Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-29

,
Olga Ivanovna would stoop TO ally her.
self with him. He was happy. and he
was young. and young persoas are not
given to looking to point where their
happiness may come TO an end
One evening Olga showed a well de-
fined symptom that the little god had
claimed her as one OF It's victims. Ha
parting with the American was accom-
panied by an intensity Of feeling NOT
before definitely displayed. Wypan
went to his rooms wondering. Could
It be that, yielding to love, this bivb.
born beauty would surrender to an IN.
titled man from the other side Of the
globe?
The next morning Olga told her guest
that there was to be singular cere.
mony in the line OF what she bad
promised him. He was delighted.
Olga would take part in IT, Would be
! like to do the same? Certainly. What
was it like? There would be racing.
| She would be dressed in running COS
tune. If he intended TO take pan be
would better dress for the same Dur.
| pose. Capitall He had been a sprinter
| in school and afterward In college He
| had several cups at home he had won
on the cinder path.
An hour later Olga appeared attiret
| in a dress the skirt of which cana
only to the knees. Wyman had m
sprinting costume with him, so he an
peared simply in a pair Of white fan.
mel trousers and shirt Thus arrayed.
the two sprang into a phaeton which
stood at the door, and Olga drove 10
field on which was a crowd Of peo-
pie. at one end Of the open space was
q tent. Olga drove TO a point near
the canvas. and both she and her
guest alighted. Olga went into the
tent for a few moments, where she
Invested herself of her jacket and
came out ready for a run.
Wyman saw no one else prepared
for racing and noticed that he and
Olga seemed to be the center of at.
traction. While he was wondering
what it all meant, Olga, who had /
walked a short distance from him,
turned, beckoned to him and then
darted away over the field.
Wyman ran after her. There was
the same excitement, the same cheers.
the same shouts, Is when he had won
cups in America. He was surprised to
see that Olga was running very swift
~. CALAMITY at first caused him to
moderate his pace, but it was not long
before he realized that if he was to
catch her he must do his best
The space to be Travelled was 200
yards, and to win Wyman must catch
the fugitive before reaching q goal at
the other end of the field. He was at
first so dilatory that when Olga had
made half the distance it seemed he
would lose. And so he would have
lost had not Olga in the next quarter
slowed her pace. Within a hundred
yards of the goal she ran so slowly
that Wyman had no difficulty in catch
ing her. He put his hand on her
shoulder, and she fell back into his
arms amid a vociferous approval of
the onlookers
Having recovered her breath she
slipped her arm through his. and they
walked back together to the starting
point Out of the tent came a priest
and advanced toward them. Olga rails
ed her hand in protest
NO no, father. This is not a real
This gentleman wished to
lee some Of our customs, and I
bought I had best show him one of n
ur wedding ceremonies and arrange 8
hat he should be part of it. but your
ervices will not be required
Wyman stood looking at the speak
r wonderingly. The excitement Of the /,
base was upon him. Moreover, a de-
ghtful suspicion flashed in his mind
hat there was something more in this
CEREMONY than to show him a custom
the country.
As for the crowd, It showed signs
dissent. There were cries OF "a
'edding, weddingr' But the count.
IS, who was much beloved by the
eople, stilled them.
For my part" said Wyman, looking
Olga with eyes that expressed far
ore than his words implied. II think
e people are right We should not
sappoint them"
At this the cries were renewed. and
is time Olga found it impossible TO
III them. She gave Wyman a ques-
'ning look. then dropped her eyes.
lyman struck while the iron was hot
ID sfsnaled to the priest TO advance
q perform the ceremony. Olga yield
. and the two, having been made one.
ere escorted to the brides home by
singing, shouting pcpulace.
Wyman returned TO the embassy at
Petersburg, and\it was announced
the world that the secretary OF the
nerican legation and the Countess
ga 1yanovna were betrothed Not n
Ig afterward they were married In W
esenca of the imperial family. and
re were few persons at the capital
10 knew that this was a supplement II
y ceremony. Ii
Vyman's life hss been spent rlostly
Dad. but portion OF it he has lived
America with his Russian wife.