Charlevoix county herald., 1913-08-16
A Dwarf on the Field Of Honor.

Another oddly among affairs Of honor had
for of the principals dwarf. This was JEFF
frey Hudson 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 a height of three feet and nine inches.
But diminutive stature proved no bar to a6
venturous career. On a journey from the Con
tinent to England he captured by DunkirS
privateer Afterward he fell into the hands OF
Barbary pirates. He escaped finally and re-
turned home to become a captain of horse in the
civil wars.
1t was in France however, whittier he had
gone in attendance on his queen, that the duel
occurred. Some dispute between him and
another Englishman, named Crofts.
meeting with pistols arranged On
count of his low stature Hudson was accorded
the privilege OF being mounted horseback
while his adversary remained afoot, which
fair enough, since Crofts tall man. The
dwarf unharmed himself, mortally wounded his
enemy at the first fire.
Long before the days OF militant suffragettes
asserted their rights by engaging in the
duello, although such encounters frowned
on by the authorities.
One OF the most notable fought over
Chase, fan singer OF the old French Acad
envy, in which the principals two lovesick
women both of the nobility, the Polish, the
other French. The weapons were pistols. and
the FrenchwUman severely wounded. AID
unsympathetc government shut up the passion
ate French countess in 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
clever swcrdDlay, but not too much blood.
In an encounter on horseback, with pistols be-
tween Melinte and Prelane. which resulted from
quarrel greyhound, the fair Melinte
severely wounded by her charming antagonist
and, too she lost the dog
France indeed the happy home of dueling
until after TIE Napoleonic Then II prac-
tically ceased. There had been enough Of fight
ing, enough or death
But there a revival with the restoration
which soon waxed absurd and at last made duel
ing wholly ride ulous.
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 affair
of honor with the huckster who sold him onions
in short 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,
as rule affairs of honor there today with
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 up-to-date In maintaining the code. AS
instance in point may be mentioned
counter arranged between two members OF 4
bicycle club OF Granada, named respectively
Perez and Moreno
This was fought by the men from their wheels,
with the deadly knife known the navaga The
place OF meeting was q lonely bit OF the Melaga
road. Perez inflicted severe wound in the left
arm OF Moreno then was killed by thrust In
the right breast
Exit the Duello.
Maeterlinck wrote a wonderful defense OF duel
ing, but since then he has taken 10 boxing with
such enthusiasm that he may believe he has
canted Certainly the sentiment or today is hos
tile to the code, despite the archaic preferences
OF and kaiser. Nowadays fostering
human life to the limit, with science struggling
wildly for the survival of the unfit. Luckily,
while saving the diseased and criminal.
also incline to preserve the hale and honor.
able. We not minded to let good men be
slain for the WITNESSES OF the code. We leave
dueling to the stark Ignorance OF mountaineers,
to the viciousness OF thugs in city gangs and ia
the Anticipated habit Of the finest gentlemen
Eurone