Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-07-11
CHAPTER II.
THE VENTURE MADE.

ho'o uoWH tOWh. w nnt tnc " business
was our readers will readily surmise
He was accosted by friend who walked
down Market street with him. When they
reached Third street, where the Lottery Office
in the Glazier building, with its flaming pla-
cards announcing prizes from $40, 600 down
was staring them In the face, John wished
himselfrid of his friend, but seeing little pro-
liability of the latter turning off there, he told
him he had an uncurrent note he wished to
sell, and stepped into the office.
Many of our readers will recollect how
many people there used to be who just step
ped into the lottery office to sell an uncur-
rent note, or inquire if note was good.
7nlThe old colored man, who swept the office
and ran errands, was in there scraping away
on his old violin as usual.
John soon "sold the note, "and as he took
1t half out in tickets for one of the smaller
prizes sold it without discount.
lie came out and rejoined his friend, but
soon left him and went back to the shop.
On the next drawing day John and Mary
both eagerly searched the columns of the
Gazette, and found that one of Johns tick
cts had drawn twenty-five dollars.
John shortly afterwards invested this
amount in tickets for larger prize, and
when the drawing day came, again found
himself {" in luck"
This time he received three thousand dol
lars.
He made another investment. but as lie
drew nothing this time he concluded to
adhere to his resolution Of stopping when he
had what he wanted.
Both he and his wife were delighted with
their luck, and felt inclined to regard lotte-
| ries as peculiarly beneficent institutions.
Shortly afterwards John again mentioned
the subject of the partnership to Mr.. Jones,
and announced himself as ready to enter in
to 1t on the terms proposed by the latter.
Mr.Jones readily assented, but asked with
some curiosity where his intended partner
| had raised the money SO soon.
None knew better than John Ash the
well grounded prejudice which existed in
the minds of business men against men who
dabbled in lotteries, so with burning cheeks
and down-cast eyes he did what he was not
in the habit of doing-he lied.
He told his late employer that he had
saved some of il and obtained the rest as a
legacy from distant relative lately deceas-
ed, that in fact 1t was the unexpected receipt
of this legacy that had put him so strongly
in the notion of going into business for him
self
Mr.. Jones noticed his confusion, but at
tributed it to different cause, and laugh
inely said, "Ah. Jack, guess you made a
poorer mouth about your means than there
was any need of, but then the sum l men
toned was rather steep, so guess we've
done about the fair thing after ALL"
lob" -.i-f- J = -. 'f- '.-.ssva 4
the impression he saw he had formed, so he |
said nothing.
The next week the papers announced the |
o-partnership Of Jones & Ash, Carpenters
and Builders, spoke In the usual compli-
mentary terms of both partners and made
the customary predictions of success.
And in this case their prophecies seemed
to be realized. Under Johns energetic
management the business prospered wonder
fully, and when at the end of two years the
partnership was dissolved by the death of
the senior partner, he was well able to buy
out the business and conduct it OH his own
account.
Meanwhile he had employed his other
thousand dollars in improving his already
neat and pretty house, until there were but
few more comfortable houses in Wilmington |
than that of John Ash
Other changes also had come. There was
now another pair of rosy lips to kiss, anoth-
er little voice to be guided in prayer when
Mary put her loved ones to bed
Sometimes after the children were asleep,
the happy father and mother would sit in |
their cozy sit;ing-room and talk of their
"lucly venture, as they had in time come
to call it.
John would talk of how much more
pleasant 1t was TO have raised the money |
that way than to have had to mortgage their
house. Now all they had was their own.
And Mollie would answer it surely could
not have been wrong,or God would not have
allowed them to prosper as he had.
And 1t is little wonder that with a wo-
mans faith she thought so, for they surely
had prospered. They were happy in each
others love, their children were blessings TO
them, they were, so the father and mother |
and many another with them thought, so |
bright and good and beautiful The Death |
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