Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-02-01

but my search was as fruitlesS us before.
Despair took hold of me. l thought
Of Ada, of our approaching marriage
of the preparations which had been
made. and the plans which had been
formed.
How bright the world had seemed but
q few moments before, and how keen
ly / had anticipated its pleasures! And
now it was all over. l must think no
more of entering again the bright region
above and sharing in the joys that await
ed me there. L was doomed to dle-t0
die lonely, solitary, horrible de. III, and
to lie in a watery grave. AS | held on
to my feeble support and thought of all
this, my brain reeled within me, and
feared that my reason must give way.
Death instead of marriage! What q
contrast! Just when | ought to be lead
ing my bride to the altar and stepping
across the portal of married life, to let
go my hold here and fall into the cold.
relentless arms of death! And what of
Ada then? Surely she would sorrow,
and grieve, and be disconsOlate.
But Horace Rishton! What Of him?
Might they not become man and = But,
no. the thought was torturing, and drove
me in a fit Of frenzy to shout again with
all my might But it was all in vain, for
no one heard.
How the night passed ! cannot tell
neither do ! know how the morning
hours dragged on, for l was numb with
cold, and faint with hunger and fatigue.
/ only know that after what seemed to
me to be ages, footsteps drew near and
Il voice called out from above:
''Are you there, Fred?'
My heart leaped into my mouth, and
for Il moment | was unable to litter Il
sound. At last | murmured i'll Il Faint
voice:
I'm heavens name, get me out! I'm
dying"
Can you hold on another minute?' the
voice asked 1--WE got rope here.
Keep up till | fasten it to this stake.
Can you slip a loop round your body, or
shall | come down to you!
''Send the rope down. III manage to
pass it round" / shouted eagerly.
In another minute it was dangling be
fore my eyes and was soon passed under
my arms, after which | gave the word
TO draw up. Slowly | assembled, and at
last emerged into the light and freedom
of the upper air.
AS I lay pDon the ground-for my legs
were useless to mel looked at my de-
liverer and wept for very JOY at ny re-
lease.
1t was Horace Rishton who had saved
me, and if ever my heart went out TO my
rival, it was then.
Il cannot sufficiently thank you, | be-
gan.
''Give me no thanks, he interrupted
harshly ''Thank heaven, instead.
Heaven and hell have been fighting over
you and heaven has won. But you little
know how near you have been TO death.
[ looked up in wonderment at him, for
his words were uninteligible to me. lie
took no notice of my look, but con sinued:
Il guessed where you were, call It IN
stinct or whatever you like. No one else
did They will seek everywhere but
here. But I seemed to know, and-Well,
the devil tempted me, nay, he fought
with me. Don't you know why? You
love Ada Miller, do you not? Then, so
do l. Yes, with love that is all-con-
suming-a love which gives me 10 rest
night or day, love which makes it i'm
possible for me to live without her. You
have won her hand, but don't you think
l envy you? Don't you think | even
hate you at times? And when | guessed
YOU were here don't you see that the devil
tempted me to leave you here and 70 say
nothing whatever about it? But Ada
has chosen you, she loves you. Your
wedding day draws near. Go-take her
and be happy. But for me happiness In
this life is over
He turned away to unloosen the rope
which he had made fast to one OF the
stakes of the fence.
[ watched him wonderingly, with
dazed mind, when all in moment, be
fore I could think or speak, he reeled.
fell over, and toppled headlong into the
Dit from whence he had drawn me, car.
rying the rope with him.
Good heavens, he's gomez | shrieked,
and springing to my feet-for the numb
ness left me for moment rushed TO
the mouth of the shaft, crying frantlcal-
ly. Horace! Horace"
But no answer came to my cries. A
loud splash succeeded his fall, then all
was still and silent as the grave. l
looked around for help, but no help was
near, and overcome with weakness, IA
tigue and horror, / fell senseless to the
ground.
When I came to I found myself in
the same position, and knowing that
it was extremely improbable that any
one would pass that way, | put forth
all my strength, and dragged myself
with great difficulty in the direction of
home.
When I had gone a mile or SO l en-
tered upon a more frequented road, and
soon fell in with those who rendered HE
all the assistance [ required.
NY story caused a great sensation, as
YOU may be sure, and for time l was
the one object Of interest in the place.
Ada looked upon me as one given back
cordingly. Her joy would have. been
complete had it not been for the I'M
fortunate death of Horace Rishton, for
that naturally cast a gloom over us all.
OF course, his death was put down to
accident, and much regret expressed at
the painful occurrence, but |; who had
seen the whole thing, knew that it was
no accident, though, rightly or wrongly,
I kept the knowledge to myself.
Why should | blazon abroad the fact
that Horace Rishton, after CALAMITY say
ing my life, had deliberately destroyed
his own?
1t would have been 9 poor return for
the service he had rendered me; it would
have done no good to those who knew
him and who revered his memory; and
above all, it would have been a source Of
constant pain and grief to my own little
darling wife.
By accident therefore let it be, and
may his soul rest in peace!
Every year we pay visit to his grave,
and as we gaze upon the silent tomb,
we think with gratitude and yet with
regret of a rivals love.-Household
Words.
An Electric SaWmill.