WATT WEMYSS'S RIVAL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3200, 30 September 1881, Page 4

WATT WEMYSS'S RIVAL.

Theirs had been a stormy courtship. Watt Wemysa "was one of your fidgety, self-tor-menting sort of lovers, and so jealous — ■why, had Miranda been his sweetheart, ten to one but he would have scented a rival in the 'freckled, hag-born ' Caliban. But his sweetheart was Diantha Drew, of a temper widely different from the gentle Miranda's. Her moods -were as capricious as an April day. Seldom or never was hapless Watt allowed to bask over an hour at once in the sunshine of her smiles. Her theory of keeping a lover up to his work, was to keep him constantly on the rack —not quite to drive him to despair, but the nearer to the verge of it the better. More than once Watt had seriously debated the pros and cons of turning his baok on the freakish beauty and seeking some gloomy solitude wherein to sit, like a lovesick Volney, amid the ruins of his hopes, and sigh away his days in melancholy broodings. But just at the critical moment Diantha would vouchsafe a gracious 100k —one so full of tender meaning, so irresistably enchanting, that before he knew he found himself again at her feet, and more than ever her submissive slave. One day Watt, after a longer than usual season of calm between Diantha and himself, resolved to make an end of the worries that were wearing him to skin and bono bodily and to a green and yellow melancholy mentally, or know the reason why. He would pluck up courage and ask Diantha to name the day. It ran in the family, he had heard it said, to be shrews before marriage and angels atterwards. He could himself avouch what a loving, gentle wife Diantha's Aunt Elinor had been from the day Abdiel Meigs led her to the altar till death did them part; yet many could recall tlie woes of Abdiel's wooing, and how he confessed that he had gone at last, with a dose of ratsbane, in his pocket, determined, if the froward fair one didn't put an end to his suspense, to end it for himself. Diantha Drew lived at her Aunt Elinor's, and it was thither that Watt Wemyss hied his steps, big with the resolve already mentioned. Could he see Miss Drew ? he inquired of the servant who answered his ring. Miss Drew was engaged just then, the girl believed, but if he would wait, she would carry in his name. He would wait, and for that purpose was conducted to the front parlor. He picked up a book, but had hardly opened it when the sound of voices through the door that led to the library arrested his attention. In an instant tbe firo of his jealousy rose to white heat. One of the voices was Diantha's, as softly modulated as a cooing dove's ; the other —it maddened him to hear it—was Ichabod Bligh's, deep-toned, impassioned, earnest, like that of a pleading lover on his knees. Watt had long suspected Ichabod of being none too good to seek to be his rival j but, good heavens ! had it come to this ? Had the villain presumed—• But hark! ' Perhaps there is another ?' hoarsely queried the voice of Ichabod. ' No, let me assure you there is no other,' answered hers, with earnest warmth. 4 Because,' Ichabod furiously thundered, 'if I thought that sneaking wretch whose namo vile rumor links with yours had but the smallest ground for hope, I'd—l'd—' { Pray calm yourself; he is nothing—less than nothing—to me,' Diantha hastened to interrupt. There was something sepulchral in Ichabod's voice when next he spoke : "My Jlife hangs on the question I am about to ask ! Do not I entreat you, answer it lightly. Adorable creature, do you love me?' The answer came in a voice so still and small that Watt Wemyss's ears, strained as they were to catch the slightest sound, failed to hear it. But the sequel made it easy to divine the purport. ' Your words have thrilled my soul with joy!' cried Ichabod, in ecstasy. ' Come, darling, let me clasp you to this bosom, henceforth to be your resting-place !" Watt could bear to hear no more. His first impulse was to rush in and throttle his supplanter with the faithless Diantha in his arms ; but on reflecting that Ichabod was a strapping, brawny fellow, who prowess had more than once been proved, he gave away to discretion, and made a rapid advance homewards. ' No ! I'll not let her drive me to despair and strychnine,' Watt wisely concluded, after an hour's cool reflection in the quiet of his chamber. ' I'll bear it like a man, and let her see I do.' The next evening was that of Mrs Blount's party. It was to be a grand affair. Everybody was invited, Watt Wemyss among the rest. He was to have been Diantha Drew's escort on tho occasion ; but that was out of the question now. Of course, Ich. Bligh would supply his place. Still, he wasn't going to stay away. He would put on a stiff upper lip and go, if it was only to show Diantha how little he cared for her defection. Watt Wemyss's get-up was something stunning ; and there was a noticeable swagger in his air as he strode up and down Mrs Blount's spacious parlors. Just let Hm see Diantha Drew; that was all! Wouldn't he freeze her with a stare ? He had been keeping one on ice ail day for her \;

It was clvca' I .y late when Dirncha made her appearance. Sin didn't come with Ichabod niigh, after all, but in company with her. aunt, and looking anything but cheerful. Possibly she had been crying: at least her eves looked red enough. ' And no wonder,' thought Watt Wemyss, ' If she has imv conscience !' The frigid "stare was tin-own away on Diantha, who was swept into the crowd, and Watt saw her no more ti.il some hours Afc last there came a lull in the music and dancing, and word was passed to the guests that if they would assemble in the main parlor, there was a little surprise in store for them. When all had found places, a curtain at the farther end was drawn up, revealing a 'miniature stage, with appropriate appointments, and a lady and gentleman entering from the wine:. Watt's heart, in spite of the discipline he had put it through, leaped to his mouth as the two performers Lamed to face tlie audience, and lie recognized Diantha Drew and Ichabod Bligh. But juo:;-. of his surprise when he heard them rep' -it the very dialogue that had been such gall and wormwood" to him the day before ! He saw and heard but little of the play ; for ho hung his head, overwhelmed with confusion, and felt more like a donkey than he had ever done before. He was too completely abashed to risk meeting Diantha in 'the presence of spectators, and took advantage of the rush to supper to steal away unobserved. He made an early call next morning, though, and made a clean breast of how he had "played the spy on Diantha's and Ichabod's rehearsal, and, taking it for real, had run away in a mad fit of jealousy. Then Diantha up and told how she had cried her eyes red because Watt hadn't come to take her to tho party. Then they both laughed, and promised never to distrust each other again ; and a month afterwards they were married, and Diantha made as good a wife as Aunt Elinor had been to the late Abdiei Mei_s.