Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-03-23
MlstGllanfons.
THE GIFT ENTERPRISE:
OR,
DRAWING A WIFE IN A LOTTERY.
BY CARL CANTER.

My name is Nathaniel Bugbee. Per-
haps you have seen me, at some time,
standing behind the counter of my en-
ployers. Messrs. Haberdasher & Co.,
who for FIVE years past have been selling
their goods at an alarming sacrifice! as the
columns of the daily papers and large
placard in front of the store have con-
stantly made known to an interested pub
lc AS the unlintiated might find it diff
cult matter to understand how such way
of doing business could be profitable to
the firm, will just whisper in confidence
that the alarming sacrit ce-ahuded to is
always ON the part of their customers.
This, however, has no direct bearing
upon my story. Let me only say in addi-
ton, while upon this point, that my salary,
although large enough for my own main
tenance, precluded all thoughts of matri-
mony in the present expensive style Of liyf
ing. Therefore it may easily bessiiiferred
that l must either resign, ,s1lfyseif not to
marry at all or find some o1e who to a
heart superadds a fortunes.
The reader understands my position
sufficiently to understand the feelings with
which l r., IL an advertisement of the fol-
lowing purporJ in the papers some time
since.
The advertisement in question set forth
the advantages of certain gift enterprise
in neighboring city, enumerating a bril-
liant list of prizes. closing with-what do
YOU think?-No less than the hand of a
young lady, together with twenty thousand
dollars? The conditions were that if upon
acquaintance, either the young lady or the
winning party should see fit to decline the
| al Ill ;,,torIoI
ting party should forfeit all claim to the
twenty thousand dollars which should 90
to the rejected.
The price of tickets in this tempting
lottery was only two dollars; Boston
agents, Messrs. Shave dS Co., State street.
Having fully made up nay mind to invest,
l called there on my way from dinner.
Have you any tickets left?' inquired,
with some anxiety.
"A few was the prompt reply. 'Will
you have one?'
Yes, believe So
accordingly passed two-dollar bill to
the clerk, and received a ticket marked
,569.
Rather high figure remarked, care
lessly.
'Yes,' said the clerk, 'the tickets are
going off like hot cakes. They are in
great demand among young men, he said,
smiling. Some take as many as fifteen
OF twenty to make their chance surer.'
1 was about, upon this hint, to follow
their example, and purchase few more,
when luckily reflected that a boarding
bill due the next day would take up all my
remaining available funds, and prudenty
denied myself.
Dear reader, did you ever have ticket
in lottery or gift enterprise? If SO, you
can understand my state of mind for the
month which must intervene before the
declaration of the prizes. was contin'
ually speculating upon my chances of sue
cess, and whatI should do if, on being de-
clared the lucky winner of the first prize
l should find the lady whom 1 had wor
intolerable ugly and unprepossessing. II
such case would the sum of twenty thou
sand dollars be sufficient to sugar the
pill? l could not tell, but wisely conclu
ded to wait until the alternative was really
presented. In the meantime 1 was par
ticularly observant of the pretty face
whom the placard-An Alarming Sacri
, fice-dFew to our store. 1 amused mysel
by picking out particular young ladies
and representing TO myself the possibilit,
that some of them might be the lady VIII
was to bring her intended twenty thousan,
dollars.
Without dwelling upon this ] will onl
say that saw several who should hav
/. been perfectly willing to marry at les
high figure. l am aware that some Of m