The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-12-29
VANS CHOICE IN
THE CHRISTMAS GAME
tOriginal.J

village announcing that the usual fes-
tivities would be held at his house and
that the marriage game would be play
ed. In this game the young girls are
muffled so that they cannot be distin-
guished. The young men one by one
are admitted to the room where the
girls are sitting and each man chooses
Il girl. She is unveiled, and the man
must either marry her or pay Il heavy
forfeit
Now, Peter Olizoff had met Sonia
Nicholacvna and had fallen in love
with her. Though he had been thrown
with her Oh several occasions he could
not discover that she showed him any
preference. Possibly this may have
been because Peter was too bashful or
too uncertain of meeting a favorable
response; possibly she did not care for
him: possibly she loved another. Peter
went to the Christmas celebration,
knowing that Sonia would be there,
with very conflicting emotions. II in
the marriage game he could pick out
Sonia he would bc very happy, but his
happiness would also depend upon So
MAS desire to be picked out by him.
But il Sonia had any preference for
him she would have indicated 1t, for,
though he had never spoken lis love,
he had looked 1t, and no girl is so stu
pid as to he ignorant Of Il mans pref
ercncc for her. especially when he takes
no pains to conceal it. But then, as 1
have said. the two had met but few
times, and it was not likely that q
girl would be won so soon and without
Il courtship.
At the Christmas festivities Sonia,
dressed In the costume Of the country,
looked enchanting. Sire wore q skirt
reaching TO her ankles. About her
waist was a girdle Of narrow blue rib
bon wound several times around, the
ends gathered loosely and hanging in
two streamers, each end tipped with q
coin. The early part of the evening
WAS passed in dancing, singing and or
binary games. Peter tried TO sci Il
dance with Sonia, but she was always
cngaged-at least she always claimed
to be. and Peter was discouraged.
Even if lie should happen to choose her
in the marriage game ii would bring
him no pleasure, and he would pay the
forfeit rather than marry one who did
not prefer him to all others.
At last Maria, the wife of Ivanovitch,
announced that they would play the
marriage game, to which they had all
been looking forward eXpectantly.
Maria took the girls all into an adjoln-
ing room, where each was cnveloped
in sheet When all was ready the
young men drew lots to determine the |
order IN which they should enter. OF |
course the first man, If he had prefer |
cnce, would have the best chance 10 |
secure it. The last man would have |
but one girl to choose. Peter drew the |
fifth entry. When the first couple came
out the girl was smiling and blushlng,
and all knew that she had been chosen
in accordance with her wishes. The
swain did not look diSpleased, only |
silly. The second couple were both |
and both had evidently had |
bad luck In the case of the third the
man was radiant with happiness, the |
girl evidently displeaSed. In the fourth |
1t was plain that both had been much !
1t was now Peters turn to enter the F,
room and choose. The varied appear
ance of the couples who had emerged
had told him how slim was the chance,
first, of his choosing Sonia, and, second,
Of her being his willing bride. Never
theless he had been caught by the spirit
of chance. He was wild with desire
to choose Sonia, and he would Mt least
have the privilege of seeming TO he
glad Of the alternative to pay the for
felt.
He entered the room with throb-
bing heart There sat n line Of girls
looking very like large Indian papooses.
Peter cast his eye along the line, vainly
cndcavoring to distinguish the girl he
loved by her size Or some other feature,
but Sonia was of the middle height and
several of the girls were very nearly
her size. Peter dallied.
Choose" said the matron.
Peter, still hoping to discover through
the sheet some guide. still hesitated
"Come, choose" said the matron;
''others are waiting"
Peter, in despair at having to trust to
luck, was about to step forward and
choose haphaZard when his eye lighted
on a little coin hanging below q fold in
the sheet that enveloped one Of the
girls. In twinkling he remembered
that the ends Of the ribbon encirclng
Sonia's waist were tipped with coins.
He had not seen the coin on first run
ming his eye along the line and was
sure it was not then visible. Indeed,
while he looked it disappeared, having
been exposed only a few seconds.
food Of joy welled in Peters heart
Sonia, who before had given him no
sign Of preference, who could not even
save dance for him, who had given
any Of the young men present more Of
her favor than he, had contrived to give
him signal. More than this, she had