A DUEL WITH SWORDS

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 192, 19 February 1887, Page 7

A DUEL WITH SWORDS

A despatch from Alexandria, Virginia,says : — Mrs Henry Nevil, ne'e Dulaney, the richest heiress in Virginia, has taken up her residence in this aristocratic old town for the winter. She is often eeen on the streets with her husband, the handsome young Irishman who won her at the point of the sword, and the pair are much admired. Their presence here has set people to talking about the famous sword contest in which Nevil showed him*elf to be the finest fencer in the South, and by which he won his bride and great wealth. It occurred some ten years ago. Miss Dulaney was then the belle of this part of Virginia. Her father, Col. Hal Dulaney, was worth 5,000,000d015., and the daughter was to inherit half of the amount. As she was beautiful as well as wealthy, there were many suitors for her hand. Among them, the two most favoured were a young Englishman named Randolph, who was an officer in her Majesty's Household Guards, and Henry Nevil, an Irishman, who had fought in the French and Austrian armies Both were handsome, manly fellows, though not burdened with riches, and for a time their chances seemed about equal. It soon became evident that they hated each other very cordially, and all tidewater Virginia eagerly awaited the result of the contest for Mies Dulaney 's smiles As both were very high-tempered and familial with the use of weapon?, the lady had a hard time to keep them from venting their hatred in a bloody war. Still, with a girl's coquetry, she led them on, showing no decided preference for either, and sometimes appearing indifferent to both. One evening the three were in the drawing-room together. The rivals addressed each other only when absolutely necessary, and then with smothered anger in their tones. Finally Miss Dulaney got tired of that sort of thing, and said laughingly : " Why don't you go out and have a good fight instead of snarling at each oth^r always ?" " We will do it," they exclaimed in one breath. The lady continued the conversation in a bantering tone, not dreaming that the men were in earnest. Next day, however, she discovered that they had actually adopted her laughing suggestion. When the rivals left the house they at once arranged the preliminaries for a duel. A meeting-place was selected just off the Dulaney estate, the time fixed upon was the following morning at sunrise, and swords were chosen as weapons. At the time agreed upon they met, with their seconds, and ther,e ensued the most bloody duel that has ever taken place on Virginia soil. It was evident from the beginning that Nevil was the more expert swordsman on account -of hia experience in the French army. Randolph handled the sword well, , too, but lacked the grace and facility of movement of his opponent. Moreover, the Englishman was very much excited. As they faced each other day they exchanged glances, which meant plainly a fight to the death. They set to, Randolph striking fiercely and wildly at his enemy, while the Irishman coolly took the defence, parrying his blows with ease and awaiting his chance for a thrust. It came at last, and he neatly removed a large piece of Randolph's ear. The pain seemed to madden the Englishman, and he bore down on his enemy with indiscreet desperation. *Nevil quietly got in another strike -which mutilated the Englishman's nose. The rest of the fight was rough and tumble on Randolph's part, while Nevil not for a moment lost bis presence of mind. He finally disabled the Englishman by getting in a thrust) on his sword arm. He did this merely to prevent downright murder, for he knew that he could take Randolph apart piece by piece without injury to himself, and he knew, too, that Randolph -would die rather than yield as long as he could hold a sword. Mies Dulaney was sorry for Randolph's misfortune, but she smiled more than ever on Nevil, whom,it turned out, she had loved all the time. Three months afterwards (Randolph rose from bis sick bed disfigured for lilfe. left the country, and has not been beard from since. About the same time Nevil and Miss Dulaney were married,