The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-09-15
The Lottery Of
Marriage


any position. and. my father having
left me nothing, the outlook was dis
tresssing- I made up my mind to e
TO work at something in which nc
preparation was needed, but my aunt
was unwilling that / should be al
such a disadvantage and persuaded
me, at least temporarily, to wait fOI
some better opportunity
One day she came to me with let
ter, which she read to me 1t was
from Ethan Andrews, a civil engineer
who had gone to Brazil 10 take a posi-
ton on a railroad that was then be-
ing built and had determined to make
the country his home. He was evid-
emily a practical q called it brutal)
sort Of a fellow, without a spark OF
romance in him, for he asked my aunt
10 select a wife for him and send her
to him just as he would commission
her TO buy a horse She proposed
that I should be the article purchas-
ed.
The case, on Ethan Andrews part
I have since learned was mot 50 bad
as II appeared. My aunt had written
him about me with view to making
a match and had sent him my pic
ture, but she said nothing to me
about this, leaving me to decide, as
il were, in cold blood The letter she
naQ SHOWN me was MS EED4E. 4uEg
had their own reasons for this course
At first I rebelIed, but at last, in a
ut OF desperation, consented, taking
the leap as a hunted doe Will jump
from a cliff I asked no questions as
10 the traits Of the man into whose
arms 1 was about TO cast myself, nor
to see his likeness. 1 was taken to the
steamer as a lamb led to the slaught-
er.
The steamer touched at Havana,
and this was my first appearance on
deck Under other circumstances 1
would have been interested in this
scene 50 recently connected with the
Spanish-American war, but now was
too heartsick to be interested in any
thing. When later we steamed out
Of the harbOr, a gentleman began to
tramp back and forth apparently for
exercise near where I was sitting
Presently he noticed my fOrlOrn ap-
pearance and gave me an involuntary
look OF sympathy. Then he went be-
low, I inferred, to get rid OF so lugub-
rious a sight as myself, but he soon
reappeared with a bundle of maya
zines and defeTentially offered them
TO me This was the beginning Of an
acquaintance that in a few days rip
u ened into friendship Though he de-
IicateIy refrained from asking me the
cause Of my gloom, I lOnged TO tell
some one and confided it to him.
Poor Child he said, a world Of
sympathy in his voice, his manner,
and especially in his kindly brown
eyes.
DO you wonder" asked, that
am the quintessence Of misery?"
IT do not At the same time 1 can
understand the motives Of the man
who has sent for you Doubtless he
missed the cOmpaniOnship OF his own
countrymen, especially Of his country
women, and, remembering that love
is blind and marriage is lottery, con-
cluded to rely upon your aunts selec-
ton. especially since he could not go
and select for himself No, am not
prepared to admit that the man you
are to wed has the unrefined instincts
you infer"
'And what do you think Of my &C
ton in the natter
He made no reply for some time
He was bordering
You have evidently found it
easier I said, Ito excuse him than
me-"
My hesitation is rather that you
require woman instead Of a man TO
Judge for you. The adage put your
self in his place IS IN this case i'm
practicable. No man can put himself
in a woman's place
You can at least judge whether
have acted wisely or not"
Under duress you have made q de-
cisiOn involving a risk, but who shall
say whether your circumstances jus
tined the risk or whether il is a great
er one than il you had selected your
life partner after study OF him dur
ing a cOurtship IN which yOu were
Tn rr-E-f IA
participant studies to conceal every
II the man who had sent for me
had put his proposition in such COM
forting words I'm sure 1 should have
fallen into his arms. Possibly gain
ed comfort from the modest manner
in which my companion analysed my
case. and more especially his sOOth-
ing. kindly tone At any rate was re-
lsved 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 2. a hotel in Rio
3 card came up to me, and. brush
ing away tears. I nerved myself to
meet the monster who was TO be my
partner for life When. instead, the
companion OF my voyage came into
the room my heart beat with a wild
hope that Providence had sent him
with a reprieve- He stood looking at
me with an amused look for a NOM
ent, then asked
well. have you seen your brutal
partner can't persume to call him
sour lover"
no, his card has just come up, and
supposed you were he 7 presume
he wiz be up In a moment"
Ny poor child" he said, Il am
Ethan Andrews
TouZ-'
yes. I went to Havana to meet
YOU I feared 50 businesslike court
ship might repel you and preferred
that you should have an opportunity
TO judge OF me before completing
your bargain II you prefer TO re-
turn. your ticket IS ready for YOU
Z Is needless to say that chose
- 10 remain
BESSIE CHACE HAIGHT