The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-01-24
MY LOTTERY TICKETS.
What They Cost and What They
Amounted to.


woman who bears my name and mends my
stockings, was sitting in her low chair by
the fire, zealonsly putting patch upon the
knee Of liule Toms trowsers, turning the
piece Of cloth this way and that, and hold
ing her head one side to watch the effect.
But the stripes would all run the wrong
way. while the colors wero provokingly
bright, compared with the faded garment.
"Ncver mind that Mary" said !, "hero' 8
chance to throw away your patches.
Hurah for lovely country seat on the
Hudson, fify shares Of hank stock, house
in town, or anything else you wish, and all
for dollar! ?" '. .
"Now Thomas, said she, and when she
wished to he particularly severe she always
calls mo Thomas, .what are you thinking
about?"
"a gift enterprise Mollie; tickets only a
dollar. and sure to draw prize" Tread
the heading and displayed the long list Of
prizes. "whnt do you think Of ,hat ?"
shouted triumphantly.
"l think" she said. laughing. "that if
you make so much noise you will wake the
baby" Then seeing that looked unnoy
ed:--"But do not think that lotteries are
just right. especially for church members.
Do you?"
10, nonsense never saw a church
Fair in my life that did not have grab boxes
and lotteries. shouldn't dare to say how
many dollars have spent on them, aud
never drew anything either"
She looked rogneishly Mt me. "Dont
you think, then, you arc mos, too old to be-
GIN"
at may as we'll be as my one, and it
is no great matter-ouly dollar"
al know, Tom" and tho wise littlo
woman looked grave, "but we havn't many
dollars to throw away" and she held up
the baby's socks with n good sized hole in
each heel. "And little Toms school.bill
comes in next week."
laid down my paper and tried to speak
very convincingly. "Now, Mollie, !. is oil
very we'll to jog on day afterday, earning and
spending just 30 much, In, one likes to
venture once in while, just for the excite.
men, Of the thing. i' nothing more."
Eyes Tom, don't you remember the
oil well?,
"Ye e-es," said I, slowly, for il was rather
an unpleasant topic OF conversation to me.
had invested the little sum left me by a
maiden aunt in an oil company, against
Mary's good judgment. Capital million
of dollars, more or less, oil wells flowing
nigh, and day on the land Of the next com.
pany over the fence. was very much
ela,sd and promised Mary, among other
things, a new black silk dress we had seen
displayed in some show window. Well'
they bored and bored, throwing up a great
deal of dirt, and great deal Of water, but
not drop Of oil; and just as they were
about to begin in new spot, the Treasurer
or some one else. ran away with the funds
and that ended the whole affair. Mary
like good little woman, never approached
me, but when came home one day and
found her turning her old 'ner'no inside
on, and upside DOWN. fs',-well' can
tell just how; but thought Of that black
silk dress she was to have. .t......
.And OIL" she continued, "dou't you re-
member tho patent -four sitter! and she
laughed outright So did ], when Though.
of tho spectacle I presented when
chanced to turn the crank tho wrong way
and the -four Hew In every direction.
but had made up my mind to bay one
Of these tickets, 90 though Mary sighed
she said no moro. Invested ON my way
down town. I thought l might Just
as we'll buy ono Cor Mary and one tor
liulo Tosn. too. showed them 10 ber
when I went homo to dinner. 1'o'
mo, three o, Tom, how could you -
and slse looked really srisvod. While l.
thinning ita pity IL ! mus account forcvsry
S...~ l .o,ns .~s,,u,sd the aliVui6ad air