Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1859-11-22

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The tempter had grasped him firmly, and
whenever he thought Of the lottery, he
saw nothing but piles Of gold and silver
In short, James Lanning had made up his
mind that he would by the ticket, He
went to the little box where he had
already hundred and twenty dollars laid
up toward paying off the mortgage upon
his house. The lock clicked withfa START
ling sound, andiwhenher threw backitbei
cover, he hesilated; .Hs looked at his
wife, and he saw that she Ras sat
no, Tn sure / shall draw q prize, ne
said, with a faint, fading smile. = .'t e'
He took four half-eagles from the box,
and put them into his pocket. His wife
said nothing. She played with her babe
to hide her sadness, for she did not wish
to say more on thesubject. She had seen
that little pile of gold gradually accumu-
laling, and both she and her husband had
been happy in anticipating the day when
the pretty cottage would be all their own.
But when she saw those four pieces Of
gold taken away from the store, she felt
foreshadowing Of evil. She might have
spoken again against the movement, but
she saw that her husband was sorely ten
der on the subject, and she left the affair
90 to Tie hands of fate. A week elapsed
from the time that James bought his ticket
to the drawing of the lottery, and during
that time the young man had not a mo-
ment of real enjoyment. He was alterna-
ting between hope and fear, and his mind
was constantly on the stretch.
At length the day arrived. James went
to the office, and found that the drawing
had taken place, and that the list Of prizes
had been made out. He seized the list
and turned away, so that those who stood
around should not see this fact. He
read the list through, but he searched for
his number in vain. 1t was not there
He had drawn blank He left the office
an unhappy man. Those twenty dollars
which he had lost had been the saving of
two months of hard labor, and he fels their
loss most keenly. alta,
When he returned home that night he
told his wife that he had lost. She found
no fault with him. She only kissed him,
and told him that the lesson was good
one, even though it had been dearly
bought. .,.-.
But James Lanning was not satisfied
He brooded over his loss with a bitter
spirit that he might yet draw prize! Hs
wished that he had not bought the first
ticket, and be thought that if he could
only get back his twenty dollars he would
buy no more; but he could not rest under
his loss. He was determined to make one
more trial, and he did SO. This time he
purchased the ticket without his wife's
knowledge. The result was the same as
before. He drew a blank! 7,. ...,ad
! "Forty dollars!' WAS a sentence that
dwelt fearfulIy upon the eyoung mechanics s
lips. 20, must draw prize. l must
make up what | have lost! Let me once
do that, and III buy no more tickets.
Another twenty dollars was taken from
the little bank, another ticket was bought
another blank WAS drawn! At the end of
three months the little bank was empty,
and James Lanning had the last ticket in
his pocket. All, how earnestly he prayed
that that ticket might draw the prize. He
had become pale and care worn, and his
wife, poor, con6ding soul. thought he only
repined because he had lost twenty dol
lars, When she would try to cheer him
he would laugh, and try to make the mat
ter light. ...
"James," said his wife to him one day
it was the day before that on which the
lottery was to be drawn in which he held
the sixth ticket-"Mr. Rowse has been
here to-day after his semi-annual interest
told him you would see him tomorrow.
"Yes, I WILL" said James, in faint
tone. "Yes, tomorrow shall pay him.
Young Lanning thought of the lottery,
and of the prize. This was his sixth trial,
and he felt sure that he should draw.
The morrow came, and when James
Lanning returned TO his home at night he
was penniess! All his golden visions
had faded away, and he was left in dark
ness and misery. ...s ..., t.~. %
'.James, have you paid Mr.. Rrowse his
interest yet?" asked Hannah.
The young man leaned his head upon
his hands aud groaped aloud
..'For Heavens sake, James, what has
happened?" cried the startled wife, spring
ing TO the side of her husband, and twin
/ ing her arm about his neck.
The young man looked up with wild,
haggard expression. His lips were blood
less, and his features we've all stricken with
death-hue. ~ 'F,+lffs - .."
"What is it? o, what" murmured
the wife. rM
$50 look in our box-our little bankp
groaned The poor man. a &
Hannah FASTENED away, and when she
returned she bore the empty box in her
hand. .iH s,qE.sps .n-st-i', ....s..... .,.i
,..'Robbed!'' she gasped, as she sank
tremblingly down by her husbands side.
Eyes, Hannah" whispered the hus-
band, "E-IhaVe robbed you." !, a,>.
The stricken wife gazed upon her hus-
band with vacant look, for at first she re-
membered his behaviour for weeks ba,,k
she remembered how he had murmured
in his sleep of lotteries and tickets. Of
blanks and prizes, and gradually the truth
broke in upon her. st
"Ihave done it all, Hannah" hoarsely
whispered the condemned man, when he
saw that his wife had guessed the truth
r"All, all has gone for lottery tickets