Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-12-17
DAILY SHORT STORY
A WATER DUEL.
IOriginal.1

| ter. Marya AleXandrovna, an attractive
| girl of eighteen, was sought in mar
| riage by many of the sons of the neigh
boring landed prOprietOrs. but seemed
| to prefer Ivan MikahaiIof. Il IuSty but
lazy young fellow who had never been
| known to take an interest in but one
| thing-the town fire department, which
| he had organized and drilled. becoming
| very expert himself in the drenching of
burning buildings.
| \ battalion of troops came to the
town commanded by Major NilOlai Lee
| vim, Il middle aged man whose private
| fortune was large. From childhood he
| had been accustomed to having his own
| way He had studied and practiced
the use of every known weapon, and
| when any man stood i'll his way he
would insult him, challenge him and, if
necessary, kill him. All kinds of weap-
ons had been tried against Levin. from
| Turkish Scimiter 10 Il mountain how
| itZer. and lie had handled every one
with perfect skill. lie had no sooner
set eyes Oh Marya than lie fell violent
| ly in love with her. Marya, though she
accepted his attentions. could not he
completely Won over from her athletic
that with Ivan in the way he could
never win the girl. so he made up his
mind to kill him. He soon found pre-
| text for considering himself insulted by
the young man and sent him Il chal-
lenge.
Marya heard of the intended aSSas-
sination and was much troubled. In
her extremity she sent for former
schOolmate. Kostia Sanin. in whose in
genuity she placed great confidence,
and asked him to help her.
well, | will offer him my services.
and if he accepts them | will see what
can do for him." said Sanin.
y few hours later Major Levin re
ceived Il visit from Sanin. Il am to
arrange this affair between you and
my friend Mikahailof." lie said and
since he is the challenged party, choose
for him the weapons, the time and the
place of meeting
THAT is your right. 1t is immaterial
to me with what weapon l fight. and |
beg you will choose that with which
the young man Is most skillful.'
You show II magnanimOus spirit.
major, and l shall meet your wishes.
The only weapon with which Ivan
Mikahailof has any skill whatever is
the nozzle of Il hose. | therefore choose
this weapon"
IF you think you can turn the af
fair into a jest. you are mistaken"
Il propose no jest. The terms are
that you and your adversary are to so
into an unheated room. wearing no
clothing whatever. each furnished with
hose. and play upon each other till
you are satisfied"
What an abSurdity"
Nothing of the kind. You know that
the temperature here at this season is
never above zero and the water is icy
cold. Neither of you will be able to |
endure the torture more than half an |
hour without dying n terrible death, !
and in any event there is great proha- |
bility of pneumonia setting in after the I
combat"
Sanin then named the time and place |
and took his departure.
The major submitted the case TO the |
officers of his battalion. who, after long /
deliberation. decided that he must ac- /
cept the terms. At the appointed time
he and his antagonist stood stark |
naked in large room. each armed
with Il half inch nozzle. At given
signal the water was turned on by the
seconds. and the contest begun. Ivan
had always lived III that northern re
gion. while the major had been born
in the south. Ivan was hardy. while
the ma jor was delicate and sensitive
from having led IL luxurious life. At
the first stroke of the icy water he was
sha ken by terrific chill. while the
sturdy Ivan. who had bathed in water
as cold that very morning, braced
himself against the shock and stood
upright and firm rock. One of the
seconds stood with Il watch in his
hand, while the other kept Il hand on
the water cock. At the end of two
time was called and the water
turned off. The principals were per-
mitted to move about for two minutes
to recoup and break the ice forming
on their bodies. when they We're re-
quired to take their positions, and the
water was turned on. At the end of
the next round Levin was shivering
terribly his skin was livid, and his
lips We're blue, while his opponent had
readily restored circulation. At the
end of the next round the major was
Informed by those of his officers who
were present that he might give up the
unequal contest without sacrificing his
honor, and he declared that he was
satisfied. He was taken into a warm
room, dosed with hot liquor, rubbed
and put between blankets. Neverthe-
less he was stricken with pneumonia.
from which he nearly died. Ivan pol
ished himself with crash towel. put
on his clothes and took brisk walk
kostia Sanin went to- Marya and
gave her an account of what had oc-
Cured. You are now free to marry
either of those men you choose. pre-
sumo from your interest in Ivan that
your choice will fall on him"
NO; it will not fall on Ivan"
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