The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-04-17
F%orestaDed
By JOHN C. LARNED

During the reigns of Louis Kill.
XIV. and XIV. Of France dueling was
20 prevalent that at one time it began
TO appear that all the bravest men in
France would be killed. While Louis
XIV. was on the throne a young gradu-
ate Of the College of New Jersey wen
abroad for the purpose of finishing his
education by travel.
Paris in those days was a favorite
resort for the few colOnists Of North
America who ventured to cross the
Atlantic, and young Mashewson made
quite Il s%oiourn there. The principal
reason for his doing so vas Mile. HOr-
tense de Boyer. a dashing girl, who was
setting the young bloodS of the capital
wild. She was considered the most
graceful dancer and the best horsewo-
man in Paris and had so far practiced
the art of self defense as TO stand
well as a handler of the foil
One evening after !; ball. mt which
Mathewson had paid marked attention
to Mile de Boyer. he was addressed by
u yOul1S dIlit ollCtl tN folibN :.
II am the bearer of a challenge to
you from Count CASTOR NauhelaiS. You
having during the evening brushed
against him in the dance.
Mathewson knew very we'll that the
charge was but Il pret"Xt for the chal-
ienge and concerned himself only about
the latter. Moreover. he knew that he
must either accept it Or leave Paris,
followed by the contempt of all who
had favored him by their good will.
He suspected that the true reason for
being called out was that he had paid
marked attention to Mile. de Boyer.
He replied by referring the officer to
q friend. then went TO his apartments
The friend joined him soon after. and
upon consultation it was determined
b put off the meeting so long as pos
sible in order that the American might
prepare himself by practice. for he had
no skill whatever with any weapon
The best. however. that could be done
was to defer the encounter for ten
days. Then MathewsOn began to prac
t1ce shooting with a pistol.
The next evening after the ball while
Count Vaudelais was dining at the cafe
where he was used to taking his dinner
z lady handsomely dressed. but wear
ing a veil that she did not raise. entered
the place and took a seat near him
No lady was in those days ever seen
to enter q cafe unattended by an es,
cort. and the yelled at once ar
rested the attention Of every one pres
ent. Presently she spoke in an indig.
nant tone to Vaudelais, accusing him
Of staring at her. threw a card on his
table bearing the name of Albert du
Plessis and left the cafe.
Vaudelais. astOnished. picked up the
card. s%upposing it to bear the name OF
the lady's husband. Since its beine
given him was tantamOunt to q chal
lenge. he waited for a friend of the
gentleman to appear. Presently a mar
entered and said that he represented
Du Plessis and made arrangements To-
the duel to take place the next mOrnins
Ut sunrise.
Vaude'a'- low had two duels on BIZ
hands on successive mornings. This
i'd not trouble him. for not q yeal
passed that he fought fewer than half .
Aosen. But he did not like lighting tht
Husband Of q woman ON q charge
1Aat be had stared at her. and he wal
ut satisfied a. to the status Of the wO
mar herself. since she had been III
Dublac cafe unattended. He belonged
g the court circle and to fight any
60 except . sentlemaD would detrac'
15o0 his social standing. he endeav
lsoa 70 discover who was n. do Pies
but found no one who had evel
teard Of him. However. thinking Il
0Gsr - 81 A<hting'a man u tn