Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-11-02

drum or blast of horn penetrated the
larger hall, and reminded those who
caught the notes that the Grand Con-
cert was in progress.
AMdavits.
After a small rehearsal of proceed
ings, to show the blind children what
was expected Of them, afidavits were
in order. Mr.. Swain made solemn
affidavit that every ticket had been
sold. Messrs. Higgins and Ord made
solemn affidavit that they had counted
and recounted the 200, 900 tickets, and
that they were thoroughly satisfied
that every number from l to 200, 900
had been placed in the wheel. MIR.
Davis made solemn affidavit that the
G2S prizes had been in his keeping
since they were put In the box, and
these assurances having been received
with q due amount of applause, the
Committee once more appeared OH the
platform and unsealed the doors of the
two machines.
Portune's Hnndmaidens.
Another hustle and stir, and half n
dozen young boys, dressed in gray,
followed by as many girls in blue,
were led on to the platform. They
felt that they were in the presence of a
great throng; they could hear the
many voiced murmur OF pity that rose
rs they took their seats, but the queen
Of the senses-sight-had no throne In
their darkened orbs, and the blind
handmaidens of Fortune could know
nothing of what WAS passing, except
through the imperfect agency Of hear
ing. One girl was very beautiful, and
n gentleman who stood beside me told
to a few sympathizing women that she
was as good rs beautiful. If Fortune
Is to-day going to smile on the worthy,
surely She will select this young maid
ell to dispense her gifts. At least, we
hoped so. and when. by and by, she
took her turn ut the drawing, each one
involumtarily felt that his chance OF
winning 4 prize had measurably i'll
| creased.
Tho First Prize.
Rattle, rattle, rattle. Give the
| wheel another turn. Now we cal see
how slim are our hopes Of drawing a
lucky number. Surely, IN G2S chances,
we have heretofore thought, one must
fall to us. Yes, but If You had two
hours given you in which to pick out a
given number from that mass of tick
cts, it would be safe to bet fifty to one
that you could not find it. a girl
stands ut the ticket wheel, q boy ~ the
prize wheel. The doors are opened,
| and the girl cautiously puts her hand
among the leather tags, ncrvously
| seizes one, draws it out, and holds 1t
up ut arms length. The boy does the
same with the small gilt packages,
which look like rolls Of half dollars,
and both doors are Instantly closed.
Mr.. Smiley, standing n full yard oil,
looks at the ticket and calls out its
number-l0,5l1 Some M else stand
ing q full yard of, looks at it and calls
out the figures separately to the men
in the gallery above, and they quickly
hoist tic tin signs in full view Of the
people. The boy u~nloOsens the gilt
roll and pulls ont 4 folded, printed
piece Of paper. lie opens it, and with
his delicate sense of touch, discerning
the printed side, holds it up to the alt
dience. Mr.. Ives, standing n full yard
| of, calls "Ninetccn Thousand Dol
lars!" Some one else calls "Nineteen
Thousand Dollars" and up goes the
sign with the painted number. A loud
burst Of applause-more an endorse
ment of satisfaction ut the manifestly
fair manner in which the proceedings
are to be conducted than anything else
-grccts the result, and ere the sound
has died away the telegraph has told
| the thousands OH Montgomery street,
the tens of thousands in the interior
towns, and the hundreds of thousands
Oh the other side Of the Slerras rs much
rs those in the Pavilion know.
The Drawing Continued.
There is a great turning over of pa
per, and q simultaneous often thou
sand lead pencils, rs every M writes
| down the number and its prize, and
| by the time that has been done another
ticket has been drawn, and the number
and its accompanying gift announced.
Dcrision.