The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-08-02
A Dwarf on the Field Of Honor.

A Dwarf on the Field of Henor.
Another oddly among affairs of honor had
for one of the principals dwarf. This was JEFF
frey Hudson, an Englishman, who from his
eighth to his thirtieth year measured just eight
cen inches In height. Then this astonishing per-
son began to grow, and kept at it until he had
attained height of three feet and nine inches.
But diminutive stature proved no bar to an ad'
venturous career. On journey from the Con-
tinent to England he was captured by Dunkirk
privateer. Afterward he fell into the hands OF
Barbary pirates. He escaped finally, and re-
turned home to become captain Of horse in the
civil wars.
It was in France, however whittier he had
gone in attendance on his queen that the duel
occurred Some dispute arose between him and
another Engishman, named Crofts.
4 meeting with pistols was arranged. On ac-
count OF his low stature, Hudson was accorded
the privilege of being mounted on horseback,
while his adversary remained afoot, which was
fair enough, since Crofts tall man. The
dwarf, unframed himself, mortally wounded his
enemy at the first fire.
Long before the days of militant suffragettes,
women asserted their rights by engaging in the
duelo, although such encounters were frowned
on by the authorities.
One of the most notable fought over
Chasse a famous singer of the old French Acad-
envy, In which the principals were two lovesick
women, both Of the nobility, the Polish, the
other French. The weapons were pistols, and
the Frenchwoman was severely wounded. An
unsympathetic government shut up the passion
ate French countess In a convent and expelled
her rival from the country
Something Of the modern press-agent flavor
clusters about the affair of honor between
Marotte Beaupre and Catherine de Urls. actresses
Of the Hotel Bourgogne. Their meeting occurred
on the stage Of the theater, and revealed some
a1au 1-rTor hui, ~ Zoo web
In an encounter on horseback, with pistols, be-
tween Melinte and Prelanie, which resulted from
a quarrel over greyhound, the fair Melinte was
severely wounded by her charming antagonist,
and, too she lost the dog.
France was indeed the happy home Of dueling
until after the Napoleonic wars. Then 1t prac-
tically ceased. There had been enough Of fight.
ing, enough of death.
But there came revival with the restoration
which soon waxed absurd and at last made duel
ing wholly ridiculous.
The influence of democracy caused tradesmen
to resort to practice hitherto confined to those
far above them in the social scale. The barber
challenged the hardware dealer who sold him a
damaged stove The charcoal seller had an affair
OF honor with the huckster who sold him onions
IN snort measure Such vulgarization Of the
noble art of manning and killing wrought havoc
with the prestige Of the code. Indeed In France
that stigma has never been wholly removed, and
W. ANASs
out that underlying seriousness which they pos
sess IN other countries of Europe.
Spain, from the standpoint OF the duelist, is
entitled to credit for being both sincere and
strictly upto-date in maintaining the code. AS
an instance In point may be mentioned an en-
counter arranged between two members of a
bicycle club Of Granada, named respectively
Perez and Moreno
This was fought by the men from their wheels
with the deadly knife known as the navaga. The
place OF meeting was lonely bit Of the Melaga
road Perez inflicted severe wound In the left
arm OF Moreno, then was killed by q thrust "
the right breast
Exit the Dueile.
Maeterlinck wrote wonderful defense of duel
ing, but since then he has taken to boxing with
such enthusiasm that he may believe he has re
canted. Certainly the sentiment of today. ia hos
tile to the code, despite the archaic preferences
OF GEAR and kaiser Nowadays we are fostering
human life to the limit with science struggling
wildly for the survival Of the unfit Luckily
: while we are saving the diseased and criminal
We also incline to preserve the hale and honor.
able We are not minded TO let good men be
slain for the WITNESSES of the code We leave
dueling to the stark ignorance of mountaineers
to NE viciousness Of thugs in city gangs and to
the antiquated habit Of the finest gentlemaa q
Europe.