LOVERS’ TRAGEDY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 675, 29 May 1929, Page 9

LOVERS’ TRAGEDY

DEATH’S SAD INTRUSION END OF MARRIAGE DREAM The death oi au IS-year-old giw and a young man of 21 within nine days of each other has put an end to a bov and girl romance which started at the ’SVarblington Street Mission, Old Portsmouth, a couple of years ago. Edgar Rickards, the son of Mr. and Mrs. RiclTards, 106 St Thomas's Street, Old Portsmouth, was a member of the boys’ club of the mis sion for many years, and played in the football team. Last season he had been captain of the Portsmouth Cathedral football team. Miss Edna Eggleston. the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eggleston, 3 Purbeck Street. Portsea, was also a member of the mission, and played the piano for the boys at many of their social gather ings. It was at one of these concerts that the young people first met, and they became friends. Although not formally engaged, they were Tery much in love with each other, and decided to get married, bm no definite date had been fixed. Early this year young Rickards contracted influenza, and also suffered from rheumatism. and he died on February I<>. His death was a great shock to Miss Eggleston, who had not enjoyed good health. The day after Rickards’s death she entered the Royal Portsmouth Hcfcpital to be operated on, bur died exactly nine days after she had lost “Ed.,” as she called Rickards.