Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-07-11
THE LUCKY VENTURE.
A Story Of WiIamin0ton IN the Lot
n. t.rf terry Days. .r59
BY THOMAS MURDOCH.
CHAPTER l.
THE VENTURE RESOLVED UPON.


"Well John, what does Mr.. Jones say p
II was pleasant, cheery-voiced woman
who asked the question. She had just been
putting her two little ones to bed, and their
loving kisses were still upon her lips the
sweetness Of that goodnight still fingered in
her voice. t
John was gazing abstractedly into the fire
when she spoke, and II seemed to require her
light touch upon his shoulder to awake him
from his reverie.
''Say9 Well don't altogether like what
he says; but sit down, Mollie, and I'll tell
ynu about It,"
Mollie turned down the light to a mere
spark and then nestled down to her accus-
toned place upon his knee to shave a good
talk"
swell, said John--and like many another
he had habit of saying ''wcll" when all was
not well-''I mentioned the matter to Jones
to-day. told him that l wasn't quite so
young man as was few years ago, that
had a.wifc and two children to provide
for and that --- But never mind the
rest of the sentence reader, it was Mollie lie
was talking to and not to us.
Mollie blushed and boxed his ears, and
told him lie had no business to say any thing
to Mr.. Jones about such things, and then to
convince John that he had been naughty, she
kissed him. at#
John resumed: Il told him that l had
worked hard, and saved up all I could to
buy this little house; that had managed
his shop eyer since the accident which lamed
him that was familiar with the BUSINESS
that thought could do better than by
working as n ajourneyman, and that, in short,
either wished to enter into the business
with him as partner, or to set up for my
SELF"
Jones looked pretty serious, and didn't
say anything for awhile; at last he said
well, Ash, I've been thinking for some time
about taking partner, because my poor
health will hardly allow me to pay the right
amount of attention to the business, myself,
but don't sec that the business viii support
two families without more capital In 1t. l
was thinking that if could find smart
young fellow with about three thousand, l
would take him in. If you can raise that
amount I'd rather have you for partner
than anybody know Of, for did not oalcu-
late on your leaving even if I took another
partner I told him there was no use talk
ing about me raising three thousand dollars,
could not do it,"
"Jones thought awhile and said he didn't
know but what, rather than have me leave,
he'd take me in if could raise two thous-
and and there we dropped the subject"
sNow, / don't see how can raise two
thousand much better than I could three
thousand. ! could mortgage the house for
a thousand, but where could get the other?
Still I'd much rather no in with rc-rr- i,ss''--
business, than commence in
small way by myself"
Both husband and wife sat gazing into the
fire for a solution of the difficulty.
They formed pretty picture sitting there,
the handsome, manly face of the one, and
the beautiful, almost girlish face of the 9TH
er, lit up by the rudely glare from the open
Presently John starts suddenly as though
an idea had just occurred to him, and says,
"Bob Foreman drew prize the other day
he only paid in one dollar and he drew four
hundred"
Mollie made no answer, so after little
while John speaks again, and says, "its an
easy way of getting money" and then signs.
eyes" says Mollie, "most too easy, I'm
afraid it won't do him much good
''No, I'm afraid not, Bob never did like
work any too well, and now l suppose he
won't do anything till his four hundred dol
lars are all gone"
Both sat and thought in silence for
while, and then John said, "Ive notion
to try my luck, Mollie?'
ooh! wouldn't, john" said Mollie, in
a startled tone.
"Why not ?"
"Why? why aint it gambling?" .s
''No-no it aint. Do you suppose the
State of Delaware would legalize gambling?
It's chance, to be sure, but it's no more
chance than plenty of business speculations
are. Besides that, the money paid for the
grant is nut to good uses there have been
churches and school houses built with lot
tery money which never would have been
built without it. No, Mollie, it's no more
gambling than many another business. Why
half our rich men have made their money
by speculations, in which there was just as
much chance and risk as there is in buying
a lottery ticket"
If a fellow workman had used such an
argument to John Ash, he would have
laughed at him. No one could have ex-
posed more fully the falsity of the infcrences
drawn from the facts; none knew better the
small proportion of the ill-gotten gains
doled out to charitable and benevolent pur-
poses. But he was now determined to CON
vince his wife, and unhcsitatingly used ar
suments he would have laughed at, and
what was more, tried aye, and almost sue
,oodod Il, ,,,oI,;, h;,,,saIc I,t;o,,o ,a,, ,,o,o