Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 85, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 April 1913 — DRAW FOR BRIDES [ARTICLE]

DRAW FOR BRIDES

Cowboy Brothers Wed Sisters After Courtship by Mail All . Started by Pictures Sent by the Boys From the Canadian Northwest to Their Btiilsr in ~ Brussels. New York. —Introduced by mail, paired by a draw of straws, and wedded by the- same by the same pastor, in the same church and on the same night, Messrs, and Mesdames Gaston and George Pootmans, newly wed brothers and sisters, respectively, who arrived on the Red Star liner Vaderland from Antwerp, told friends who came to the pier to meet them • that they had had quite enough of romance tor four and they were going back to Regina, Canada, and go into the cattle-raising business. Up to last week the brides and bridegrooms had never seen each other, although they felt that they had established somewhat of an intimacy through the mails. The brothers came over from Brussels three years ago and worked as cowboys on a'cattle ranch in Saskatchewan, Canada. Before they had ridden the range long they had their pictures taken in their western garb and mailed back to their sister, Millie, In Brussels. Now, Miss Millie Pootmans had two dear friends in Brussels. Their names were'Georgette and Lea Terwagne. Nothing was more natural, thereforethan that she should exhibit the pictures of her brothers in their pioneer roles to the friends. "Let’s write to them just for fun,” offered Miss Georgette, after she had perused the pictures in company with her sister Lea for a bit.-

The bargain was struck. The return mail brought two letters in the same delicately perfumed envelope, addressed to the "Pootmans Brothers." The next east-bound mail carried letters to the sisters. The pairs had been introduced by Miss Millie Pootmans, the sister of the cowboys, and so all parties to the transaction felt that the proceeding was sanctioned by the strictest rules of etiquette. Besides, it was such great fun. It was, for a fact A few weeks ago the cowboys de-

qided to take a little vacation and “drop back home." Before boarding the train for New York, where they had engaged passage. Gaston called his brother to one side and suggested that he might have other company on the homeward trip. * "That’s nothing to me," returned the other. "I have had similar thoughts myself.” “But which one are you going to take?” asked the other. "Whichever ■ one will accept me," was Gaston’s reply. After more of this sort of parley the boys agreed to leave their fates to straws. The one that drew the long straw was to propose to Miss Georgette and the other was to seek

the hand of Miss Lea. As it happened Gaston drew the long straw and that is one reason why he is the husband of Miss Georgette. The other said at the pier that he was eminently satisfied with having drawn the shorter straw. The wedding was arranged for In short order upon the arrival of the cowboys on the other side and the two brides declared themselves highly pleased at the pier. The Footmans are going to establish ranches of their own upon their return to the Canadian province. Gaston Pootmans is twenty-eight years old. His brother is three years his' Junior. Gaston’s wife is twenty, and her sister two years younger.