Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-12-03
WO0ED WITHOUT
HER KN0 WLEOGE
Strange Courtship That Ter
minated Happily.

few months of each other. and l. u girl
of twenty, went to live with an aunt.
l had not been educated to fill any po-
sition. and, my father having left me
nothing. the outlook was distressing. l
made up my mind to go to work at
something in which no preparation was
needed. but my aunt was unwilling.
One day she came to me with Il let
ter. which she read to me. 1t was
from Ethan Andrews. a civil engineer,
who had gone to Brazil to take a posi-
ton on a railroad that was then being
built and had determined to make the
country his home. He was evidently
a practical q called it brutaD sort of a
fellow. without q spark Of romance in
him. for he asked my aunt to select a
wife for him and send her to him just
as he would commission her to buy a
horse. She proposed that I should be
the article purchased.
The case on Ethan Andrews part, 1
have since learned, was not so bad as
it appeared. My aunt had written him
about me With a view to making a
match and had sent him my picture.
but she said nothing to me about this,
leaving me to decide. as it were. in cold
blood. The letter she had shown me
was his reply. They had their own
reasons for this course.
At first I rebelled, but at last in a fit
of desperation consented, taking the
leap as q hunted doe will jump from a
cliff. 1 asked no questions as to the
traits Of the man into whose arms I
was about to cast myself nor to see his
likeness. | was taken to the steamer
as a lamb led to the slaughter. The
steamer touched at Havana.
When We steamed out Of the har-
Dor q gentleman Logan to tramp back
and forth. apparently for exercise.
near where l vas sitting. Presently
he noticed my forlorn appearance and
gave me an involuntary look of SYM
pathy. Then he went below, l infer
red, to get rid Of so lugubrious a sight
as myself. but he soon reappeared with
a bundle OF magazines and d%eferential-
ly offered them to me. This was the
beginning Of an acquaintance that in
a few days ripened into friendship.
Though he delicately refrained from
asking me the cause Of my gloom. I
to him.
Poor child" he said. i world of SYM
pathy in his voice. his manner and
especially in his kindly brown eyes.
do you WONDER | asked. that l
am the quintessence of misery:"
II do not. At the same time l can
understand the motives of the man
who has sent for you. Doubtless he
missed the companionship Of his own
countrymen, especially of his country
women. and, remembering that love
is blind and marriage is a lottery
lection. especially since he could not
go and select for himself. No. | am
not prepared to admit that the man
you are to wed has the unreined in
stincts you infer.
And what do you think of my action
in the matter?"
He made no reply for some time.
He was bordering.
You have evidently found it easier"
| said. Ito excuse him than me-"
My hesitation is rather that you
require q woman instead of Il maj to
judge for you. The adage Put yourself
in his place is in this case impracti-
1ol1o --4 = -
woman's place"
You can Ak least judge whether l
have acted wisely or not"
Under duress you have made Il de-
ciSion involving Il risk. but who shall
sag whether your circumstances JUST
fed the risk or whether it is a greater
one than if You had selected your life
partner after ii study Of him during q
courtship in which you were blinded
by love and in which each participant
studies to conceal every defect?"
If the man who had sent for me had
put his proposition in such comfort.
ing words I'm sure l should have fall.
en- into his arms. Possibly l gained
comfort from the modest manner in
which my companion analysed my
case. and more especially his soothing
kindly tone. At any rate. l was re
lieved and did not relapse into my for
mer state till we entered Rio harbor
But at parting with my friend. al
though he strove to cheer me. as soor
as he was gone I collapsed.
The same evening at a hotel in Ric
a card came up to me. and. brushing
away tears. l nerved myself to meet
the monster who was to be my part
ner for life. When instead the com
panion of my voyage came into the
room my heart beat with a wild hope
that Providence had sent him with {
reprieve. He stood looking at me witt
an amused look. then asked:
"Well. have you seen your bruta'
partner? L can't presume to call hin
your lover"
"No. His card has just come up, ant
1 supposed you were he. presum.
he will be up in a moment"
sSNE~ -oor 1lslls ~ --s1 al -