Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-03-12
GOING DOWN.
Well, it has come at last"
What has come 2n

dwell, it has come at lastp'
"What has Gomez"
"Why, the utter ruin Of man whose
downward career have been watching for
twelvemonth."
This conversation took place between two
merchants, as they sat at dinner, one after
noon, in down town restaurant. One of
them had been looking over the evening
paper, and interrupted the silence by the
exclamation with which this article opens.
lie had read the following in the police
intelligence:
Samuel Marchand was arrested this
morning, on a charge Of forgery. lie had
q hearing before Alderman =, and was
committed, in default of $1,000 bail to an
swer."
1t had come. Two years previous to the
time our sketch opens, Samuel Marchand
was a respectable retail dry goods dealer
His business was not extensive, it is true,
but it was ramunerative, and enabled him
to live comfortably, besides laying some
thing by for "rainy day." lie had n
loving and beautiful wife, and one child
His home was cheerful; the sun of pros>
perity beamed upon him; and his friends,
of whom he had many, often exclaimed:
Samuel Marchand is happy mani"
One day an acquaintance stepped into
his store. 1t was a warm summer day,
when business Was dull, and Mr. Marchand
was alone. His one clerk bad been given
a holiday, and was out of town, and Gus
toners were scarce at this season. The
usual greetings passed between the two
men, and some conversation on common
place topics, when the acquaintance re-
marked:
Business appears to lie dull, Mr.. Mar
chaud."
g Yes, it is dull. But have no reason
TO complain; l do as we'll as my neigh
bcrs"
why don't you try something else
speculate a little - during these dull
tmes?"
al speculatel havn't the inclination ;
and, if | had, have not the money to spare
from my business. SpecGlations are for
those who can command better bank ac-
count than mine"
The money is small matter in the spec
ulatiCns to which | allude. Read that"
Marchand took the circular handed him
1t was handsomely printed on fine white
paper, and set forth at length the great ad
vantages to be gained by taking a ticket,
or package Of tickets, in the Royal Ha-
vnna Lottery"
Well, what do you think of it ?" asked
the agent, for such he was, although he
operated secretly.
g 1t is new to me; and as ! never gam
BILE, think | will have nothing to do with
it"
There, Marchand, that's mere prpiu
dice. What can be palmer dian this, or
taIr my al
take your chance of making a fortune
You may gain any sum from hundred
thousand dollars down to fifty. At most
you lose but twenty, and you might lose
the same sum Tomorrow in buying a case
of muslins. 1t is business, man, business
! and you know the old aGage,-" NOTHING
ventured, nothing won" Why, you'd be
| astOnished if you knew the number of men
in this city who habitually buy tickets in
| this and the Delaware aud MARYLAND lot
teries. \ member of Congress is among
the heaviest dealers, aud a newspaper pub
Usher is principal agent"
Still, don't like it, The habit once
formed may lead to ruin"
There you are again! Can't you con,
troll yourself? And can't you buy or no
buy, just as you please? | am astonished
to hear q man Of your good sense talk abou
becoming a victim to habit! 1t is self
! SANDER"
well, after all, the risk is not much
and believe | will invest twenty dollars
| may as well try my luck now as at am
other time"
The money was handed over, and Mr.
Marcband received his tickets. To cay tina
his mind was easy over the transaction
would be doing him injustice. He fel
annoyed with himself that he had WELDED
to persuasion and committed an act agains
which his conscience rebelled. But til
hope Of gain stood before him, aud con
science was defeated. A few weeks elapse,
and the drawing was announced. He hell
nothing but blanks. Again his acquaint
ance called upon him.
Rather nnlucky, Marchand. But tn
tickle goddess must be wooed before she j
won. suppose you'll try again ?'
don't know. l might as we'll get m
own money back if can, and surely auoth
er package cannot all be blanks"
thus reasoning, another twenty dollar
were paid, which in time were found to b
lost; and then another and another fol
! lowed. A prize of fifty dollars then came I
gladden. the heart and stife the conscienc
of Marchand. He increased his invest
ment, and in short time found himsel
associating with a set of men who talke
numbers all day and dreamed of them a
night. His mind ran upon the subjec
continually. Every combination of figure
that met his gaze on the streets was inter
preted to mean CLEAN of fortune. Busi
ness was neglected; the stock of goods wa
sold out and not replaced notes becam
due and were protested; and finally an ex
ecuti0n of the Sheriff swept all he ha,
awsy-store, furniture, and everything
else, save few necessaries, which the Law
secured to his family.
This calamity checked his career for
time; but the same line Of reasoning which
had lured hundreds of others to destruction
carried him away also. He argued tina
sooner or later, his "luck /" must chang
and then at one dash he should have wealth
at his command. Why, then, should b,
stop now! Should all that he had lost b,
| given up, when little perseverance ant
patience would bring it, and more beside,
back to him? He yielded to these argu-
ments, and all the money he could raise
1 was invastad in poIicies No Io,ro- III