Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-01
RAFFLE FOR THREE GIRLS.
A Farmer I'm Wisconsin Sells HIS
Daughters to Get Out of Debt.

(Mdple lNlS.) Lci-Si'J
During the past few days the Finnish
settlement a few miles south of Maple,
has been in a state of great excitement
over a remarkable succession of events.
There are about 200 residents in the set
tIement-all farmers, thrifty. and nearly
all in comfortable circumstances. There
is large surplus of unmarried young
men i'm the community, and a scarcity OF
marriageable young women so that every
female old enough to be courted receives
the attentions of from one to dozen
rival lovers. A widower named Hanes
Dorfkie is one of the settlers and has
been living since the death Of his wife,
with three pretty daughters i'm a little log
house somewhat removed from the main
settlement Lately Dorflfie met with a
number of reverses which crippled him
financially. He had accumulated enough
money since his residence there to pay for
a forty-acre tract of farming land. and to
enuip the farm with stock and the neces-
sary implements for tillng the soil and
harvesting the crops, but this year his
crops were poor. his oxen died, and his
poultry were carried of by hawks, so that
while his neighbors saw plenty on hand
10 carry them through the coming long
winter, the Old man saw starvation look
ing into the faces of himself and three
daughters. Something must be done, and
the wary old Finander set to thinking
out a scheme for replenishing his de-
pleted exchequer. At last an idea CAME
TO him. and he lest no time in shaping it
into a lucrative scheme. He loved his
three daughters. and they loved him
dearly but they had dozens OF young men
lovers and sooner or later they would
leave him 10 live the remainder or his
DAYS in poverty and loneliness. Why not
realize something on the daughters? IL
was a good scheme. and he proceeded at
once to carry it out
GIRLS AGREE TO A RATTLE.
The old man Dorfkie held a conference
with his three daughters. and unfolded
To them his plan for making money. He
nroposed at first to have an auction. and
10 sell them, one by one, TO the highest
bidder. but the young women shrank
from such barbarous suggestion. though
they signified their willingness TO acqui-
esce I'm any legitimate scheme or money
making that the father might devise At
last the old gent thought 1t might be
good scheme TO have a rattle, and so in
formed the three dutiful young women.
They objected at first. on the ground that
thev mighe be obliged to accept men as
their husbands who were unsatisfactory
IN them. but when the father promised
that the tickets should be sold TO persons
onIv who were acceptable In all respects,
there was nothing left for the girls to
do hut to assent, and this they readily
did.
Go ~ was WHISPERED about the neigh
horhood one day last week that Farmer
Dorfkie had decided to rattle off his
daughters. and the day later the whis-
perings were confirmed. for Mr. Dorfkie
himself appeared among the people with
n basketful of pasteboard cards upon
each NJ which the Information was con-
tanned that the holder thereof was en-
titled to one chance on one or another
NJ the three maidens fair The tickets
went like hot cakes at 81 apiece. and
within a few days the loving father had
exchanged his basketful OF pasteboards
for a like measure OF shining SILVER anc
yold In his anxiety to dispose OF all
the tickets. Mr.. Dorfkie forgot his pro-
,r,,se 70 discriminate I'm favor OF the best
looking and most prosperous suitors IN
the settlement He took everybody's
dollar In exchange for ticket. and the
consequence was that every man In the
village. married or single. rich or poor.
homely or handsome. had possessed him.
self OF one or more chances for the hand
OF one Of the fair daughters long before
the fsime set for the raffie.
PRIZES DRAWN AT THE SCHOOL
HOUSE.
The day came for the great event, ana
the schooi-house was packed to the outer
door with men, women. and cnndren.