The daily Alaskan., 1905-10-14
G. o. Lotteryg Marriage
LOrlEInaLl

left me nothing, the outlook was dis tressing. I made up my mind to go to work at something in which no prep uration was needed, but my aunt was unwilling that I should be at such q disadvantage and persuaded me, at least temporarily, to wait for some bet ter opportunity.
 One day she came to me with q let ter which she read to me. It was from Ethan Andrews, a civil engineer, who had gone to Brazil to take q position on railroad that was then being built and had determined to make the country his home He was evidently q practical q called 1t brutaQ sort of a fellow. without a spark of romance in him. for he asked my aunt to select a wife for him and send her to him just as he would commission her to buy horse. She proposed that l should be the article purchased.
 The case, on Ethan Andrews part l have since learned was not so bad as 1t appeared. My aunt had written him about me with view to making a match and had sent him my picture, but she said nothing to me about this, leaving me to decide, as 1t were, in cold blood. The letter she had shown me was his reply. They had their own reasons for this course.
 At first l rrbcllcd, but at last, In a it of desperation, consented, taking the leap as a hunted doe will jump from a cliG. l asked no questions as to the traits of the man into whose arms I was about to cast myself, nor to see his likeness. was taken to the steamer as lamb led to the slaughter.
 The steamer touched at Havana, and this was my first appearance on deck. Under other circumstances l would have been interested in this scene so recently connected with the Spanish American war, but now 1 was too hearrslck to be interested in anything. 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 appearance and gave me an involuntary look of sym pathy. Then he went below l infer red, to get rid of so lugubriOus a sight as myself, but he soon reappeared with @ bundle of magazines and deferentlal- ly offered them to me. This was the beginning of an acquaintance that in Q few days ripencd into friendship. Though he delicately refrained from asking me the cause of my gloom, l longed to tell some one and confded 1t to him.
 Poor child" he said, world of sym plthy in his voice, his manner, and especially in his kindly brown eyes,
 Do you wonder" I asked, that am the quintessence of misery"
 T do not. At the same time I can understand the motives of the man who has sent for you. Doubtless be missed tue companionship of his own countrymen, especially of his country women, and, remembering that love Is blind and marriage Is a lottery concluded to rely upon your nunt's se- lection. especially since he could not g and select for himself. No, am not prepared to admit that the man you are to wed has the unre6ned in- stincts you infer"
 And what do you think of my action in the matter?"
 He made no reply for some time. He was pondering.
 You have evidently found 1t easier I said. ito excuse him than me"
 My 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 impracu- cable. No man can put himself In woman's place"
 You can at least judge whether l have acted wisely or not"
 "Under duress you have made a de cision involving q risk, but who shall say whether your circumstances justi- fed the risk or whether 1t Is greater one than if you had selected your life partner after a study of him during courtship In which you were blinded by love and in which each participant studies to conceal every defect?
 If the man who had sent for me had put bis proposition In such comfort Ing words I'm sure I should have fallen Into his arms. Possibly gained comfort from the modest manner in which my companion analysed my case, and more especially his soothing, kindly tone. At any rate I was re lieved and did not relapse Into my former state till we entered Rio har- bor. But at parting with my friend, although he strOve to cheer me, as soon as he was gone collapsed.
 The same evening at 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 panlon 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 moment then asked:
 "Well, have you seen your brutal partner? I can't presume to call him your lover"
 No, his card has just come up, and I supposed you were he. I presume