The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-19
echo Of a Rivalry.
BY DAVID H. TALMAGE.

ing, reading. He was such hand for
love stories. Once let him become inter-
ested in q book, and he'd be chilled to
the marrow of his bones before he knew
it. Now | am different; reading tires me.
One of the principal reasons why / have
home in summer is because l want to set
away from books. But | like love stories
yes, yes. And here one gets them with
out reading; one simply listens and alb
sorbs''
How lovely!' murmured Mrs. Van
Grive
isn't it, Only yesterday man arrived
here-I have forgotten his name, but it
doesn't matter-who was prominently
identified with a real romance, | don't
know how many years ago There was
girl here then whom all the men were
crazy after despite the fact that her eyes
were dreadfully crossed. But she turned
them all away with the exception of two
at least, that's the way the story goes.
And of these two one was bow-legged
and the other was unbearably conceited
One of the kind one feels like asking
how much they'll take for the earth, you
know
Van Grive laughed mirthlessly
you know the kind?" The old lady
nodded first at Van Grive, then at his
wife, and they nodded in return. 'EAnd-
some he was and clever with his tongue
while the other man was not. Yet the
other man was made of nobier stuff, as
the girl found out quite by chance. And
III warrant you she married him, al
though the one who told me the story did
not kEow as to that. She should have
married him, at any rate, for he risked
his life to save hers. He was driving a
blackboard through the village towards
the station one day when the rivalry was
al it's height, and he CHANGED to see the
other man hurrying along the walk in
the same direction. What did he do? He
drew up and invited the other man TO
ride. Yes, he did. The other man was
his rival, yet he took him III. Tis not
often we hear Of such things in real
life''
.Vert noble OF him, I'm sure" mum
bled Van Grive.
His wife merely inclined her head, Of
fering no comment.
well, when they were half way down
the hill, somethng-a sursingle or q b5liy
band or something about the harness
broke, and the horses became unmanage-
able and ran away Ugh. it makes me
shudder to think OF iti,'
Me, too" quoted Van Grve, raising
his shoulders; lit must have been terri
BILE
."Ah. yes, but the most awful feature
of it is yet to be revealed. Directly in
the path of the maddened animals, per-
haps twenty feet beyond the railway
track, was the girl alone in a vehicle.
Think of what her sensations must have
beenis'
81 did" said Mrs. Van Grive earnestly,
and Van Grive hastily drew a handkcr-
chief from his pocket and wiped some
thing from his eye.
..She had been driving along the beach,
and had come into the roadway just in
time to see death staring her in the face.
She stopped her horse. Doubtless she
was quite paralyzed with fright. TIE
two men saw her, and one of theln-tha
handsome, egotistical one-instead Of
helping his rival proved the smallness
of his soul by dropping off into the dust.
while the other, who might have done
the same, chung Ike a Spartan TO Ihe
reins. The team must be turned aside
to save her. he perhaps muttered from
between cIenched teeth. Il ca mot turn
aside here, for there is ditch. but dt
the track / Will do it or die You see.
had he relinquished the reinS the team
would have followed the road, and dis
aster to the girl would have been iaev-
table,
Absolutely, agreed Van Grive.
Then, just before the track was
reached the tongue-that is what it is
called. L belieye-came down. 1t struck
the rail. The light blackboard rose into
the air, and the man was propelled like
q missile from one of these old war ma
chimes you see pictures of directly into
the lap of the girl, while the team true
to the impulse given it by last despair |
ing heroic pull upon one rein, rushed
snorting down the track. The man was
not injured. He assisted the grl n
soothing the feelings of her horse. which