The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1905-11-16
q LotterysMarriage
IOriEnall

5AA
aunt. l had not been educated to fiji
any position, aud, my father having
left me nothing. the outlook was dis.
tressing. | made up my mind to go to
work at something In which no prep
sration was needed, but my aunt was
unwilling that | should be at such a
disadvantage and persuaded me, at
least temporarily, to wait for some bet
ter opportunity.
One day she came to me with a let.
ter, which she read to me. 1t vas from
Ethan Andrews, a civil engineer, who
had gone to Brazil to take a position
ON 4 railroad that was then being
buis and had determined to make the
cou1 try bis home. lie was evidently
a practical q called 1t brutaD sort of
a fellow, without a spark of romance
In him. for he asked my aunt to select
4 wife for him and send her to him
just as he would commission her to
buy a horse. She proposed that |
should be the article purchased.
The case, on Ethan Andrews part, ]
have since learned was not SO bad as
1t appeared. Ny aunt had written him
about me with a view to making a
match and had sem him my picture.
but she said nothing to me about this.
leaving me to decide, as it were, In
cold blood. The letter she had shown
me was his reply. They had their OWL
reasons for this curse
At first I rebelled, but at last, In q
dit of desperation, consented, taking
the leap as a hunted doe Will jump
from a cliff. l asked no questions as
to the traits of the man Into whose
arms | was about to cast myself, nor
to see his likeness. | was taken to the
steamer as a lamb led to the slaughter.
The steamer touched at Havana, and
this was my first appearance ON deck.
Under other circumstances | would
have been interested In this scene so
recently connected with the Spanish.
American war, but now l was too
heartsick to be interested In anything.
When later we steamed out Of the
harbor, a gentleman began to tramp
back anG forth apparently for exercise
near where | was sitting. Presently
he noticed my forlorn appearance and
gave me an Involuntary look of SYM
patty. Then be went below. | infer.
red, to get rid Of 30 lugubrious a sight
as myself, but he soon reappeared with
q bundle of magazines and deferential-
" offered them to me. This was the
beginning Of an acquaintance that In
a few days ripened into friendship.
Though he delicately refrained from
asking me the cause of my gloom, l
longed to tell some u and confded II
to him.
"Poor child" he said. a world of sym
pathy In his voice, his manner, and
especially In his kindly brown eyes.
do you WONDER | asked. that |
am the quintesscnce of miseryT'
Il co not. At the same time ! can
unG erstand the motives OF the man
who has sent for you. Doubtless he
M sed the companionship of his own
countrymen. especially OF his country
women. and. remembering that love
Is b.iHai' and marriage Is a lottery
coaeisied 10 rely upon your aunt's Sc
lee To-, especially since he could not
60 and select for himself. No, I am
not prepared TO admit that the man
you are TO wed has the unrefined IN
stincts you infer"
and what do you think of my action
In the matter:"
lie made 10 reply for some time
He was pondering.
You have evidently found 1t easier
| elld, ITO excuse him than me-"
Ny hesitation Is rather that you
require a woman instead Of a man to
Judge for you. The adage put yourself
In his place is In this case impractI-
cable. No MAJ can put himself In a
wo mans place."
you can at least judge whether ]
have acted wisely or not"
"Under duress you have made q de-
elsion Involving a risk, but who shall
say whether your circumstances justi-
fed the risk or whether 1t Is a greater
one than il you had selected your life
partner after a study of him during a
courtship in which you were blinded
by love and In which each participant
studies to conceal every defect?"
IL the man who had sent for me had
put his proposition In such comfort
ing words I'm sure I should have
fallen into bis arms. Possibly | gained
comfort from the modest In
witch my companion Analysed my
case, and more especially his soothing.
kindly tone. At any rate l was re-
neyed and did not relapse into my
former state till we entered Rio har-
Dor. But at parting with my friend,
although he stroye to cheer me, as
soon as he was gone / collapsed.
The same evening at a hotel In Rio
a card came up to me. and, brushing
away tears, I nerved myself to meet
the monster who was to be my part
ner for life. When, instead, the COM
panion Of my voyage came into the
room my heart beat with a wild hope
that Providence had sent him with a
reprleve. He stood looking at me with