Year: 1866

Il have myself said Kreutzner, swift
messed many duels; but we are not so
bloodthirsty generally speaking, as your
moral Americans. We usually settle these
matters with sword, better method, by
the way, and more worthy of soldier
than your cold, murderous pistol firing.
Any poltroou may pull trigger, but it re,
ouires the firm hand and steady eye Of a
man to manage the steel. However, as l
was saying, when was at Jena they called
each other out as merrily as beaux and bellies
to dance. 1t was but the treading on
toe-the brushing of an elbow; nay. an
accidental look that fell on them when they
wished not observation, and the next day,
or, by St. Andrew, the next hour, there was
a clash of steel, and the stamping of feet
on the greeusward; and the kindliug and
flashing of fiery eyes-and plunge and par
ry, and cut and thrust, till one or both lay
at length; pass through the body-a
cash open in the cheek-the skull cleft
down, or hand off, and the bloou bubbling
and gushing forth like rill of mountain
water. There were more than one of these
fellows-devils, l must say, who, when
they found among them some strange stu.
dent, timid or retired, with whose character
they were unacquainted, or whose courage
they doubted, would pass the hint out of
mere sport; brush his skirt, charge the
offence upon him, demand an apology too
humble for hare and dismiss him from the
adventure only with an open shoulder, or
daylight through his body.


There was one fellow among us named
Men.z, who assumed, and wore with i'm
punity the character If head bully. He
was foremost in all the deviltry His pistol
was death, and bis broadsword cut like the
scissors of fate. 1t was curious to see the
fellow 6re-one, two. three, and good bye
TO his antagonist His friendship was
courted by all; for, to be his enemy was to
lie in bloody grave. At length, grown
fearless of being called to account, he took
pride in insulting strangers, and even wo-
men His appearance was formidable; a
great burly giant, with shaggy black hair,
huge whiskers, and grim mustaches, three
inches long, twirled under his nose. A
sort of beauty be had too; and among the
women-heaven help us-wherever those
mustaches showed themselves every oppo-
nent abandoned the ground. 1t was, at
last, really dangerous to have sweetheart; !;
for out of pure bravado, Mentz would push
forward, make love to the lady, frighten
her swain, and either territy or fascinate
herself. Should the doomed lover offer
any resistance, be had no more to do but
call surgeon; and happy he considered
himself if he escaped with the loss of his
teeth or an eye. He had killed four men
who never injured him-wounded seven.
teen, and fought twenty duels. He once
challenged whole club who had black
bslled him unanimously; and was pascifed
only by being re.admitted, though all the
members Immediately resigned and the club
was broken up.


AT last there came youth into the uni
versity-slender, quiet and boyish lookingt
with a handsome face, though somewha,
pale. His demeanor, though generally shy,
was noble and self possessed He had been
but short time with US, however, before
he was set down as cowardly creature,
and prime game for the devils broke loose,
as the band of Mentz termed themselves
The coy youth Stunned all the riots and
revels of the university-insulted no one
and if his mantle brushed against that ot
another, apologized so Immediately, so grace
fully and so gently, that the devil himself
could not have fixed quarrel upon him
1t soon appeared, too, that Gertrude, the
lovely daughter of the Baron de Saale-
the toast of all the country--upon whom
the most of us had gazed as on something
quiet above us-it soon appeared that the
girl loved this youthful stranger. Now
Mentz has singled Gertrude out for himself
and avowed his preference publicly. Ar
mold. for thus was the new student called
was rarely, if ever, tempted to our feasts


but once he came unexpectedly on casua
invitation. To the great surprise OF tht
company Mentz himself was there, anc
seated himself unabashed at the table
though an unbidden guest The stronges
curiosity at once arose to witness the result
for Mentz had sworn that he would comPe
Arnold, on their first meeting, beg pardon
Cd his knees for the audacity of having ad
dressed his mistress 1t had not appeared
that Arnold knew anything of Mentz'
character, for be sat cheerfully and gayl!
at the hoard. with so much the manners o