Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-01-25
DAILY. STORY.
A MARRIAGE LOTTERY.
[Original.1

1 prize Is Drawn Inefe III the mdlFimo
NAL market. Five thousand tickets are
| sold ut i ruble Il ticket. The winner OF
! the 5000 rubleS is bound to marry {
certain girl. Should the girl decline tC
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 n 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 paper
drawn. He who drew it held it up,
looked at it and said:
1.-The winner is Dmitri Waronivich."
The stranger started. Every one
looked at every one else. No one
seemed to know who Dmitri Waroni-
Vich was.
IF Dmitri Waronivich is here, let
him come forward"
The stranger advanced and after
the money and conducted to the home
of the girl he had drawn.
Mira Dovienieff was of Il station far
beyond those who would usually put
themselves up to be ratified for. a
fancy for such a 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 4 part.
Nevertheless there is fascination in
meeting one never before seen who is
to be something more TO us than
stranger and maybe of immense impor-
lance. Naturally Mira had dreamed
of many different kinds of men and
that ut their meeting he who had won
her would be mad to 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 Il 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. Mirza's heart beating like
a trip hammer
You are stranger here she said.
Il am. l arrived this afternoon.
bought some tickets to the lottery and.
enough. WON
II suppose you know the conditions"
The only condition l know is that l
have won wife"
You are mistaken. I have the privi-
ege of dividing the money prize with
YOU and remaining SINGLE
May | ask why one of your class
entered for this lottery"
For Il new sensation. And you
Why did you buy tickets?"
For 4 new sensation"
Are you quite sure the hope of win |
ling the money was no inducement?'
Il shall resign my share of the mon
Y to YOU
"And have resolved to give my
hare to the poor
singular" said the man wondering
Y, that two people among 5000 should
ave been captivated by within and
he man III the case should have Won"
Remarkable. especially since you do
ot live here"
CO.
You reside
"In lula when 1 am at home, but l
m seldom at home"
During the dialogue the couple re
lained standing, but suddenly it oc-
lrred to the lady that she was treat
lg the man who had won her very
Oldly, and she asked him to be seated.
hen she rang for refreshments. 1t
as late when the fortunate man left
lie house, and on reaching his inn he
lere would be wedding or division.
-e announced that there would be nei-
Ter. The 5000 rubles were to be Civ
L to the poor. This was done the next
orning.
The curious people of Smolensk had
rrgotten all about the singular out
'me of the drawing when it was re-
we'd by the appearance of the winner
the prize in the town. He looked
thinner than before and
lreworn. He came frequently after
at, always looking more distract than
fore. Finally at one of his visits he
,parted looking radiantly happy. The
,xt day the townspeople were agog
the announcement that the couple
no had won 5000 rubles and given
EN- to the poor were to be married
ter ALL
The groom prospective told his
niece that after their marriage they
ould live in his home in Tula; that he
ID held government position, but his
arriage, for some reason be did not
plain, required him to resign it. She
as about to marry him for love, but
nee lie assured her he could support
r, was respectable and she had some
operty of her own she did not in
lire thoroughly into his social or mon
lry condition.
The wedding over, with its peculiar
issian customs, the couple were
out to depart for Tula when tele-
n 20 II .l~ff |