The Cairo bulletin., 1905-12-16
VANS CHOICE IN
THE CHRISTMAS GAME

tiyilies would be held al his house aud
ihat the marriage game would be play
ed. In this gAne the young girls are
muified so that they cannot be dlstin-
guished. The young men one 10y one
are admitted to the room where HE
girls are sitting and each man chooses
a girl She Is unveiled, and lie man
must either marry her or pay il heavy
forfeit
Now, Peter Olizoff had met Sonia
Ncholaevna aud had fallen in love
with her Though he had been thrown
| with her on several occasions he could
| not discover that She showed him any
preference Possibly lids may have
Been because Peter WAS too bashful or
TOO uncertain Of meeting 4 favorable
response; possibly she did mol care for
him; possibly she loved another. Peter
| went to lie Christmas celebration
knowing that Sonia would he thnre,
the marriage game he could pick OUT
Sonia he would be very happy, but his
happiness would also depeDd upon So
MA s desire 10 he picked our by him.
But il Sonia had any preference for
him she would have indicated II, f0r
though he had never spoken his love,
he had looksl IT, and no girl is 50 stu
pld as to bAi ignorant of 4 nal'S pref
erence for her, especially when he takes
No pains TO conceal It. But then. as |
have said. the two bad met blil few
times, aud it was not likely that Il
girl would be won so soon and without
couftship.
Al the Christmas festivities Sonia,
dresse, in the costume Of the country,
looked enchanting She wore IA skirt
reaching 70 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 streaners, each end tipped With a
coin. 4 The early part Of Tile evening
was passed IN dancing. singing and or
binary games. Peter tried to get
dance with Sonia. but She was always.
engaged-al least she always claimed
TO be. and Peter was discouraged.
Even il he should happen to choose her
In the marriage game 1t would bring
him no pleasure, and he would pay the
forfeit rather than marry one who did
not prefer him to all others.
Al last Maria, the wife of,lyanovitch,
announced that they would play the
marriage game, 10 which they had all
been looking forward cXpectantly
Maria took the girls all into an adioin
ing room where each was enveloped
in a sheet When all was ready the
young men drew lois to determine the
order Ia which They should enter. or
course the first man, il he had prefer
ence would have the best chance TO
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 hlusliing, |
and all knew lliat she had been chosen |
III accordance with her wishes The |
swain did not look lispleased only I
silly The second couple We're both
pouting. and both had evidently had /
bad luck In the case of the Third Tire
man was radiant with happiness, the
girl evidently dlspleased In the fourth
/ was plain that both had been much
II was now Peters turn TO enter the
Dom and choose The varied appear
mce of She couples WHO had emerged
lad told him how slim was the chance.
irst Of his choosing Sonia. and. secono,
II her being his willing bride. Neycr
hclcss he had been caught by the spirit
If chance. He was wild Will desire
o choose Sonia aud he would ut least
rave the privilege Of seeming TO he
;lad Of the alternative to pay the for
cit
He entered the room with a throb-
ling heart There sat line of girls
ooking very like large indian papooses.
'etcr cast his eye along the line ysinly
to distinguish The girl he
owed by her size or some other feature,
nj Sonia was of The middle height ana
eycral OF the girls were very nearly
er size. Peter dallied.
Choose" said the matron.
Peter, still hoping 10 discover through
he sheet some guide. still hesitated.
Come. choose. said the matron;
others are waiting"
Peter. in despair IA having To trust 10
lck. was about to step forward and
hoose haphazard when his eye lighted
II little coin hanging below 4 fold IN I
be sheet that enveloped one of the
iris In twnklins he remembered I
hat tire ends Of the ribbon encircling
onia's waist We're tipped with coins
Ie had not seen the coin on first run
ing his eve along the line and was
IRE it was not then visible Indeed
-hile he looked it disappeared. having
cen exposed only few seconds.
4 6ood of joy welled in Peters heart.
onia, who before had given him no
gn Of preference. who could not ever
ave dance for him, who had given !
ny of the young men present more Of
rr favor than he. had contrived 10 give ,
im signal More than this. she had :
,me TO the gathering With the ribbon ,
'osely wound about her waist, 50 that
Ne might drop It d The choosing OF the
ian sine wanted, and bad dropped it
" him Concealing his knowledge by 1
eking again over The line. making :
'ints at selecting girl. lie at last :
lose the one who had dropped the /