ROMANTIC STORY OF A DUEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11056, 6 May 1899, Page 2 (Supplement)

ROMANTIC STORY OF A DUEL.

A Vienna society paper tells how a young German peer quarrelled with another peer of Czech nationality, and a duel was arranged between the disputants. The sister of the uerman peer, however, a fascinating young lady of 21 years, found a means of preventing the encounter. First she went to the Czech nobleman, introduced herself to him, waxed eloquent on her love for her brother, and so wrought on the young man's feelings that he promised not to aim at his opponent when the word was given to fire. Having disposed of the enemy, the plucky girl conquered her brother by vividly picturing the remorse of a man who shoots another in cold blood in a duel, and extracted a promise from him that he would not aim at his opponent at the decisive moment. The duellists met in total ignorance of how each had been rendered harmless to the otlr.r. When the word was given to fire, both discharged their pistols into the air, a procedure which caused great astonishment, as both had expressed their determination to fight to Kill. The lady mediator at this juncture appeared on the field and explained the situation. The happy sequel was a marriage between the Czech nobleman and the sister of his German opponent.