The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-01-25
AMarIiage Lottery
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sold at ruble a ticket The winner Of
the 5000 rubles is bound to marry a
certain girl Should the girl decline to
marry him they may divide the money
between them. In case the man is al
ready married he may turn over the
money and the matrimonial prize TO
any friend he may select.
One day traveller stopped in the
town and, hearing Of the lottery, gave
servant 10 rubles and told him to
buy ten tickets The drawing was to
take place that evening, and after sup
per the stranger strolled around to the
building appointed for the purpose
The wheel was turned and a paper
drawn. He who drew 1t held 1t up
looked at 1t and said
THE winner Is Dmitri Waronivlch."
The stranger started. Every one
looked at every one else No ons
seemed to know who Dmitri Waroni
vich was
IF Dmltri Waronivieh is here, LEI
him come forward
The stranger advanced and after
some questioning was credited with
the money and conducted to the home
OF the girl he had drawn.
Mira DovieHlehf was Of a station far
beyond those who would usually put
themselves up to be rafied for A
fancy for such role had taken pos
session Of her though she had no idea
Of marrying the man who should draw
the prize Of which she was a part.
Nevertheless there Is a fascination In
meeting one never before seen who II
to be something more to us than q
stranger and maybe OF immense impor-
lance. Naturally Mira had dreamed
OF many different kinds Of men and
that at their meeting be who had won
her would be mad 90 wed her These,
Of course, were merely dreams, for she
knew the class that bought tickets In
the lottery and had no doubt she would
divide the money prize with the win
ner and remain spinster-at least for
him.
1t was certainly an exhilarating mo-
ment for these two when the door sep
arating them opened and they stood
face to face, Mlrza's heart beating ike
a trip hammer
"You are q stranger here" she said.
II am. | arrived this afternoon.
bought some tickets TO the lottery and.
slnguIarly enough, won"
Il suppose you know the conditions"
1.-THE only condition know is that !
have won wife"
"Xou are mistaken. have the priv
lege of dividing the money prize with
you and remaining single"
MAY 7 ask why one Of your class
entered for this lottery"
For a new sensation. And you
why did you buy tlcketsf"
"For a new sensation
"Are you quite sure the hope Of win
ming the money was no indncement?''
II shall resign my share Of the mon
ey to you
"And / have resolved to give my
share to the poor"
singular said the man wondering
". that two people among 5000 should
have been captlyated by a whim and
the man in the case should have won.
Remarkable. especially since you do
not live here"
Il never was here till few hours
ago"
"You reside
"In TuIa when am at home, but
am seldom at home.p
During the dialogue the couple re
manned standing, but suddenly it oc.
CURED to the lady that she was treat
Ing the man who had won her very
coldly. and she asked him to be seated.
Then she rang for refreshments 1t
was late when the fortunate man left
the house. and on reaching bis inn he
was besieged by a thr0ng to know II
there would be wedding or a division
lie announced that there would be mel
Their The 5000 rubles we're to be Civ.
en- to the poor. This was done the next
morning.
The curious people of Smolensk Lad
forgotten all about the singular out.
come OF the drawing when 1t was re.
vived by the appearance of the winner
Of the prize In the town. He looked
somewhat thinner than before and
careworn. He came frequently after
that, always looking more distract than
before. Finally at one Of bis visits be
departed looking radlantly happy. The
next day the townspeople were agoe
at the announcement that the couple
who had won 5000 rubles and given
them to the poor were to be married
after all.
The groom prospective told bis
fiancee that after their marriage they
would live in his home In Tula; that he
had held a government position, but his
marriage, for some reason he did not
explain, required him to resign 1t. She
was about to marry him for love, but
since he assured her he could support
her, was respectable and she had some
property Of her own she did not in
quire thoroughly into bis social or mon
etary condition.
The wedding over, with its peculiar
Russian customs, the couple were
about to depart for Tula when a tele-
gram addressed to Count 0dendolf was
handed to the groom to know if he
knew any such person. He tore It
open, read II and handed II to the
bride. IL was an order from the en-
peror to return to ST. Petersburg at
once and ended, "Your marriage win
be recognized"