The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-09-23
Tor Inc NauoDal Era.
II. 10. SO.
BY EDWARD SPENCER

BY EDWARD SPENCER.
have been, until lately, a clerk in a 10,
terry Office in the city of B, and durin,
my attendance there have met SEINE experiep
ces which deem worthy of being chronicled
In tho present paper 1 intend to relate a,
incident in which was, in some sort, an actor
though by no means principal. / must be,
the readers patience for few moments befor
begin my story, while 1 say word concern
ing the place of business in which efieiated
Messrs. Morgiston l. Co., the firm who pal,
me my quarterly salary, had an Office ON
corner, fronting on B. street, but with
door and window upon the intersecting stree
also. The shop was rather unprepossessing ii
its facial presentations, if one had considere,
it with reference to architectural canons, bu
~as most admirably adapted to the require
ments OF our business. The whole front o
the establishment was lined with rows of figure
arranged in perpendicular columns, said figure
comprising expressions of round sums from so,
to 100000, with the fascinating s in front o
each, like an epsuletted officer at the flank O
his cohor.. The doors we're painted over will
notices to the effect that this was f" The Ever
Lucky Office" "The General Prize Agency
" Fortunes Temple &c. The windows has
numerous small printed Schemes" tackled t.
the sashes, and, lying on the stills in careless
profusion, were mingled heaps of gold ant
silver, ingots piled like cord, wood or pig pens
eagles and double eagles standing in tall sym
metrical columns, bank bills of large figure,
tossed carelessly about, and prize tickets il
numbers conveying the idea of wealth I'm
heard-of
In the front window was also painting O
the goddess Fortune, blindfold, and emptying
regardless of expense" ducats and dubloon,
innumerable from an altogether inexhaustibl,
cornuoopeia. Opening the door, you cam,
upon canvas screen, also adorned with an OF
painting of very ford species of art, repre-
senting hod.carrier who has paid succsssfu
devoirs to the tickle goddess, since he bears il
his hand q plethoric bag that looks as plumy
and wAeezy as turtlefed alderman. and il
very gracefully endorsed, 10000 5. The arts
had made great hit in giving lively express
zion to the extravsgant citation of the favored
one. The walls of the Office, papered With 6
sa,e-P imitation of fresco, were hung will
French and Germen Autographs framed in wal
nut. Pehind the counter one could usually
find Mr.. Morgiston, the head of the firm, bus,
with cigar, or newspaper, or customer. The
other member of the firm and the head CLERK
were more usually at high desk, writing, while
l was employed about the various duties as
signed the Junior clerk.
We did good business there, in ourlittle Office
and were kept pretty we'll occupied with Gus
toners, from the lottery gambler in his fine
black clothes, who came in furtively by the
private entrance, to the jolly sailor who would
not buy on Friday, and the poor expec, an,
negro who did without his breakfast in order to
lose his last "quarter." An excellent, profit
able, legal business, with State officers to super
intend rs, and managers to grow rich on what
We took in-we Ourselves II mean the firm)
not by any means losing money, to Judge from
the balance sheet. A very profitable invest.
ment is the lottery, provided one is behind the
scenes. 1t does not pay 80 well to outside
speculators,. however, should say, to Judge
from the great disproportion between our re.
ceipts and disbursements. But this is secret
of the trade, and must not "blow" upon
them, albeit am out"
As l did not commence this paper with any
purpose of morsizing about lotteries, but
simply to relate something which is included
in my experiences, l will proceed with nv mar.
rative without further preface:
1t was q bitter cold day in winter, and was
keeping shop all to myself, the rest of the rm
being out on business. Very sharp and cut.
ting was the wind, as it hurled down the streets
and around the corners, swinging sign.boards
and slamming shutters in very vicious man
ner. People rushed by, wrapped up warm, but
with extremely blue noses and watery eyes, /
was cosy by the stove, Eliminating over q segar.
when the door opened suddenly, and King Lear
came in. If he was not King Lear, he was Ger.
tainly his best possible representative among
created beings. He had Lears brow, 90 lofty,
so pale, 80 wrinkled, with the grizzled hair Law.
ing back from it in reckless confusion. He had
Lear's eye-but no-Lear's eye was faded, and
this was black as midnight, and piercing be.
yond metaphor, but bloodshot withal, and speak.
ing of infinite anxiety and infinite wretched.
ness. His lip had once been finely marked,
but was now twisted, and hung little, as if it's
muscles had ceased to control it. He was
dressed in that painful style of thread.bare gen.
tility 80 eloquent of adversely, and his whole
manner bespoke him character, q man of
eventful life-one who had had harsh experien.
ces, who had abused himself, who hated him.
self for it, and hated the whole world because
he had lost caste with it.
He uttered only word, glancing over the
scheme which handed him, " Tickets, quar-
ters," and he took ont a well-worn purse from
his pocket, and paid me for one. His voice was
hoarse, harsh, and in the highest degree un.
pleasant. Securing his ticket, he buttoned his
coat over his breast with his long,
meager, trembling fingers, and left the ofiice.
watched him 60 out, and saw him seize upon a
little boy, who seemed hesitating whether or
not to come in and try his luck, seized him by
both shoulders, and bent his worn, anxious fea.
lures close down to the boys face.
Anxious to hear what he would say, opened
the door, and stood there. He was talking in
his harsh tones, the words coming out dry,
sharp, angular, yet forcible, from the vehemence
of his accent and expression.
"Boy! do you hear? Never go into lot
terry Office. It's worse than hell. Do you hear
Then mind what say I" and he shook the
trembling little fellow, as if to make his words
more impressive. "Run away from one al.
ways. Cross the street from them. THEY'LL
poison you. If you have money, spend it, give
it away, throw it into the gutter, but let lottery
tickets alone. Do You see me? was rich, /
was happy. am poor, am wretched ; and
the cursed lottery alone has made me 60 Nov
remember what tell you" 81
The boy, released, ran away in prodigious
fight, and the old man marched impetuously
up the street against the wind.
He did not make his appearance again for
some days, but when he did, came bursting in
in the same impetuous manner. As be came
towards the counter, he said, apparently to him.
self: |I'II
~ dreamed it sgain-so, once more"
"What did you say, sir"