The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-20
MY RIVAL

cannot say that l thought much of
Macintosh. He seemed to me a great
| prig Good looking? Well, yes-in bar
! ber's block sort of way. Curly, oiled hair,
! pink complexion, white teeth. His teeth
were good, must say, and when he smiled
/ his appearance varied from that of a skull
/ to that of dog out of temper about bones.
/ am in the horse artillery, and Macintosh
was non-military, and lofty, on occasions,
at having passed the Indian civil. But
! do not believe he could do mathematics,
/ and without them he could neither have
/ passed IN or out of Woolwich.
! We were both home in England on a short
/ leave from India.
, Down at Brighton, in the summer, had
met DR.. and Mrs. Cherry, who were friends
of mine. We had been stationed at Delhi
once together. They were going out again
/ in December, and intending to take their
daughter Ellen with them. She was an
exceptionally nice girl, with light hair and
blue eyes and a low musical voice q must
say like blondes, and a harsh voice is one
of my crosses) and | saw a good deal Of
her and should have seen more only Mack
intOsh was rather in the way. He was
with his people, who live at Hove. |
should not have cared at all about his tame
cat visits if Ellen had been entirely her
own mistress. But there was mamma.
And those blessed civilians are worth
certain sum, dead or alive | believe the
pensions fetch the maternal mind more
than anything.
However, l found out that my friends
proposed to go to India by the steamer
leaving Marseilles on Jan. 2 And that
was just the time my leave was up. 1t
was in the days when one steamer started
from Southampton, and few days after
ward another from Marseilles, and they
met in Egypt. The journey was cheaper
by the bay, and had intended TO take that
route. but ! net Macintosh at the Office,
and found he was going from SOuthamp-
ton to please a chum. You would scarcely
believe it, but it was the case, nevertheless,
that the MarseilleS passengers thought
themselves rather more in society than the
Southamptons. So / pondered: IF my
agents will find the money l will give
Master Macintosh the go by" l took a
Southampton berth, but the clerk said /
might change it for q Marseilles one after
ward if liked. And this / did | started
from Dover the day after Christmas day,
and at Paris went straight TO the Hotel
Byron, where / knew the Cherrys were
staying
Friend Mac" said to myself, with
the brand of Southampton on his brow,
will never be able TO cope with my cont
mental prestige"
/ travelled with my friends in lesurely
way; we gave twenty-four hours to Lyons,
and reached Marseilles on the evening of
Dec. 81. Our inn, the Du Midi, was on the
road to the New Quarter, and l have been
told, since the building speculations were
not so successful, it has been altered and
let out in flats. But at that day it was
high, well-like house, having courtyard
in the middle, adorned with pomegranates
in green boxes where we sat after table
d'hote and drank coffee and cognac.
Mrs. Cherry had letter that evening by
BIZ the post, and l observed that its receipt
created interest, and I heard one or two
observations which did not, however, in
any way interpret themselves to me at the
time. Really, after all?' But is IT, ere
timer" "How has it been managed?" and
so on.
And when l asked what projects were in
view for seeing the place next day Mrs. /
Cherry only replied, Something will sug-
gest itself"
Jan. was general holiday, and from
an early hour the streets began 20 fill, for
the peasants came in from the neighbor- (
hood. and all the artisans turned out in /
their gayest costumes. The Cherrys had
breakfast in their own apartments, and .
on returning from the sal a-manger went |
into my own bedroom, which was high up,
and sat at the window smoking a cigar
cite. Hearing a noise below looked out
and saw the Cherrys starting without Civ. 4
ing me any notice. Ellen, however, OBJ /
served me.
Where are you of top l called down &c
her.
I'VE are going" she said. ito walk in /
the Canebiere. Ii viii be great fun! Come |
alongr'
Come alongi OF course | would! ] /
snatched up my hat and a dustcoat, and 4
on rushing from my room observed slight F.
iron gates and within, lift, stationary |
There was no gas IN it nor any attendant, I
and had not noticed il before or heard Of .
people going mp or down. But the thought .
struck me. Il may as well use it-tiue .
viii be saved" The grating was unlocked 4
! entered, took a seat and pulled the rope /
The liz began TO descend. DarkDess-but /
only for moment or Uwo-and then an
other grating: and on-into the darkness /
again. Suddenly felt that the seat l was
occupying was losing its horizontal posi-. 4
position It sunk on one side There was /
grievous creaking. scrapiug, crashing and \
then stoppage. Half way between two /
landing places the machine had stuck in 4
movably fast.
OF course il was very awkward But .
there was apparently no cause for alarm
knew should get out in time but Sill .
ii might be a longlsh Jo5. / did not hear
mach noise, and concluded / was among
thick walls and not near a grazing But
there was some rumbiInc and shouts a. / .
t------- u - - - -
was still had not called our. .Cr 1 v.ls
anxious 70 show I was cool and not dis
turbed by trihing accident Of the sort
Indeed, hsd planned 10 come out snoS-
ing for had fusee and a & gar case with
me A. there was no vent. however, put
OF lighting Up till ny release was near al
hand. did not wish the ar 70 b closer
than II was
had Just thought vaguely, They VIII
get me out, aud viii emerge smoking"
But two things abruptly occurred % ne,
How will they ger you outs and then.
. Are you sure they will LOOK for vout"
BY heavenl tbs later idea became serious
The lift must have been out Of repair-un-
Ct for use. Il was careless 10 leave ina