Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-01-29
WHOLE NO. 422.
walked in as requested, and found a

middle aged man behind the counter.
Good evening" said /, as entered.
Good evening" returned the lottery
Office keeper. What can do for you?
/ Two little beauties to be drawn to.mor-
row--the lucky little 'Patapsco,' and the
Mary land Consolidated'-tickets only
one dollar. Let me sell you some ;
cboose your own numbers if you like
Well, don't know | replied, putting
on as country looking air as could.
/ don't believe much in lotteries. Why,
there's Jem Randall, of our town, has
tried his luck ever so many times, and
he never got prize. Aud, by goiiy,
never heard Of anybody winning any
thing
MY rustic friend, you are Mistaken
returned the lottery Office keeper. Il
very frequently sell large prizes. Why,
only last week l sold prize for five
thousand dollars on a venture of ten
%, yes, it's very easy TO say that. l
don't say you don't tell the truth but
Here is the ticket that drew the
price replied the man. And here are
the letters Of the young man who pur--
chased the ticket. He lives in New
York, and his name is Edward Legrand.'
SO saying, he handed me the letters in
question. One glance at them was suf-
tcient to prove that young Legrand's
statement TO me was true in every par
tieular, and it followed as matter of
course that he was innocent of the rob-
berry. had just finished reading the let
ter when a lady dressed in black entered
the Office. She handed the man large
bundle of tickets. He looked them all
over very carefully.
Il am sorry to inform you, madam
said be, that you have been unlucky
again-you have drawn no prize
She wore thick veil which concealed
her face but could see her tremble.
Il have almost determined I will not
try again, said she. Il have already
lost nearly five thousand dollars. How
ever, here are two hundred more, this
rnnrt he tnu tast yar.r.a,
You will very likely draw big prize
this time, which will make up all your
losses,' replied the office keeper, banding
her quantity of tickets for the money
she had given him.
The lady left the store. / followed
her, and saw her enter a house in Court
land Street. When she had been in ten
minutes, went TO the same door and
rang the bell.
Il wish to speak with Mrs. Norton
said to the servant who answered my
summons.
was shown into parlor, and found
the lady in black there alone.
Madam said |, Il have come to in
form you that your nephew, Mr.. Ed
ward Legrand, 10 in prison, charged With
the robbery Of Eve thousand dollars from
your husbands safe
She turned as pale as death, and
trembed so violently that she could
scarcely support herself.
He is innocentp 7 she murmured at
last.
Il am aware of it, madam and come
to you to do justice to him. Ii was you
that took the money from your husbands
safe. On the night OF the robbery you
left Baltimore, and surreptiously enter
ng your husbands house. you went to
bis bedroom, took the key of the safe
from the bureau drawer, and appropria-
ting the contents, you replaced the KY,
and returoed 10 Baltimore by the next
train. You have spent the whole of this
money in the purchase OF lottery tickets
i acknowledge ! am guilty. returned
the woman, covering her face with her
hands. Il have been mad-crazy but
bad hopes of getting back what I had
iost, and then intended to confess eve.
rythng to my husband
"Yoa must make that confession in
writing now, madam. need scarcely
tell you that your husband cannot pro-
ceed against you, and that 10 the eyes of
the Law you are guilty of no crime but
it is necessary that Edward Legrand
should be Immediately exeulpated.'
Twill do anything You wish
At my dictation she wrote out full
confession. 1t appeared lh,t when she
tirst came came down to Baltimore, out
of curiosity she bought lottery ticket.
With this she won a small prize. The
passion ior gaming was developed in her
mind, and she risked all the money sha
had in her possession. Maddened at her
loss, she determined to return to New
York aud procure more. She knew
where to fnd the key OF her husbands
safe. She abstracted the money, and
hen returned to Baltimore, and lost all
the money she had taken in the purchase
of lottery tickets.
Edward Legrand was of course i'm
medistely liberated, and few weeks
afterwards Ihad the satisfaction of learn
ing that he had been admitted an equal