The daily Alaskan., 1906-11-13
THE LOTTERY
 OF MARRIAGE
LOrigiuall

LtElbt}ill
 Johnny" said Brownlee Wilson, su- perlnteudcnt of the telegraph line, "I hear you're going to be married to the operator at Delhi"
 Yes. sir" | replied. and I'm going to get the loveIieSt" A smile on Mir. Wilson's good uatured face stopped me.
 There are many sayings in which thtF tS little truth. he said. but there k A,,, that contains 9O per cent truth that marriage iS a lottery. You're 90 ing in for a lottery. John. and you might IS we'll hr prepared for either a prize. a blank or-a tartar. Sit down and I'll tell you how 1t happened with ne.
 Photograph operators of opposite sexes made love o'rr the wire when l was young operator just aS they do now. When wnS just your age l almost melted the wire with the warm words | sent over jt to girl I'd never seen. though had her photograph. She was very pretty. aud from what she said by telegraph one would suppose butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. admired strength of character in girl, and ny ou.y fear for her WAS that she'd be putty in my hands.
 One day Uur of our fellowS-Jim Buruet-camc 10 my desk aud said 10 ne.
 "'Browulrr I've got girl on the wire. and we've been doing some pret- ty lively loyrmakjug. Perhaps you're opposed To that sort of thing
 "'Oh. that's aU right l interrupted Go on"
 "'Weu. I've got 10 70 away for couple Of weeks. and I'd be obliged if yor'd take my place while I'm gone
 Why nUt tell her you're going away I asked
 Well. tue truth iS.' he replied in shamciacrd mauuer. 'Um going to be married 10 another girl. and l thought perhaps you wouldn't mind
 "'Opeuiug the furnace door and let ting the ire % out. That's a nice thing to asa of friend. However. you seem to be in for it. and I'll help you all I can
 Jim gave me the private call be tweeu him and the girl he was going to Iut and told me Id be called up be tween 8 and II o'clock at night. Then be went away prnte>>iDE high appre- citation of the favor | was to do him and strong friendship for me. He prov. el the best friend | over had. as I'm going 10 tell YOU.
 At half past 9 got the call, sure enough. The girl waS different from mine-a practical sensible woman. and it waS easy Co Sre character wriJtea Iu every message she sent me. My talk with her Was rather dull 10 me, for she was planning all the while what she anl Jim. aS she supposed. were going Co do after marriage. Not a bit uS that delicious .ovcmakiu= that my own girl gave ur However. it waS just a> we'll for # Fl had two girls tr talk sweet to .r might uavr -.r,7l me.
 The night after Jim went away my ovu girl sent mr word that sue was nOC ar all we'll and wa~ going home. If Slc didn't call m" for Solur time l mustn't be worried X nice way to put 1t. wasn't il: We,. that's tuc last message ever -1J from u.r. blush Ia own that brramr ~n interested in the problems l d.>ru~~,7l with J.m.~ girl as To hou-rkrrrtu- aud how to do it on a telegraph aprra-nr'~ income that ! soon fur-ot atuU- ran poor sick girl who might be, dying while Was work. InC up au iurrr,.~. lu another.
 By the time J,,u returned with his bride I had my head ruu of d pretty little cottage with a r"w necessary ar. ticles of hou@l,ru furniture besides those formed from all ~urtS of articles. Que remember wa> a chair ma''' ot a flour barrel tu,d Juu of th" strua- tiuu. and h. wasn't h.t jealous. h deeL he Na~ greatly relieved aud said be Was rtrruu.iy obliged [" mr.
 shortly afrer his return | called on his bride aui was struck with her r .ErueSs to rhr photograph ot my girl mean my first girl, not Jlm'S. Then II rushed upon me thar She-I mean had been-wy girl. took ny pencil and tapped our private call on the table. She started. aamed up. then ran out of the room
 .'I didSt sav anything 10 Jim about r. just lot htm go on thinking 1 knew nothing os his wife and after awhile concluded tO go and see the g!r! 'le had turned over 10 me. She hadn't >reu Jim. anal was 10 break the news oS his marriage to her. l fell vou that was the great work Ot my Ete-I mean ru screw up my courage to tell the whole thing. The girl laugh ed at ne. She had detected the differ ence between me and Jim the first evening talked with her and had had a lot of fun out Of me.
 Well. Johnny. I've come 10 the point of my story. AS Jim Burnet had married my girl I married his. His wife turned out to be an eXtravagant woman. and she ruined hiiu Then when be was in a hole she abused him and ended by leaving him In my
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