Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1867-11-29

My Lottery Tickets-What they
Cost, and what they Amounted to.


| 1t was Saturday night, and the little
woman who bears my name and mends
my stockings, was sitting in her low chair
by the fire, zealously putting patch on
the knee of little Toms trowsers, turning
the piece of cloth this way and that, and
holding her head on one side to watch the
! effect. But the stripes would all run the
wrong way, while the colors were provok-
ingly bright, compared with the faded gar
ment.
"Never mind that, Mary" said I'll
"here's chance to throw away your
patches. Hurrah for lovely country
seat on the Hudson, fifty shares of bank
stock, house in town, or anything else
. you wish, all for one dollar!"
Snow, Thomas" said she, and when
she wishes to be particularly severe she
! always calls me Thomas, what are you
talking about?"
"a gift enterprise, Mollie; tickets only
I a dollar, and sure to draw prize" !
read the heading and displayed the long
list of prizes. What do you think of
that ?" shouted /, eagerly.
81 Think" she said, laughing, that if
you make SO much noise you will wake the
baby" Then, seeing that ] looked an
noyed, she added: But do not think
that lotteries are just right, especially for
church members. Do your"
go, nonsense! never saw church
IS fair in my life that did not have grab-box.
: es and lotteries. shouldn't dare to say
how many dollars have spent on them
: and never drew anything. either"
She looked roguishly at me. Don
you think, then, you are most too old
begin 2"
at may as well be as any one, and
is no great matter-only dollar"
81 know, Tom," and the wise little VIC
man looked grave, "but we haven't man
dollars to throw away" and she held u
the baby's sock with good-sized hole il
each heel. And little Toms school-bil
comes in next week."
/ laid down my paper and tried to speal
convincingly. Now, Mollie, it is al
very well for man to jog on, day afte
day, earning and spending just so mucf
>. but he likes to make venture once in
while, just for the excitement Of the thin
if nothing more"
"Yes; but Tom don't you remembe
the share in the oil well?"
!. eyes" said I, slowly, for it was ratf
er an unpleasant topic of conversation t
me. had invested the little sum left m
by maiden aunt, in an oil company
against Mary's good judgment. Capits
million of dollars, more or less; o
wells flowing day and night on the land {
the next company, just over the fence.
was very much elated, and promised Mar.
among other things, new black silk dres
r. we had seen displayed in some show wiz
dow. Well, they bored and bored, throw
ing up a great deal of dirt and grei
deal of water, but not drop of oil; an
lust as they were about to begin in ne
spot, the treasurer or some one else ra
away with the funds, and that ended tt
whole affair. Mary, like good little W
ES man, never reproached me, but when
came home one day and found her turnr
her old merino inside out and upsit
down, felt, well, can't tell just how
but thought of that black silk dress.
@And oh!" she continued, "dont "
remember the patent for the flour sitter
and she laughed outright. So did l wht
l thought of the spectacle I presented
10 I CHANGED to turn the crank the wror
way, and the flour flew in every directio
But / had made up my mind to bt
one of these tickets, SO, though MAJ
sighed, she said no more. invested I
nv way down town Monday morning, al
thought while was about it might
'''' well buy one for Mary and little Tom. to
showed them to her when went hon
- to dinner.
"Not threew o, Tom, how could you
: .,;ds IN, and she looked really grived. While
", thinking it pity if I must account
. every penny ] spent, assumed the digr
fed air which the occasion seemed to
E, maod, and the meal passed in silence.
went home at night TO find her sewing
usual. My conscience gave a very
comfortable twinge as she looked up Piles
. antlv. and then turned to the great bask