The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-01-29

from the St. Louis Republican.

At our earnest solicitation, the letter
which appears below WAS handed to us for
publication. II was written by Mr.. Lee, the
fortunate drawer of the Crosby Opera House,
to friend in this city the day after the intel
ligence reached him that he had won the val>
liable property. The letter will greatly in
terest multitude Of readers, who, quite nat-
urally, are quite curious TO learn all4bout the
person who was the successful COMPETITOR in
the late drawing, and who revealE uncon-
sctentiously, in his letter so muoh OF con.a-
gious good nature and of character, such ad.
mirable self possession and calhuess in the
hour of surprising prosperity, WHICH would
have proved bewildering to many, I'D more
than oil such superiority of devotion to his
invalid wife that the Sc auctions of his fatter.
ing possession could not draw him from her
side. The letter was manifestly intended for
the eye of his friend alone by Mr.. Lee. But
be must remember that the man who drew
the Opera House is already piece
of public property, and if he con-
siders that his admirably written
letter viii CRAFTY thousands and present to
most of them the only picture Of himself tina,
they will ever see be will excuse us for giving
it to the public without his knowledge or
consent. We need only add, that Mr.. Lee ia
gentleman who by his intelligence and per
sonal worth commands the highest respect
and friendly confidence of circle of ac>
quaintances in this city who regard it as an
honor to enjoy:
"paArRrEDu RocHER, ILL.,, Jan. q, 1867.
"DEAR DANIEL was very much aston
ished last evening, at about I o'clock, by the
sudden appearance of two men making their
appearance in our bed room where sat read
ing by the side of my wife's bed. with the sud
den announcement that had drawn the OPP
era House in Chicago. / don't think that
was at all excited by the report ] had
slight acquaintance with Mr.. Burroughs, one
of the men, the other, from Waterloo, was an
entire stranger. The only documents they
brought was a copy of the Republican of the
I'D inst, which had so many accounts of the
matter that | hardly dared believe any of
them. However, bore the congratulations
of my new friends with commendable forti.
tude and dismissed them with suitable &C
acknowledgements.
aAfter the lapse OF half an hour, was the
recipient of sundry calls from neighbors and
friends in the village, ell highly excited. The
report had flown like lighting and the whole
neighborhood was in an uproar. bore .
hand at receiving the company, answered
their numerous questions with as much dig,
nifty AS could assume, and in state of semi
unconsciousness of what it all meant, started
off to commune with Frank on the curious
appearance ofthings.
81 had been there but few minutes when
. halloo was made, at the door, for Mr.. Lee,
is Mr.. Lee here2 Well, | went to the door
and acknowledged that Was that person,
and went at him With the question of what
do you want?' why. said the poor frozen
fellow, u have dispatch for you, from Belle
vile. You have drawn the Opera House. |
received the document. and, after asking
Sally the privilege Of reading it by the light
of her lamp, read as follows:
IA. Fl. Lee, Prairie du Rocher, iii.
"Crosby's OPEN House yours. Hold your
ticket. (Signed) J. p. CHAMBRRLAls.n
mentally returned thanks to my new friend
Chamberlain, and returned home considers
bly, perplexed and not yet fully conscious Of
the reason of my being in the hands Of 90
many new friends, who al seemed 20 show 40
strong desire 70 show me attention. But q
happy thought struck me. will look at my
ticket and see ii there really is anything in It.
Well, Daniel, when found it, there the 6g.
ures stood - plain - day, 5000, and no
mistake. In the meantime Joe and Ma had
got hold Of the matter, and, to my unbound.
ed astonishment, they received it at once q
fact had undressed myself, for it Va,
growing late, and was sitting in my long.
tailed night shirt, discussing the events Of he
evening, when laundering knock 1t thu
door announced that all was not over yet
Ne went to the door and quickly returned with
the intelligence that q man wanted to ses
me, ard that, he said, had drawn Crosby
Opera House. The devil said I, Il w,sl
they had to swallow the Opera House., and
after dressing myself, went down to see THU
new messenger. He bowed to me, I thought
~ though was man OF property, and il
suitable style delivered hi; credentials
looked carefully over . very vel
written letter Of six lines, and de
rived such information ~ induced me L
believe that the lucky holder Of $500 vsl
actually about TO become . man Of PROPERTY
sure enough, for this letter came from Hessrs
Pettes ! Leath, sent, - they say, By &irec
ton Of Mr.. Crosby himself. Hound tltslas
messenger pretty we'll informed about ~ mat
ter, ord aiter seeing him eat . hearty supper
end arrive Ut that condktion whsn people -
efally ars confidential and rood nstnrnd.
took him aside, and asked him IF 4 vIere !
fact sad no mistake. He gave msthd mos
solemn assurance that thets va no m1stak,
shout Il, and that John Meyer, ofJome
whers, Randolph strsst, Chicago, Va a|ham
bog:
sassos Of ticket No. IS, 600, / suppnae u Or
en- House belongs b ne; md I jusg " q
ycu that i 10 fpe nls. Mppose soa$be1,
i Sona = ~ 4 - I I'm = - ~ ~ -