Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1916-08-04
How a Dueist
Was Eliminated
By ELlNOR MARSH

Ai"H'' NHn WV NHNl NWNllHE EluuHu
Duellng was especially In vogue in the
army A practice of this sort Is, Of
course, sure 10 be abused, A good
swordsman who desired to be rid OF
one who stood in his way would pick a
quarrel with him and kill him. Then,
too, there were men who had a pas.
sion for killing other men
Mile. Louise d'Alger, a girl Of that
period, very beautiful, much beloved,
was a resident Of Paris, One of her
relatives, n young man OF great prom.
ise was killed in n duel, and his death
rendered her very bitter against the
custom, She could not understand
why when a man was challenged by
a person who was perfectly capable Of
killing him and intended TO kill him
the victim should he considered bound
In honor to accept the challenge New
ertheless such was the custom Of the
times and the challenged party had 10
choose between death and social ruin.
At this time In Paris was man who
had been out n great many times
and always killed his antagonist.
Scarcely week passed but It was an
nounced that some man prominent So
cially had fallen before his sword A
terror fell upon mothers, sisters and
lovers lest one whose life was precious
TO them would he added to his victims.
For time II was hoped that some
man more skllful than he would put
him out of the way, But not one OF
the most admirable fenccrs in Paris
seemed disposed to tackle him, and he
did not trouble any Of them
Louise d'Alger declared that any
means Of getting rid of the Scourge,
as he was called would he eXcusabe
and wondered why some man did not
stab him In the back. She was told
that one who would do that would be
regarded as n murderer.
But" she replied, "hc commits muir
der all the while"
True, but there is no law to punish
him, Should any one stab him in the
back the person doing so would fall
under the ban Of the statute covering
murder Besides, he would be ostra.
clsed by his friends"
There seemed no justice, but great
injustice, in this to Mile. DAlger, and
she could not divert her mind from a
feeling that such an enormity was suf-
fered to exist merely by opinion. She
brooded upon it till it seemed to her
that she must do something to stop the
ScourCe's murders, just as Charlotte
COrday at later period rid France
of Marat,
Mile. D'Alger possessed a fortune
and, though she was not noble, held
a high position In Paris society. One
day the elite received invitations to a
ball to be given by her What was
the Scourge's surprise to receive an
invitation. He was not accustomed to
receiving invitations unless he dropped
hint to some man of the family about
to entertain that he would like one.
Then the bid was forthcoming, for a
refusal would be regarded as an in
suit and would cost a life. The
Scourge was much flattered ut receiv.
ing Mile. D'Alger's invitation without
any action on his own part Then, too,
he inferred that possibly she had fallen
in love with him.
When he appeared among Mile. DIAL
gers guests every one was aStonished
The hostess had no man relative
through whom he might have forced
an invitation, and it was not to be
expected that she would invite him of
her own free will. All eyes We're
turned upon her when the duelist on
entering the ballroom stepped up to
her to make the formal greeting due
the hostess, and every one marveled at
her cordial reception Of him.
The Scourge was beside himself with
pride and arrogance at having been in
vited to the house of lady of prom
lnence in face of the prejudice, as he !
called it, of all Paris. The first few
dances he chose for partners some
lady who had a brother, well knowing |
that she would not dare refuse him. |
Later he made his bow to the hostess. |
She smiled upon him graciously and |
took position on the floor beside him.
Every eye was turned upon the cou-
pie Mile. D'Algers views with regard |
to dueling were we'll known, and no !
one knew Of any way by which he |
could force such cordial treatment. |
Could 1t be that she had been fascinat- |
ed by this man on account Of the pow
er he possessed through his sword?
When in the dance the Scourge took
his partners hand in his he felt some
thing prick his finger He paid no at
tention to 1t. Indeed, he could not we'll |
do so under the circumstances. Then
he was seen to stagger and raise his
hand to his head. Instead of conduct
ing his partner to a1&her locality In
the room he tottered away by himself,
but before he had gone dozen steps |
sank down upon the floor. A circle
formed about him, all wondering what
could have happened to him.
Mile. D'Alger called for laCkeys and
them to carry out the fallen