Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-10-03
Nh. c,mmon of Lottery s,vinaling.

lottery) These numbers are placed in like
number OF tin tubes, Zone number in each tubc,)
which tubes, with the numbers in them, are cast
into lottery Wheel ready to be drawn. The
lottery wheel is made Of tin, about two feet in
diameter. The periphery, or rim, is about ten
inches wide. the sides being Of glass. In the rim
is small door to permit the introduction of the
hand. When the ballots are all placed in the
wheel, it is then closed and made TO revolve on
its axis, with the ostensibe view of rliring fairly
the ballots! Now suppose there are some persons
interested in not having the ballots properly mix
eds there any way to turn the wheel 50 as not
to disturb their relative position in the wheel!-
The lower numbers, one, two. three. and so on.
being first put in the wheel, remain at the bottom,
while the succeeding higher numbers will be
found, as matter of course, above them, or more
towards the top of the wheel AL! know that
conjuror is able to place glass of water on the
inside Of hoop and twirl the hoop rapidly round
without spilng drop of the water. So with
the turning of the lottery wheel. Do not forget
that the Highest numbers are on the top, and that
the first three numbers drapn from the wheel are
entitled to the capital prize? Suppose it is six
ty SIX numbered lottery that is being drawn
There are, of course, sixty.six numbers placed in
tho wheel and ten or twelve Gas the case may beg
of these numbers only are to be drawn out to COM
plete the drawing. Suppose that ali the whole
tickets that were sold or offered for sale, have,
as general rule, the first number below twenty
three The whole tickets invariably have on
them, and must and should have on them, by vir
tue of the combination, a number of a lower de-
nomination than twenty three. Now suppose that
the first three numbers drawn from the wheel are
above twenty three, what chance would there be
of any of those tickets bearing on them the num-
bers of less denomination than twenty-three to
draw the capital prize? None whatever. The
thing is a moral impossibility. Certainly that
lottery cannot be fairly drawn in which all the
whole tickets that are printed have the first num-
Der of the combina,i belop twenty three, whilst
the first three numbers dracn are invariably above
| that number Ifa number is taken from the wheel
of a less denomination than twenty three. it is tho
result of accident or chance over which the man
ager could have had no control, however expert
his ugglery of drawing and contrary to his inten
tion that such number should have been unfortmt-
ously drawn out.
We say, then. that the high numbers only are
drawn from the wheel How is such trlckery ef-
fected? Mark The clerk sets the wheel in
motion, and drives it round with might and main,
now this way. and then that-reverslng the order
of its motion with great regularity. Of course,
like the conjuror with the gass of water, the fas
ter the clerk turns the wheel, the more quiet lay
the ballots and herein consists the advantage Of
having large ballots and small wheel, their be-
ing but little space for them to move in, and no.
thing inside of the wheel to disturb the uniforni-
ty of their flow After the wheel is turned in
this rapid and systematic manner few times, the
person appointed for that purpose, puts in his
hand and draws out number What will that
number probably be? There are at least two
chances 10 one that it will be above twenty two /;
and now that the ballot is opened 1T really proves
to be forty five! While this number is being re
curded, the clerk is giving his wheel few more
turns when the second Humber is drawn, and de
clared to be fifty four The wheel is again clos
cd, shrling around, and the third number drawn
out, which proves to be forty yseven! And 80 the
| operation goes on, till the ten or twelve basts
Gas the case may he) are drawn out; and thus. in
fifteen minutes time, the fate of million OF
money may be decided But how decided? Let
MS see. The capital prize IS not drucn, could mt
,e drawn for the selfevident and astounding rea-
son that the combination which drew it. or should
have drawn it,aeccr ,cas printed! This is Ieactual
case with the majority Of the loteries that are
drawn. There Is posiiicely no ,uch Thing as dra,c
ing The cupiict prize! It he trckery oflhe wheel
does not prevent their being drawn. the tickets
uio"iH- I''H0 S'@ NV f'i''S"' "" W
course not sold.
MECHANIcAt SKILL OF lNsECTs.-Tn a para
graph on insects The other day we alluded to the
wonderful instinc and Mechanical skill with which
the insect tribes are endowed. Every book on
entomology is full of illustrations of these but the
obServant man and woman need not 90 to books
for examples of the wonderful intelligence of in
sects aud curious adaptation of means to ends
"a. .t,,
has a garden, tree, even shrub or two, may
study etymology-may learn something OF insect
life and skill.
We have proof of this in little twig which
lies before us rs we write this, 1t is little in
sect's summer house, his rosewood summer house
! Externally it resembles knot or wart, and is of
the size of large chestnut. II formed the eX
tremity of small branch of a r0sebuSh, and was
arranged for the accommodation and support of a
family of ten or dozen insect children, each of
which was furnished with separate apartment,
where it was Supplied with the sap ofthe branch.
This being accomplished, the surplus cap was
suffered TO pass through the house to nourish two
twigs which grew out of the wart, and acted as
drains to carry of the superfuous liquid. On
cutting open this eXcrescence number of living
white maggsts were found, each occupying his
separate apartment, all which apartments ran lon
gtudnally with the branch from which they de-
rived their support.
This little knot or wart was externally quite
| hard as much so at least as the wood of the limb
on which it grew and formed the outward ex-
tremty Of the limb, the twigs growing out of
both turning backward towards the trunk of the
bush.-Boaon Tfavslier.
TIE RULING PAssIoN-Two gentlemen who
were recently carried from Portsmouth to the Ma
val Hospital with the fever, were placed in posi-
tions so contiguous that they could see and hear
each other. One Of them, Mr. j., had mono
mania for bettag-and on the other gentleman's
groanng out Gas he did frequently Il shall die"
Mr.. j. insisted on betting him ten dollars that he
,could not, and became at last SO violent that the
| phys were forced to remove him to another
room. He would have lost The bet, as the gen
tleman did die the same night he was brought
to the hospital. The "beter'' recovered.
The finest idea of thunder storm extant is
when Wiggins came home tight. Now Wggins
is teacher. and had been to temperance meet
ing and had eat too much lemonade. or something,
he came into the room among his wife and daugh-
ters, and just then he tumbled over the cradle and
fell whop on the floor. After while he rose and
said:
.Wife, are you hurt 2" "No." "Girls, are
you hurt?" '.No"
Terrible clap, wasn't it?'
SPIcY.-The Commissionare calls this "writ
ing p" "Donning his castor, in preparation for
the assault, he mustered his troops and .peppered'
the enemy" ''This reminds u.s." says the Phila-
delphia Bulletin, "of the old conundrum with its
codcil. Why can no one starve in the deserts
of Arabia q On account of the sand (Which is
there. And how did the sandwiches get there
Ham went thprn tharo ,,,,o H.,