The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-19
TO WED COUNTESS

lCont1nued from Page One-l
without orders from his command,
took out his ambulance after night
fall, drove into the city and .,ided in
the evacuation of the wounded civil
ians. 1t was for his behavior on this
occasion that the Duke of Aosta's
cross was awarded to him.
In the course of the night he drove
his ambulance to the doorway of the
de Rossi mansion, one side of which
had been struck by a bomb. In the
courtyard stood the young countess,
wringing her hands in despair at the
destruction of her home. There were
no wounded to be hurried away, but
in their stead Mr.. Baker invited the
countess to go with him to the country
where 1t was safe. And so in q Ford
ambulance the two rode away, forty
miles out to one of the de Rossi
villas, with its hills crowned with
olive trees and frs.
Three weeks" stayed there, but
three days would have been enough"
Mr.. Baker told me today. "It was
plain case of love at first sight.
have never seen the equal of her.
~, Her father took an exceptional
liking to me and did everything for
me. Traditions, lands. castles and
palaces that he has, he seemed de-
lighted when /, a Kansan of no fame
or fortune, asked his daughter in mar
riage."
He'll BE There Saturday.
Mr.. Bakers story of his stay at the
Venetian villa is one round of almost
unbelievable romance that smacks al
most of Grimm or Hans Andersen, with
tales of long banquet tables with bril-
liant lights and gorgeous hangings in
high ceilinged rooms that echo each
football on the marble floor. There
are stories of motor drives thru the
foothills along the Brenta river, of re-
ceptions in age-old castles with the
full dress of a militant Italy. and of
wanderings in sweeping gardens with
their long terraces and trickling
springs.
Mr.. Baker, who has not seen his
parents since his return from Italy,
will arrive in Topeka Saturday. De-
cember 81. for a two weeks visit be-
fore resuming his work at Harvard
He will be accompanied by his brother.
GLADDEN. w. Baker. chief statistician
of the New York board of health at
Albany.
He Carried state Journals.
Milford Baker is the eldest son of
the Rev. NJ. w. Baker and Mrs Baker,
of 1903 Bolles avenue. The Rev. Mr..
Baker Is a Congregational minister,
now in business in this city. He is a
Yale man, and his sons, Milford and
GLADDEN., are to be graduated this
spring from the two largest UNIVERSE
ties in America. Baker made his way
thru Washburn college by carrying
State Journals, and after graduating
he entered Harvard, also paying his
expenses by working thru the sum
mers in Boston. In Washburn he was
member of the Alpha Delta fra
ternity.
The younger brother, GLADDEN., now
20 years of age. was graduated from
Washburn college. and entered Yale
university at the age of IS. He spe-
cialized i'm philanthropy and vital re-
search. He is now with the New York
board of health. and is preparing his
thesis for his masters degree. He
also earned his own way thru school.
Parents Don't Know.
The parents of young Baker had not
heard of the engagement of their son
to the titled lady of italy up to this
morning.
mo doubt" his mother said. after
her first expression of surprise upon
hearing the news, that he is saving
the story for us until he arrives on
Saturday or Sunday"