The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-06
A RIVALS LOVE.

"A HI AL u 1Vf Is
People said was the luckiest follow
living, and quite Endorsed their opinion
for had not only entered into possession
Of decent little legacy left me by my
uncle, but I had also won the hand and
| heart Of Ada Miller, the prettiest and
most charming young lady In the whole
county. ~ss--'-'ate-r-
People said her father was immensely
rich ana that she would come in Tor d
handsome fortune at his death, but what
cared about that For had not suffi-
cient for us both, even II she were penni-
less9 And did I not love her with the
whole strength Of pure and disnterested
lovef cannot begin to describe her to
you, for the task is quite beyond me. Suf-
foe It to say that Che was admired by all
who knew her and loved by not a few
The latter circumstance ceased TO dis
turb me whep once became her accepted
lover, though before that time it coca
stoned 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 every.
thing that young lady could desire. He
was tall, broad ahouldered, handsome, with
pleasing manner and faultless dress, and
In addition to all this he was endowed
with more than an average share Of this
worlds goods.
conducted his wooing in way with which
not even his closest rival could find fault.
Kind, oonsiderate and gentlemanly, never
obtruding bis presence unnecessarily, he
yet managed topay her considerable alton
ton, and many an anxious time did I
spend, fearing that his superior atttao-
lions would put me in the shade.
Fate, however, decided otherwise, for
wheh I 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 any one
else. You may be sure that was in &C.
stasies and scarcely knew for the next few
months whether walked upon air or up.
on 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 moth
ing had occurred to mar the harmony of
the scene, when, quite Unexpectedly, some.
thing happened which filed mo with the
deepest horror, and which causes me to
shudder even now as recall 1t.
Ithas partly to do with my rival, Horace
Rishton, whose existence for the time
had almost forgotten.
He had received the news of our engage
ment In an apparently calm and quiet
manner, and his subsequent behavior had
not led US to regard him as being more
than ordinarily affected by it, but in tho
event am about to describe was enabled
to see how deep and tragic the effect upon
him really was
The revelation came In this wise:
Itwanted but two days to our wedding,
and had occasion to go on little busi-
ness connected with 10 to q neighboring
town, place some four miles distant from
my home. Having accomplished my err
rand, and finding that had some consid-
cradle time to wait for train, resolved
to walk back. SO, striking out, soon left
the town behind me-
It was fine moonlight night, and as ID
promised to continue SO determined to
take short cut across the country, which
I reokoned would save quarter of an hour
at the least The road would be very lone
ly, for 1t 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 clouded over and
] was left In comparative darkness
As knew the way, however, Thought
nothing of 1t, but trudged cheerfully along,
thinking only Of Ada and our approaching
union. Suddenly, and without a moments
warning, the ground gave way from under
my feet, and felt myself falling headlong
down, down into the depths of the earth.
How far fell I knew not at the time--I
learned afterward that itw about so feet
but expected instant death when I
reached the bottom, and without doubt
that would have been my fate had not the
bottom of the hole been filed with water
to considerable depth. This broke my
fall, and also by its GOODNESS restored me to
my senses.
struck out on coming to the surface,
and swan around to find something to
which ! could hold on. After consider
able time spent In searching, during which
the full horror of the situation began to
dawn upon me, at last discovered a piece
Of woodwork fixed in the side of tho pit
This eagerly grasped, and resting par
TALLY on 1t with half my body in the wa
ter began to consider my position.
knew at once the place into which I
had fallen, and as the knowledge flashed
across my mind cursed myself for having
been 80 careless as to stumble into 1t. 1t
was an DID, dsused shaft which had been
there for generations. Not many people
were aware Of It's existence, for it was in
by any one. l, however, had seen it sew
eral times, in my moorland wanderlngs,
and had always regarded 1t as dangerous
place 1t was partially fenced round, but
I must have wandered In through one of
the gaps.
There was no footpath anywhere near
II, so must in the darkness have lost my
way. However, here was and the ques-
ton confronted mellow was l to get QUIZ
tried to discover II ID was possible to
climb out, but the sides Of the pit offered
no hold Of any kind, SO had to abandon
that idea.
! next shouted, In the hope that some
solitary wanderer might hear my cries,
but no answering voice was heard until
after had shouted myself hoarse I was
obliged to sink back In silence and despair.
My heart sickened as 1 thought Of the
loneliness Of the place. and how days, and
,ven weeks, might elapse before any one
passed that way. = /
I struck out frantioslly round the pit to
seek again for some means of escape, but
ny search was as fruitless as before
Despair took hold of me- I thought Of