FIGHTING WOMEN.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1735, 25 July 1874, Page 3

FIGHTING WOMEN.

The Due de Richelieu caused a duel

between two ladies through the blunder of his secretary, who appointed both to visit him at the same hour. The Marquise de Hesle, invited by her riyal to fire first, only cut off a branch of a. tree. Then the Comtesse de Polignac exclaimed, with the coolness of a bully, "Your hand trembles with passion," and, firing in her turn, cut off a small piece of the ear i of the Marquise. Another duel between a dancer and singer of the Opera in Paris was interrupted by the arrival on the ground of the lover about whom they had quarrelled. His impassioned oratory produced but small effect, but luckily he managed to get hold of the pistols, and dropped them in a wet place. In some of the most bitter of these quarrels the combatants aimed with swords at their rivals' faces and bosom*. One lady actually fought a duel with her lover, although it is difficult to understand how he could have been induced to fight with her. ,-Perhaps the so-cal:ed duel was like one of those-brawls where all the beating was on.one.side. An actress of the time of Lous XIV. of France was an uceomjjlished fencer, and bullied all men who *"^ared not meet her. She must hare been an awful tyrant of society. The greatest . bully among men usually confines his outrages to, his sex, but this woman insulted other women, and it men took their part, she made those men fight her, and killed ■• them.. We believe that Lola Montez

fought duels, and we are suro that, if she did riot, 1 it must have been for want of opportunity. A woman of good nerve might make a formidable antagonist with pistols, and even wiih the small sword, . skill would go far to supply the want of strength.'—Saturday Ecriew*