THE QUEEN'S MESSENGER AND AUSTRIAN FIRE-EATER.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 598, 30 August 1913, Page 3

THE QUEEN'S MESSENGER AND AUSTRIAN FIRE-EATER.

HOW A DUEL WAS AVERTED. An anonymous writer in " Blackwood" describes how he made the acquaintance of a derelict Englishman living at Belgrade, who told him of ins experiences connected with the forwarding of despatches from England to Constantinople during the Crimean War. One of these stories is recorded lor us. It tells how. on a certain occasion, a handsome young Irishman tame to Belgrade as a Queen's Messenger. He dined with tlr- Englishman at a cafe, and during tlu meal let an Austrian banknote fall on the ground, placing his foot upon it to prevent it beitu: blown away. A party of Austrian officers were (lining at an adjoining table, and one of these, delighted to pick a quarrel, came across and poured forth torrents of abuse, saying his Emperor, whose portrait on the banknote had been trodden underfoot, was insulted. The inevitable scene followed, ending with a challenge. The Irishman told his friend that he couid use neither sword noi pistol, and had not the least intention of fighting. However, the officers insisted on a combat and seconds were appointed. The next morning the Austrian second and the Englishman called at the Irishman's hotel and found him asleep. When he was awakened and told that the duel must take place ho merely handed to his friend a rarer, telling him to read it and sho>v it to the Austrian. Never had challenge a more absurd ending. The document in question was a copy of one which had been sent the night before by the Queen's Messenger to Vienna. It was addressed to the Archduke and the Colonel of the regiment whose officers had begun the trouble. TII2 writer stated that, as a Messenger in her Britannic Majesty's service, it would he beneath his dignity to ta c notice of the wanton insult offered to him, but he requested the Archduke to convey his challenge to th° v. hole regiment, beginning with the Colonel ; the Archduke was, of course, excepted on account of his csal'ted rank. T'ic besc of the. joke was that the Archduke was well known as an opponent of duelling, and the Colonel viio nearly ninety. instead cf the officers wanting to right, they came as a dsputation to i new if it were possible to with;'ra.v t!v:' strange challenge. Cut it had alrea.ly started for Vienna, and no one knew which the officers feared more, the wrath of the Arch-tlul-e or the laughter of the Viennese cafes.—"Spectator."