The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-11-20
A RIVALS LOVE.

peonle said 1 was the luckiest fello"
living, and l quite Endorsed their opln
ion. for / had not only entered into pos
session of decent little legacy left me
bv nv uncle, but | had also won the
hand and heart of Ada Miller, the pref
test and most charming young iady
in the whole country.
People said her father was Immensely
rich, and that she would come IN for a
handsome fortune at his death; pun
what cared / about that? For had
not sufficient for us both, even IL she
were penniless? And did not love her
with the whole strength OF pure ana
disinterested love? l cannot begin to
describe her to you, for the task is
quite beyond me. Suffice it to say that
she was admired by all who knew her.
and loved by not few.
The latter circumstances ceased to
disturb me when once became her ac-
cepted lover. though before that time it
occasioned me great deal of anxiety,
and caused me to spend many restless
night.
Of one lover in particular had | been
Jealous, for to my excited and fear
laden imagination he seemed to possess
everything that a young lady could de-
sire. He was tall, broad-shouldered,
handsome, with pleasing manner and
faultless dress, and in addition to a..
this, he was endowed with more than
an average share of this worlds goods.
He was madly in love with Ada, but
conducted his wooing in way with
which not even his closest rival could
find fault. Kind, considerate and gen
tlemanly, never obtruding his presence
unnecessarily, he yet managed to pay
her considerable attention, and many
an anxious time did | spend, fearing
that his superior attractions would put
me in the shade.
Fate, however, decided otherwise, for
when summoned up courage to put my
fortunes to the test, Ada shyly accepted
me, informing me in most engaging
manner that she had never loved anyone
else. You may be sure that I was in
ecstasies, and scarcely knew for the
next few months whether walked upon
sir or upon solid ground.
Our engagement was to last year,
at the end of which time our marriage
was to take place.
The time had almost elapsed, and
nothing had occurred to mar the har-
mony of the scene. when, quite uneX-
pectedly, something happened which
filled me with the deepest horror, and
which causes me to shudder even now
as recall it.
1t has partly to do with my rival,
Horace Rishton, whose existence fo-
the time had almost forgotten.
He had received The news of our en-
gagement in an apparently calm and
quiet manner, and his subsequent be-
havior had not led us to regard him as
being more than ordinarily affected by
1t, but in the event I am about to de-
scribe 1 was enabled to see how deep
and tragic the effect upon him really
was.
The revelation came in this wise:
1t wanted but two days to our we'd
uiDS, anu Hdu OccdSlOn 10 go on a
little business connected with it to a
neighboring town, place some four
miles distant from my home. Having
accomplished my errand and finding
that had considerable time to wait for
a train, resolved to walk back; so,
striking out, soon left the town be-
hind me.
1t was fine moonlight night, and, as
il promised TO continue so, 1 deter
mined to take short cut across. the
country, which reckoned would save
a quarter of an hour at the least. The
road would be very lonely. for it was
path that was seldom used, but that
troubled me little. for my thoughts
were company enough that night.
/ had gone somewhere about two
miles when the moon suddenly cI0uded
over and / was left in comparative dark
ness.
ASH knew the way, however, I thought
nothing of II, but trudged cheerfuIly
along, thinking only of Ada and our
approaching union. Suddenly and