The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21


and 1t was one of those cold, gray morn
ings such as delight the heart of Corot
left my hotel in landau and was
positively chilly. though 1t was July, as |
drove along the banks of the sleeping
Necker to the arena of carnage. The
matinal stiffness was unbroken save by
the rumble of the early milk carts and
the wheels of vehicles conveying visitors
to the same destination for which l was
en- route.
The fighting is done in large hall i'm
mediately adjacent to a "Gasthause," the
beer hall of which is the only approach
to the enclosure commanding the duelling
ground. My carriage waited outside and l
was ushered into the beer hall by a buxom
maiden with profound silence. In fact
it seemed as though ] was attending
funeral and involuntarily upon my en-
trance looked around to view the corpse.
4 had been advised in advanced that one
pays mark entrance fee and slipped
the coin into the hand of the girl without
a word and she Immediately placed a
glass of beer upon deal table before me-
never knew whether this was a token
of hospitality of whether the beverage
was to steady my stomach for the sight
which was in store for me. l left the
glass untouched, as it was too early an
hour for drinking and already I had
caught the echo of the clash of weapons
and the deep stentorian notes of the voice
of command.
The girl waved her hand as signal
for me to pass on and I moved into
the enclosure. Here / was confronted
by the gloomy duel hail. large stfuc-
ture with many windows and closed DOORS
1t was through these windows that L
was permitted to gaze while standing
upon an earth embankment in close prox-
unity and nearly as high as the first
SASH The students were fighting and ]
looked on. The floor was covered with
sawdust and already befouled with huge
dark pools of blood. The combatants
were endeavoring to slash each others
skulls with sabres of the keenest steel
Each wore a breastplate of some thickly
padded material and guards upon the
eyes, The nose was covered with
metal cap. But one duel was fought
at time and around the contestants
was ring Of anxious colleagues. while
two recorders noted in book the time
action and wounds of their respective
champions who were fighting class
duel
| was amazed at the strict obedience
to the command of the directors or judges
of the duel displayed by the combatants
for no matter how deeply each was bent
upon Furnishing his adversary, both i'm
mediately desisted when the word was
given. surgeon and two attendants
stood by to dress the gaping wounds
The adversaries began each encounter by
facing each other so closely that their
breasts touched and the sword was held
perpendicularly at arms length above
the head. At the word of command the
fencing began and as soon as the scalp
or skull was slashed the order was given
to desist. Surgeons then examined and
attendants dressed the wound with To-
tons. If the injured man was able to
continue the fight Immediately, the duel
went on. If not. he was led away to be
brought back later, after some other duel
had been fought
In the Instance under my observation
one of the combatants was so badly in
jured that he trembled from head to foot
and had to be supported by his colleagues
while his wounds were being dressed and
a stream of blood as thick as a stout
piece OF twine was running down his
race and clothing, forming pool at his
Ieet. Unless the man is absolutely rem
dered hors de combat his wounds are
dressed standing.
He was led away by his colleagues
but not a whimper escaped his ijps not
muscle moved and his trembling form
was the only evidence of his suffering
In quarter of an hour he was brought
back and entered the fight with the same
apparent stoicism that he had previ-
ousy displayed. The sight was neither
ennobling nor edifying There We're sew
eral ladies among the spectators. some of
whom turned away sickened and others
declared that, they were glad they had
taken a bite before leaving their hotel
There Is more danger in the duel where
the scalp is aimed at than in a contest
wnere the check Is the object of attack.
The only risk in the latter is injury to
the eye but that organ is usually We'll
protected and. the wounds are but flesh
INJURIES. r15, In the scalp duel. however, Sc
and nausea invariably occurs.
Like the only hanging that ever wit
messed, one duel will suffice me for
lifetime. and drove back to my hotel
with sigh of relief
II may be oportune to remark here tha I
the college Of Heidelberg has quite r- !
Gently become co-eduatioral institutfon
tut as yet none Of the female students
have adopted the duello n
The university has about 1900 students
I'd Az! a ]! Rgeze ~ zek lpslgs. "a i
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