The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-29
A Defeated C0nQuGrOr.

into possession of decent little legacy
left me by my uncle, but ] bad also
won the hand and heart of Ada Miller,
the Drottiest and most charming young
lady in tho whole county.
People said her father was im-
menscly rich, and that she would come
in for a handsome fortune at his death;
but what cared about that? For had
| not sufficient for us both, even If she
were pcnnilcss? ? And did not love her
with the whole strength Of a pure and
DISTINGUISHED love? | cannot begin to
describe her to you, for the task is
quite beyond me. Suffice it to say
thut she was admired by all who know
her, and loyeo. by not few.
Tho luttcr circumstances ceased to
disturb me when once | became her
accepted lover, though before that
time it occasioned me Il 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 ho seemed to possess
everything that u young lady could
desire. He was tall, broad shoulder
ed, handsome, with Il pleasing man
ner and faultless dress, and in addi-
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
gcn,lemanly, never obtruding bis pres
encel 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 a most
engaging manner that she had never
loved anyone else. You may be sure
that | Was in Ccstasies, and scarcely
knew for the next few months whether
walked upon air 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 ead occurred to ular the Car.
mouy o. the scene, whcr. quite Nm
eSpectedly. something happened, which
h.!ed 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 eXiste nee fol,
the time had almost forgotten.
lie had received the nDws If our en-
gagem2nt in an apparently calM and
qulct manner, anu his subsequent be-
haVlor had not led us To regard him as
Dolng more than ordinarily Affected by
IT, but in the event | am about to de-
scribe, was enabled to SEQ how deep
and trn"ic the effect upon him really
was.
The revelation came in this wise.
1T wanted but two days to our we'd
ding, and | had occasion to 80 on q
little business connected with 1T to a
neighboring town, a place some four
miles distant from my home. Having
accomplished my errand, and finding
that had some considerable time to
wait for train, | resolved to walk
back, so striking out, l soon left the
town behind me.
1t was a fine moonlight night, and
as 1t promised to continue SO, [ de-
termincd to take a short cut across the
country, which | reckOned would save
a quarter Of an hour at the least. The
road would De very lonely for it was
q path that was seldom used, but that
throuoled me little, fo~ my thoug hts
were company enough that nigat.
had gone somewhere abUUt two
miles when the moon suddenly ClOudG0
over, AND J was left il parAtive
darkness
AZ ] knew The way howrvor, 1
thought nothing II IL, pat Lrudnod
chccrfuIly along, thinking only Of Ada
ana approaching onion. ;5uddculy,
ri ItIVI 2. =.
ground gave Nay from Vu1ur uuy IDet
and ten myself 1aIJi,Y bcAdIrDv
dOwn, dOWD iHtO tbe deDtbs OF tAe
earth. How far fell kpew NDt ~
the time j learned nfterwnrd Lbnt t.
was about thirty te"t-but expected
Instant death when renchad the bot
tom, and without doubt that wOuId
have been my fate had not the bottom
OF the hole been filed with wulor TO "A
considerable depth. This broke INV
fall, and mlso by It's coldncss rostor0d
mo to my senses.
| struck out on coming to tho sur
face, and swan around to find some
thing to which could hold on. After
considerable time spent in searching,
during which the full horror OF the
sltuatlon began to dawn upon mo,
at last discovered piece OF woodwork
fixed in the side Of tho pit.
Ihls eagerly grasped, and, resting
partially on it with half my body in
the water, l began to consider my
position.
| knew at once the place into which
l mad fallen, and as the knowledge
Mashed across my mind | cursed my
self for "aving been SO careless as to
stumble nto it. 1t was an old, disused
shalt W ch had been there for genera.
tions. not many people were aware
OF its existence, for it was in q wild
and solitary spot scarcely ever visited
by anyone. |, however, had seen it
several times in my moorland wander.
ings, and had always regarded it as q
dangerous place. 1t was partially
fenced round, but must have wander
ed in through one Of the gaps.
There was no footpath anywhere
near 1t, so | must, in the darkness,
have lost my way. However, here /
was, and the question confronted me