The daily Alaskan., 1913-11-20
How l Came
 to Marry
By ALLAN c. LAWOND


 age. Elliot Mansfield, and we agreed
 to prospect together. Mansfield had
 left mother and sister, to whom he
 was much attached Unfortunately his
 mother had received an Injury to one of her eyes. and since her sons deDar-
 ture for the west it had extended 10
 the other eye, and she was gradually
 becoming blind.
 The letters she wrote Mansfield were
 pathetic. She hoped that he might be
 with her again, but she did not hope to see him. His sister wrote him that, if possible. he should come home that l his mother might see him once more
 before losing her sight. But he had
 no money for the journey, and if he | could get home he would not be able
 to get back again. He was resolute fellow and ayerSe to giving up what
 he had uudersaEen-numeIy. to go back. if ever he did go back, with fortune. was no better off than Mansfield.
 We wandered about with picks on Iour shoulders wherever we believed l thorc might be gold and at last sue cocaaI in striking dirt that promised to nay. While We were getting it into shane to secure capital with which to
 work it Mansfield was taken sick. He
 WAS in a long while, Uud during this time 1 wrote letters for him to his mother and sister In these letters. at his request forged his handwriting that they might not suspect that he
 w.s unable to write them himself
 Fuw-aoymurr. he charged me to tell them that he had struck a mine of ya,ue and would soGn go east with view to forming company to work 1t,
 The roor fellow did not recover He
 asked me before bc died to make
 over his share iu our mine to his moth CT and sister and if possible go cast,
 as he had hoped to do. and either sell
 the mine OF organize a company. as l r...st be an.c pruodiu- the shock of
 his Er.tH 1n his mother, he asked me ro keep um Onc deception till l should
 go east and arrange with his sister for
 breaking tae sad news to his mother. r I found am opportunity to sell out for S-.0Go and avalcd myself of it. If l had held on the property would have uaon me very rich. bqt-I was tired of lEr deception l was procdcing and ! knew my late partners mother and sis ter were very poor Taking their share of the proceeds with me, l went at ou.o 10 tho town in which they lived.
 On my arrival l sent messenger to Miss Mansfield to tell her that her brather's partner had arrived with news of him. but cgutouiu@ her to say nothing a'aut me Go her mother until 1 had had am opportunity to see her. 1 Sho appointed B meeting with me at
 the home of yup of her friends. l went ! tlo~c and fold her the bad news had
 for her
 To hrr -r'ar was added the fact that
 her mother, who had now become quite l. blind. was looking for her son every day. Her dau-hter-AH'drcd was her
 uamo-was iu agony at the idea of inn
 parting the news to her. She could not think of doing so at the time, for
 the old lady was not in a condition to
 bear it. So we arranged between Us
 that until she was better I was to
 write letters as before. putting off the
 son and brothers arrival
 Mildred Mansfield was very lovely l girl. l sympathizcd with her deeply,
 and it was a matter of satisfaction l that l was enabled to turn over to her
 her brothers share in what l had real
 izcd for the mine.
 One day. desiring to consult with 1 Mildred. went to hcr house to see her 1 ] could sop no risk of revealing the
 trua situation in doing so. But the old l. ady. who was in her room above,
 heard my voice below and got it into her head that l was her son. The idea occurred to Mildred of permit ting her mother to believe me to be her son, and ] saw no objection to the plan So ! went upstairs and submit ted to a huggtng and weeping that were almost hvstericaL
 ''Thc mine is sold. mother" I said. and my share is SgjO0o It's all in L...N II-..r ..-E III t'Aa6 tHF n. I'm very happy" she said through
 her tears. though 1 cant see you. You must stay here always, and so long as live neither you nor your sister. must marry, but live here for me and each Othar"
 Mildred was too embarrassed by this
 to make a reply. so was obliged to make it myself
 Yes, mother Wd will live only for you and each oshcr."
 wIs looking at Mildred when l said | this. and she raised her eyes and blush . ed. Then she said "Tou'd better give . mother time to recover from her eX- rilemeut." and I went downstairs. Well. we were in for it now deeper | than ever. Of course I was obliged to take up my quarters in the house. and since Mrs Mansfield was blind as
 bat she was not available for a ch0per- on. We talked over the matter of telling her the truth, and finally l said: "Why not let her remain in igno- rance? We can be married, and that . e.. 1S7-r,