The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1867-12-26
EBENsBURG, PA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1867.

""A'o "de aooul IL tniSht as well buy
one for Mary, and one for little Tom, too
l showed them to her when went home
to dinner at noon.
mot threel Oh, Tom, how could
you!" and she looked really grieved, while
l, thinking it pity ifI must account for
every penny 1 spent, assumed the dignified
air which the occasion seemed to demand,
and the meal passed in silence. | went
home at night to find her sewing as usual
Ally conscience gave ak.,;,a, ,scen1fertable
twinge as she looked up pleasantly in my
face, and then turnedsto the great basket
OF work. If she only had sewing ma
chime! Perhaps / should draw one; and
grew quite happy over the thought, i'm
aglnIng her surprise when l sent it home
unexpectedly. She would not think me
unwise then. in having bought the tickets.
Little Tom interrupted nv reverie
with-"O, father Old Susan, who
used to work for us, has been here TODAY.
She has burned her hand so she can't do
anything. Mrs. Briggs gave her dollar
Mother said she couldn't give her any
money, but she put some salve on her
hand and gave her something to eat"
did not look at Mary. but contrived to
turn Toms Thoughts into another channel.
Nor was l any more comfortable, on
passing through the hall the next day, to
overhear her conversation with friend.
mo-. she was saying, 81 shall not SUBJ
scribe to the reading club this winter |
cant very well spare the two dollars
Well, the days went by without our
SaVJ0n aDUtbjpu mora.
little nervous as the time for drawing the
prizes drew near, and opened my uiorning
paper with some trepidition. At length
my eyes were greeted with long list of
the fortunate numbers which had drawn
the largest prizes. l read them all over
carefully, from first TO last, and then more
carefully still, from last to first but in
vain-my numbers were not there
In day or two another list appeared,
which l read with the same result. At
last, among those which drew a prize
worth less than one dollar, l found my
own.
''T M said friend whose Office was
next to mine, "don't you think Jones was
fool enough TO buy ticket in that gift
enterprise y
l WINGED, but said nothing, and he
went on. "What 90 you think he drew
A dauby print of Washington and a pair
OF eighteen carat z-5Rass buttons. He
consoles himself with the adase, Live
and learn but L think "a fool and his
money etc, more appropriate
l made some reply and left him. I
thought L would not carry home the news
paper that night was ashamed to have
Mary see it, But as we sat before the
fire after tea:
"Why, Toni 70 said she, "where's
your paper ?' I had intended to say
that | forgot it. But l defy any one to
look into Mary's clear brown eyes and
tell lie. So l jest told her the whole
truth.
l believe if she had scolded, or said
81 told you so,' l should have put on my
hat and left the house but her only re-
mark was, ''Never mind, Tom, well
know better another time"
Do you wonder that think her won
derful little woman / made great
resolve that night, and / have not bought
a lunch down town nor smoked cigar
for month. Even nay pipe and paper of
Kilikinick are laid away on high shelf,
out of the way of temptation. And when
Mary ask what has become of my pipe,
look sober and reply that l think smok>
ing disagrees with me but / laughed to
myself as think of the sewing machine
that will stand in the corner by the win~
dow before many months, and the rest
that will come to those busy fugers. l
even stepped into Brown & Smiths to
inquire the price of their best black
silks: but that dare not think of at
present.
1t has been, after all, a good lesson
but think it will be my last, as it was
my first experience in lottery tickets.