The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-01-26

one instance. When about forty num-
bers had been drawn, a gentleman rose
from the orchestra chairs and request
ed that Mr.. Mum should stand out OF
the way. Mr.. Mum was engaged in
handing the prize tickets as drawn
from the man at the wheel to the read
er. The speaker requested that the
ticket be taken directly from Mr.. Pull
ysifer by the reader.
Mr.. Mum replied that he was aiding
in the business, and had no interest in
the drawing any way. The objector
attempted again to speak, but was
hissed down and the drawing proceed
ed. rli Er
The interest eliminated at twenty
minutes before two O'Clock, when an
nouncement was made-"No. IS, 900;
No. l; Opera House."
The excitement was not so great as
might have been expected; in fact, the
news was received rather tamely.
There were few calls for the num-
Der, and il was read again; then several
calls of "whO is it?" to which the COM
mittee responded, "We do not know
All was again quiet, the drawing not
having been suspended half minute.
1t may be taken for granted that the
owner was not in the house, or if
there, was the owner of so many
tickets that he or she did not recollect
the fact of possession on the instant.
About One-third of the audience left
within the next five minutes.
Before proceeding with the drawing,
Mr.. Mum said:
1.-THE committee would like, at this
point, to know of the audience, if, in
their opinion, this drawing has, so far,
been done honestly and fairly"
('tYes, yes, and go on.") The draw
ing was proceeded with.
After the greand prize was disposed
of the excitement manifestly lessened,
and as the afternoon wore along many
began to return to a sense of physical
wants and to slowly move out dinner
ward. Others came in, however, and
the house was nearly filed to the last
moment. Finally a few moments af-
ter three the gentleman who drew from
the small wheel failed TO find another
ticket, and it was thought that the
work was done, till an examination
showed two numbers still wanting. A
part of the wheel was taken off, amid
some good humored observations of
the crowd, and the remaining tickets
found wedged in at the side. A mo-
menL suf1iced to draw these out and at
three and "a quarter O'Clock, just three
hours and twenty minutes after the first
ticket was drawn, the last number was
called off.
Mr.. Mum then announced that the
drawing was complete, and said 1.-THE
committee believe that this matter has
been conducted with perfect fairness.
They think that Mr.. Crosby has not
drawn the house, and they trust it has
gone to some poor man who will make
good use of it. They do not know who
have drawn Gny of the prizes, as the
books are sealed up and kept subject to
the order of the committee. We thank
the audience for their orderly attention,
and trust that the drawing has been
satisfactory"
The great audience then slowly and
quietly dispersed, each one finding
comfort in his failure to draw the great
prize, in the reelection that the owners
of two hundred and nine thousand
nine hundred and ninety-nine tickets
were similarly disappointed. Such is
human nature. Every one, however,
seemed perfectly satisfied with the man
ner in which the drawing had been
conducted, and the hopes of no one,
probably, were so elevated that the re-
Vulsion will be serious.