Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-11-09
An
Incident Of '48
By RICHARD MARLEY

tuelr 1oudy tuty are dSuAh
shiyering. and the crown of the most
autocratic of the lot. the car of Rus
STA. has tumbled off his head. That
was a time when the United States ac-
quired citizens of the Carl Schurz
stamp, who declined longer to put up
with the divine right of kings.
1t was at a time when those men
who could not get away were being
rounded up for Imprisonment or death
that Count Herbert Won Bitten. a
trusted friend of the king of Prussia.
was sauntering along the Inter den
Linden, in Berlin. A lady walked not
far behind him, keeping him in sight.
The count turned into n of the most
select restaurants for a bite and a
glass of wine. The lady entered the
same place and took a seat near the
counts table.
The proprietor. seeing a woman alone
in his restaurant. went to her and In a
low tone said to her that unattended
ladies were not allowed in his restau-
rant. The lady replied that she would
soon be Joined by her husband. At
this the proprietor ~apologized and turn
ed up a chair opposite the lady
Count Won Bitten, not hearing what
passed between the proprietor and the
lady. stared at her. She endured this
for some time, when those about her
were thunderstruck to see her take up
q glass Of wine that she had been sip
ping and throw the contents in the
counts face. Then she said:
Herr, | have been insulted by you
and have resented the insult. My hus-
band will soon join me and will be
ready to give you satisfaction"
The count was ~dumfounded at this
unusual action in a woman and Il
having the bearing and the apparel of
a lady and knew not what to say. The
lady, as soon as her indignation per-
mitted her to speak, said further:
1T is not pleasant for me to remain
here. having attracted so much atten-
tion." She took a card from a porte
monnaie and tossed it on the counts
table, then without another word she
walked out of the restaurant with all
the dignity of a queen. The count
took up the card and read Mrs. Elliott
Won Schoonhoyen, New York. U. s. A."
with her Berlin address.
Won Bitten saw at once that he
must challenge the lady's husband.
The resenting of his conduct had been
so public. and sympathy is always
with q woman in such a case, should
he fail to act he would be ostracized.
Within a few hours the episode would
be all we Berlin. He at once sent a
Afriend to the address given to chal-
nge Mr.. Won Schoonhoyen.
The friend was received by Mrs. Won
Schoonhoven, who said that her hus-
band had been delayed from meeting
her at the restaurant by having met
friends from New York. He vas still
with his friends. but had left instruc-
lions with his wife to make arrange
ments for granting the count satisfac-
ton. The terms were arranged be-
tween the counts second and Mrs. Won
Schoonhoven. The principals were to
meet the next morning. foils for weap-
ons.
Won Bitten did not like fighting a
man that neither he nor his second had
seen, but feared for his reputation If
he demurred. He accepted the situa-
ton reluctantly.
The counts party were on the
ground first, and a few minutes later
his opponent appeared unattended. She
wore a cloak which concealed her fig
ure, but threw it off while advancing,
%uncovering fencing costume.
Count" she said, my husband is
unayoidably detained. Why SO i will
explain later. l am compelled to re-
sent your insulting stare"
Taking a foil from an attendant of
the counts, she called to him to put
himself on guard. Some one handed
him a foil, and he took 1t mechanical
ly without considering what he did.
In fact, he was so disturbed at the
turn the affair had taken that he was
more engrossed with what he should
do than with any thought of his de-
tense. All he did was to parry the
woman's thrusts till suddenly she dis
armed him, sending his foil spinning
in the air. Then she said:
count, your life is at my disposal.
Unless you do what ! ask you will not
be alive after thirty seconds"
what do you ask? What does all
this mean?" asked the count.
81 am not Mrs. Won S~choonhoyen. !
am the American wife of August Won
Hempfel. The reason my husband an
not defend my honor is because he is
in prison for completely In the late
revolution. The price of your life is
that you shall secure from the king his
release and full restoration to citizen
ship"
81 am not the king of Prussia. 1 can
not pardon any one
"You can promise to do so If it is pos
sible. | know that anything you ask
of the king will be granted. And all
Berlin knows this too. These gentle