Milford chronicle., 1903-02-06
MY RIVAL.
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HOW HE GOT THE BETTER
OF ME IN CONSEQUENCE
OF AN ACCIDENT.
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I cannot say that I thought much Of
Macintosh. He seemed to me a great
prig. Good looking? Well, yes, in
BARRIERS block sort of way-curly, oil
ed hair, pink complexion, white teeth.
His teeth were good, must say, and
when he smiled his appearance varied
from that of a skull to that of a dog
out of temper about bones. In the
summer I had met Dr. and Mrs. Cher
~, who were friends Of mine. We had
been at Delhi once together. They
were going out again in December and
Intending to take their daughter Ellen
with them. She was an exceptionally
nice girl, with light hair and blue eyes
and a low, musical voice Il must say
! like blondes, and a harsh voice is
one of my crosses), and saw a good
deal of her and should have seen more
only Macintosh was rather in the
way.
However, I found out that my
friends proposed to go to India by the
steamer leaving Marseilles on Jan. >.
And that was just the time my leave
was up. 1t was in the days when
one steamer started from Southampton
and a few days after another from
Marseilles, and they met in Egypt The
journey was cheaper by the bay, and
! had intended to take that route, but l
met Macintosh at the office and found
he was going from Southampton to
please a chum. You would scarcely
believe it, but it was the case never
theless, that the Marseilles passengers
thought themselves rather more in So
ciety than the Southamptons. So
pondered, "If my agents will find the
money, 1 will give Master Macintosh
the go by" 1 took a Southampton
berth, but the clerk said l might
change it for a Marseilles one after
ward If I liked. And this 1 did. l
started from Dover the day after
Christmas day and at Paris went
straight to the Hotel Byron, where I
knew the Cherrys were staying.
"Friend Mac" I said to myself, with
the brand of Southampton on his brow
will never be able to cope with my
continental prestige"
travelled with my friends in a
leisurely way. We gave "a hours to
Lyons and reached Marseilles on the
evening of Dec. 81. Our inn, the Du
Midi. was on the road to the New
Quarter, and I have been told. since
the building speculations were not so
successful, it has been altered and let
out in fats. But at that day it was a
high, well like house, having a court
yard in the middle, adorned with /
pomegranates in green boxes, where /
we sat after table d'hote and drank /
coffee and cognac.
Mrs. Cherry had letter that evening /
by the post, and I observed that its
receipt created interest, and l heard /
one or two observations which did not. /
however. in any way interpret them
selves to me at the time. Really. .
after all?' But is there timeY "How /
has it been managed?" and so on.
And when I asked what projects /
were in view for seeing the place next /
day Mrs. Cherry only replied, "Some-
thing will suggest itself"
Jan. was a general holiday, and
from an early hour the streets began
to fill. for the peasants came in from
the neighborhood, and all the artisans
turned out in their gayest costumes.
The Cherrys had breakfast in their
own apartments, and l on returning
from the sale manger went into my
own bedroom. which was high up and
sat at the window smoking a ciga-
rette. Hearing a noise below, l look
ed out and saw the Cherrys starting.
without giving me notice Ellen, how
ever, observed me.
where are you off top I called
down to her.
I'VE are going" she said. ito walk
in the Canebere. 1t will be great fun!
Come alongr'
Come along? OF course I would! l
snatched up my hat and a dustcoat
and on rushing from my room observ-
ed slight iron gates and within a lift.
There was no gas in it
nor any attendant, and 1 had not no
ticed It before or heard Of people going
up or down. But the thought struck
me- Il may as well use it. time will be
saved" The grating was unlocked.
took seat and pulled the
rope. The lift began to descend. Dark
ness. but only for a moment or two.
and then another grating. and on-into I
The darkness again. Suddenly l felt
hat the seat was occupying was los
ng its horizontal position. It sunk on
1ne side. There was grievous creak-
ng, scraping, crashing and then stop {
1age. Half way between two landing I
)laces the machine had stuck immoya-
)ly fast. c
OF course It was verv awkward. buf {