The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-07-20
A WATER DUEL.

| Tlh ITOiu huSSld llNeu COUNT ATkauNe-
vich, country gentleman. His daugh-
ter, Marya Alexandrovna, an attractive
girl of eighteen. was sought in mar
dage by many of the sons of the neigh
boring landed proprietors. but seemed
20 prefer Ivan Mikahailof, a lusty 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.
A battalion of troops came to the
town commanded by Major Nikolai Le-
vim, a middle aged man whose private
fortune was large. From childhood he
had been accustomed to having his
own way. He had studied and prac-
ticed the use of every known weapon.
and when any man stood in his way he
would insult him, challenge him and.
If necessary, kill him. All kinds of
weapons had been tried against Levin,
from a Turkish scimiter to a mountain
hOwitzer, and he had handled every
one with perfect skill. He had no soon
er set eyes on Marya than he fell vio-
lently IN love with her Marya, though
she accepted his attentions, could not
be completely won over from her ath-
letic suitor Ivan. Levin at last con-
cluded that with Ivan in the way he
could never win the girl, 50 be made
up his mind to kill him. He soon
found a pretext for considering himself
insulted by the young man and sent
him challenge.
Marya heard of the intended assas-
sination and was much troubled. In
her extremity she sent for a former
schoolmate, Kostia Sanin. In whose In
genuity she placed great confidence.
and asked him to help her
well, l will offer him my services,
and If he accepts them l will see what
1 can do for him." said Sanin.
A few hours later Major Levin re-
ceived visit from Sanin. 81 am to
arrange this affair between you and
my friend Mikahailof," he said, land,
since he is the challenged party, choose
for him the weapons. the time and the
place of meeting"
''rhat is your right. 1t is immaterial
to me with what weapon fight, and 1
beg you will choose that with which
the young man is most skillful."
you show a magnanimous spirit.
major, and l shall meet your wishes.
The only weapon with which Ivan
Mikahailof has any skill whatever is
the nozzle Of a hose. l therefore choose
this weapon"
IF you think you can turn the af-
| 20 ~. inta "a toc f-%o
Il propose no jest The terms are
that you and your adversary are to go
into an unheated room, wearing no
clothing whatever, each furnished with
a 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 a terrible death,
! and in any event there is great proba
! bility of pneumonia setting in after
the 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 a large room. each armed
! with half inch nozzle. At a given
| signal the water was turned on by the
| seconds and the contest begun. Ivan
/ had always lived in that northern re-
( gion. while the major had been born
/ in the south. Ivan was hardy, while
| the major was delicate and sensitive
| from having led d luxurious life. At
the first stroke of the icy water he was
/ shaken by a 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 as q rock. One of the
seconds stood with a watch in his
hand, while the other kept hand on
! the water cock.
At the end of two minutes time was
| called and the water turned of. The
! principals were permitted to move
about for two minutes to recoup and
! break the ice forming on their bodies,
when they were required to take their
! positions and the water was turned
on. At the end of the next round Le-
win was shivering terribly, his skin
was livid. and his lips were blue. while
| his opponent had readily restored cir
| culation. 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 warm room. dosed with
hot liquor, rubbed and put between
blankets. Nevertheless he was strick-
en- with pneumonia, from which he
nearly died. Ivan polished himself
with a crash towel, put on his clothes
and took a 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-
tune from your interest in Ivan that
Iour choice win fall on him"