The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-11-05
HIS LIFE IN PERIL.
A KENO5HA BOYS ADVENTURE IN
RUSSIA AWHEEL.
LINKED WITH A MADMAN.
Plunges Dovn Steep Declivity Killing
Eis Partner and Wrecking His
Wheel-A Thrilling Mar
rative Well Told

CUnouittt kIooLClOu III GulOpOt etA0 OLAOi y
ly afterwards babe farewell to my
native town of Kenosha, to go and take
charge of it, Arrived at the post I
found my duties to be exceptionally
light, and having little else to do, /
prowled around sightseeing for several
months every year; but without enter
ing into a description of these wander
ings, it will suffice to say that the sum-
mer of 1893 found ME in Paris. The
city as usual was full of life and gayety,
and [ settled down to enjoy a two
months vacation. Imet many delight
full people, but to my mind Baron De-
Ristovo was the most delightful of all.
He was a splendid fellow, a universal
tavorite, and burdened with the spend
ing of immense revenues from his Rus
sian estates, he did SO lavishly and
with exquisite taste. His circle of
friends comprised the, elite of the city,
and | considered myself fortunate to be
included among them. I saw the baron
every day for weeks, and when my
vacation was at length up, he gave me
a pressing invitation to visit him at his
estates. Almost two years elapsed be-
fore could take advantage of the in
vitation, but July of '95 found me in
Moscow where the baron had agreed to
meet me. After two or three days
sightseeing there, accompanied him
to one of his estates some sixty miles
distant.
The estate laid along the western
shore of Lake Melinda, a beautiful
sheet of water some 200 miles in cir
conference, uncovered in dark woods.
The baron's residence, large, castel-
lated building of the medi@val type,
was prettily situated on rising ground
little back from the shore of the lake,
and commanded an extensive view of
the surrounding country. The scenery,
while not imposing, was very pleasing,
and [ anticipated a very enjoyable
time. In this I was not disappointed.
The baron, an ideal host at all times,
had laid himself out to please me, with
a result that more than exceeded my
anticipations.
A keen sportsman like myself, we
made daily excursions to the woods,
crowded with game, that stretched
away to the north; and when not there
were driving behind some of the baron's
fast horses, or better still were off for a
twenty-mile spin across country on our
bicycles. Taken all in all, the first
two weeks spent as the guest of the
baron, shall ever regard as the hap
piest in my life. Why cannot say the
same for my whole visit, the sequel will
show.
When [ had been at the castle about
two weeks, the baron informed me one
evening that he purposed taking me
on the morrow to view some very inter-
esting ruins a few miles distant. When
the morrow came, however, he in
formed me that he had received an ur-
gent message during the night that
would take him to the town of Maruf,
some ten miles distant He did not
know how long he would be detained,
and suggested that if not home we'll
towards evening, l might ride over on
his tandem and he would return with
me. readily assented, and as he had
not returned by 5 o'clock, started for
the village. Arrived there l found
that the baron had left almost an hour
before. He had remarked in starting
that he expected to meet me on my
way up. This he would have done,
but unfortunately had approached
the village by road seldom traversed.
Under tue circumstances there was
nothing for it but to return to the cas-
tie. The night was beautifully clear.
A full moon rode high in a cloudless
sky, lighting up the snow clad peaks
of distant mountain range, and flood
ing the country below with fantastic
shapes in light and shadow.
Intoxicated with the beauty of the
night, resolved to return to the castle
by a somewhat circuitous path the
baron and l had driven over few days
before. The road in question lay out
there in one long, unbroken stretch,
white and glistening, before me; and
as glided along, the scene was so en-
trancing. and every sensation so pleas
ing, that / laughed aloud for very joy
BUSINESS. On, on | proceeded, until |
neared a part of the road where the
environing woods closed in upon it,
and the spreading branches of the trees
meeting overhead, formed sort of
tunnel or archway. Inside this tunnel
all was dark, for it was only hero and
there struggling shaft of light could
pierce the foliage overhead. Inside it
also, everything was silent; no sound
reached my ears but the gentle whirr
of my wheel, and yet was possessed
with a feeling of apprehension could
not shake off. Every clump of bushes
1 passed seemed unaccountably to bear
a threatening aspect, and | was glad
ri; oI% ~, ho rood