Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-08-09
THE MYSTERY OF
COUNT LANDR|N0F
Bv FRED WHISHAW.

ridiculous and foolish. of course. but one
is always inclined in youth. to exag-
gerate the power of misfortune. Mis-
fortunes do bow the head for the time
being, no doubt. but as the tree bent
with the sudden downfall of snow will.
after day or two. cast its burden and
stand upright once more to the winds of
heaven, so does the young heart free it.
self in time of its load Of misfortune,
however heavy. and perhaps gradually
forget that which once seemed too great
to be borne
Iwould not 60 to the dinner lest l
should throw shadow over the rest Of
the party, but l returned to the hotel
and sat down to think quietly over this
blow and its possible nature and conse-
ouences | loved my father intensely.
He was Russian. as his name would
indicate. and so. of course-in name
was'I. But my mother was English.
NY father had met her at Cowes while
yachting and had brought her home to
our huge estates near Kazan as his
bride. I was the only child. By special
permission of the czar (Alexander II,
who was still reigning when was born
I was allowed to be baptized into the
English communion, to which. of course.
mother belonged. and for which my fa-
ther had the greatest respect, perhaps
more than for his own branch of the
church. Consequently was from the
fret an Englishman. and an English
man 1 remained. for my parents placed
me at school at Toddlestone at the age
of 10. and had remained there ever
since. only returning to Russia for such
of my holidays as my parents did not
pass with me in England.
Thus in name was Russian count.
In religion and in upbringing and in
every taste and sentiment that pos
sessed was an Englishman. l sent my
mother long telegram from the hotel.
I entreated her to let me know whether
my father lived. whether Oxford was to
be given up finally or Professionally only
and whether could stay day or two
just to collect my things. buy clothes,
and 30 forth.
MY mother replied by noon Of the
following day that but stay. 1 have
the astounding message by me to this
hour The reader of my memoirs shall
enjoy the advantage Of being utterly
puzzled and bewildered, just as / was,
for assuredly the message was one Of
the most surprising and bewilderlng
that ever schoolboy received, for school
boy practically l still was, though ac-
tually had left Toddlestone the day
before yesterday.
Here is the telegram. my mothers
ipsissima verba:
Father disappeared. Cannot explain. Come
soonest possible. | want you. Afraid must re-
nounce Oxford present. Make arrangements
possible return later il happier circumstances
ensue.
Poor. dear motherl She must indeed
have been in sore strait to have sent me
such a message as thisl
She wanted me, however. That was
enough. She must have me, poor dear,
as quickly as the railway could take me
to her. Oxford might 60 hang. There
was time enough for Oxford.
The Flushing express started from
Victoria at 8: 80 tonight. I should catch
it without fail Poor. dear old mother
in distress and father Disappeared
When man disappears in England
or America, one goes and drags the
nearest pond and gives notice at the
police station But what of disappear
ance in Russian Alas, man may dis
appear in many ways in our country
or could. for. though but few years
have passed since the time Of which l
write. things are improving by leaps
and bounds; light is spreading-God's
light of civilization. Ones first thought
in such case as my fathers would. Of
course. be mixed one-spies, nihilists,
police. Siberia. l passed rapidly in
thought over all these things in the first
shock of that word "disappeared."
But banished the idea with scorn.
My father stood high above such things
He lived in an atmosphere wherein such
matters had no existence He had no
cause to fear either the police or the
revolutionists He was beloved by his
peasantry, for he was an enlightened
and indulgent landlord. In the country
he was power In town he was uni
versally respected He took no part in
politics however, and could scarcely
therefore come under the ban either of
those who hated or Of those who admin
istered the law
In word. it was hopeless to attempt
to conjecture what the meaning of my
mothers message could be. Such at
tempts only led to feeling Of helpless
despair. and tried to postpone all con-
sideration of the matter.
went for a walk in Kensington gar
dens to pass away the time, and it was
while standing gloomily on the shores
of the Round pond, watching the sail
ing of some tiny yachts, that some one
touched me on the shoulder turned
and saw Percy Morris, the most unex'
pected and yet perhaps the most entire
ly welcome person l could possibly nave
seen at the moment. for Percy was
had been-my greatest friend at Ioo-
dlestone. He had left last term on ac-
count Of his fathers death and MS
mother s unexpected poverty. and had
missed him badly He had been to
Russia with me more than once during
the summer vacation. and felt that
an outpouring of my story into his sym
notbetic ears-for he knew my people
would do ME heap of good. ! show
ed him my telegram. He started.
"Why, man alive he said. 81 saw
your father this very afternoon. l