be an experience
that would cost o nothing beyond
the price of a good luncheon. and OF
a souvenir to each second and tina
surgeon.
Apart from these exceedingly spec.
but very useless duels. there
are, some Of. which the public hears
little or nothing. They do not take
place in public squares or parks
Nothing Is given out to the newspa-
pers about them, and everybody con-
is previously pledged to secre-
cy. In the majority Of cases the Sec.
onds r officers in the army. and
know nothing of what caused the
fight. 1t is an unwritten law In Euro
armies that officers must give
their services as seconds in an "affair
of honor" whenever requested by re-
sponsihle persons.
AS q rule. 1t is not in Paris that
these dusls take place. but somewhere
in the provinces and within the walls
OF some private estate we'll protected
from public curiosity. "A mere scratch
is not enough to stop the fight and
have real bullets. II a man
Is badly wounded Paris hears Of It
later. as II an accident had occurred
a hunting party.