The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1903-02-13
SAVED BY
AN APTHICE
tOriginal.1

the dueling corps. In the corps was
young Baron Steiger. who was consid-
cred the best swordsman at the uni.
versity.
Toward the end of the term I had the
good luck to be pitted against Baron
Steiger when he had been drinking and
got the better of him. This gave me
some renown and made Steiger my bit
ter enemy.
did not touch a sword again during
my stay at the university, and after
taking my degree l went to Vienna to
see a little Of life at that capital. l had
letters to some Of the best people there,
clusively Austrian or German. One
evening after attending the opera with
a.. party Of ladies and gentlemen | In
vited them to sup with me at a cafe.
While we were there who should come
in but Baron Steiger. He passed close
to me, not speaking to me. but glaring
at me, and as he walked behind my
chair he purposely ran against it.
was at the moment raising a glass of
wine to my lips. and a part of the wine
was spilled or my shirt front. | was
angry and, acting on n foolish but
natural impulse, threw what remained
in the glass i'm his face.
The moment had done SO | realized
that I had likely signed my own death
warrant. Stciger would undoubtedly
challenge me, and as l had not touched
a sword in two years and he had BE
come famous in its use. as well as a
merciless opponent, | must either show
the white feather and be d%isgraced
among my Vienna friends or-die.
Steiger apologizcd for touching my
chair. declaring that it was uninten-
tiOnal. and, raising his hat. politely
passed on. Not one of my friends but
understood what would follow, and the
party broke up immediately. | went
to my apartments with a young DR..
Koch. with whom l was very intimate.
The challenge came before we sepa-
rated, and | confess | was thrown into
a serious mental condition. Since leav-
ing the university Ste:ger had fought
a dozen or more duelS and had never
spared his man. DR.. Koch told me to
think no more about the matter or ]
would unfit myself to take advantage
of what slight chance there was for
me; hat he had saved Il friend Of his
once under similar circumstances and
he would try his plan with me. ! placed
my case in his hands. turned in and
after an hour or so fell asleep.
The next evening after dark DR..
Koch came to me and old me that he
had arranged everything and if | would
keep my head all would GO well with
me. | as the challenged party had the
right to choose the weapons and the
time and place of the meeting. Acting
for Inc. DR.. Koch had chosen swords
in a dark room The duel was to take
place Immediately in Il room of a third
party. Without giving Inc time to
dwell on these horrible conditions DR..
Koch hurried me to the meeting place,
blu before entering the rooms in ues-
ton he o me to another where a
gentleman WAS waiting, to whom |
was introduced-"Dr. Sieferth, the
most noted oculist in Europe" The
two doctors at once began to paint
my eyes with a camel's hair brush that
had beer dipped in some liquid. AS
soon as they had finished a bandage
was clapped over my eyes and kept
there for some twenty minutes, when
it was taken off, and we went immedi.
ately to rooms in the same building
yvhnpa tho n,aafinu u-oc IN TO To ,l,no
A few moments later Steiger and l
were thrust into the dark room, and
the door was closed and locked.
Now, it is impossible to exclude per
fectly either light or heal from any
apartment. One might as well attempt
to form a perfect u Scientific
ally speaking there is no such thing as
a perfect absence Of everything from
any given space. The treatment of the
physicians had enabled me to take ad-
vantage Of what light there was in the
room, nearly all of which came through
an imperfectly fitted door, under which
there was n strip unprotected. Be this
as it may. l could distinguish the prin-
cipal objects in the room. including my
ClCiIS- ! Coulu lIOL uluke Out ulS cA"
preston. but his figure was quite per-
ceptibie. especially his face and hands.
which were lighter than the rest. He
remained perfectly quiet for awhile.
when | moved, and. hearing the creak-
ing Of my boots, he came toward me.
l glided away. this time without max
ing any sound, and in another moment
gave him a cut on the hand which
forced him. to drop his sword. Before
he could recove it l pricked him from
the other side, which drew him from
where the sword had fallen, and then
took it up myself.
Baron" | said. you are at my
mercy. l have your sword"
"Finish the murder. That's what is.
It certainly Is not dueling."
II have no use for your life. / give
1t to you. Hello!"
The door was opened. and the party
in the adjoining room entered. I had
given Steiger an ugly cut on the hand
and a slight wound in the 6eshy part
of his back. These the doctors dressed.
| Steiger insisted on q renewal of the