The Washington bee., 1911-09-02
My Sympathetic
Friend
By SUSAN YOUNG PALMER


ed me into her room and said to me:
''You have been very useful to US |
here since you passed out of child
hood, but 1 am expected by the T,
managers to get on without help. |
You are now old enough to be self
supporting and must either work for
yourself alone or In a home. I oc-
casionaIIy receive a letter from some
man desiring one Of our grown girls
for a wife. I had one of these let
ters this morning from a young man
In the west, who says that he has
a good farm On which he lives alone,
and he wishes me to send him some
one for a helpmeet whom I can rec
ommend, and he has forwarded let
ters recommending him. Let me know
If you wish the position
The matron was used to condensing
everything she said just as she had
spoken these words. She was a good
woman, but was so intimately connect
ed with the worlds troubles that she
could not give much attention to those
of any one person. She turned to 9TH
or duties, and l left her to go to my
room to think.
The result of my fearful delibera-
tions was that was few days later
handed a ticket and what money
would need on the journey and took
a train for the west. Ny leaving was
| telegraphed to my future husband,
who was to meet me at the station,
marry me and drive me twenty miles
to his farm. l had no money with
which to return or go anywhere else
In case he should prove disagreeable.
Indeed, Felt as though 1 had been
| pitched over a precipice.
The train had left Chicago and we
were bowling along toward the Missis-
sippi 1 noticed a young man sitting
near me who was locking at me, 1
thought, sympathetically. I must have
| shown my dependency in my face,
for his own reflected it or, rather, be-
spoke commiseration. Presently he
came over to me and said, with an en-
couraging smile:
"You look troubled. Is there any
thing I can do or say to make you feei
happier"
There was that in his honest face
and eyes that invited confidence. 1
told him my story. He listened to 1t
attentively and respectfully and when
/ had finished said:
''Has it occurred to you that the
man who is to marry you is in the
same position with regard to you that
you are with regard to him?'
az never thought OF that"
"And do you know that many so
called love matches turn out very un-
happilyY'
II supposed replied, that it was
the forced marriages such as the one
am about to make that are failures
'SThere is no truer saying than that
marriage is a lottery. 1 think you
have q better chance in yours than
those people who, blinded by love, see
no fault until a number Of them are
plainly visible after marriage. Un
biassed persons have recommended
this man to you and you to him. YOU
both trust to them instead of yOul
own judgment biassed by love. Tht
chances are largely in your favor"
what you say" I replied. sounds
encouraging, but 1t seems to noe
that. would rather begin with low
, even if I must end with disappoint
ment."
Spoken like a woman" he rejoined
, "And 1 would rather begin withou
, love and end with love-"
What a treasure are these peopl
. | who have the faculty of lifting tn
, cloud that hangs over US and shOwini
/, us the sun shining behind. This yOun
, man seemed to have only an Ordinar
education. but any deficiency wa
made up by common sense. Then, toe
it was easy to see that he had a kin
heart. He was constantly looking a
me out Of those sympathetic eyes o
, his, which said, Poor child, how
pity you!" He was with me most o
the morning and all the Afternoon
He soon ceased to talk about my trOU
BILE. leading me into other paths
though he told me many instances c
: persons who had made marriage
: matter of business and found 1t
matter Of affection.
Nv Iover-I was certainly think1n
the word, mockery that it was-ha
written that my train would land n
in the night at the last principal tow
n on nv route. and I was to RENAL
/ there. taking another train the nel
morning. When 1 parted with n
= newly made friend relapsed into Il
o same miserable condition as befor
But was tired, and that night, thoug
q I went to sleep in tears, I got fair
II good rest. This and bright morn1I
kept me up the next day TIL 1 a
preached the last station, where L wa
to meet my lover" when it was
y could do to resist a temptation
u throw myself from the train. l Pc
S. mitted every one to go out before 4
Ii and wished there were more Of ther
T. Then when alone I nerved myself f
le the ordeal and left the car.
81 My lover was there waiting for %
extending his hand to assist me dow
the steps.