Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-01-28
FIRST EDITION..
goo p. M.
KISSING FOR LUCK.

W., 1000, IN DETROIT LOTTERY AND HOW MRS.
HUooER WON IT.
[From the Cleveland (O.) Plain-dealer, Jan. 20.
The telegraph. yesterday afternoon, brought
this message
Detroit, Jan, 21.-The drawing of the Har-
monte gift concert is taking place at the opera
house to-day. The first prize, $4,000, was
drawn by Mrs. Hugger, Of Cleveland, Ohio.
As the novelist might say, Thereby hangs
tale" Although Mrs. Hugger appears to be the
sole winner of that handsome sum of money
she is really entitled to only half Of the prize,
the lucky ticket itself being in possession of her
partner in this enterprize-a man who by the
way, is not her husband. And this is how 1t all
came about
Matthias Curth is a saddler, and for some time
has been in the business at No. $40 Woodland
Avenue. He is not the shrewdest in his trans
actions, and his Willingness TO give credit has
brought him to financial perplexity, in fact 30
much was he embarrassed that, while there Ii
due him the sum of u 400 from dilatory custo-
mers whom he has accommodated he found
heavy debts pressing him and nothing with which
to meet his Obligations. To odd to his trouble,
his wife died about three months ago and left
him to care for two little children.
In the same building where Curth lives, Frank
Hugger keeps saloon. One morning about
two weeks ago, Ourth stepped into the saloon
for bismAtutlna beverage. He was feeling de-
spondent, but after having quaffed his potion,
which was handed him by Mrs Hugger, he felt
more cheerful. He had read the tempting an
nouncemont Of the grand gift concert Of the
Harmonic Society" at the Detroit 0pera-house
on the 21st inst. It occurred to him that IL would
be a ine thug if he could, by a small invest
ment win a rich prize. He proposed to Mrs.
Hugger that they two buy a ticket. No she
would not. While Ourth was trying to persuade
her that they might draw large sum, Mrs. Hug
gers mother entered the saloon, and after hear
ing Ourths statement she strongly urged her
daughter to accept the proposition, and agreed
to buy ticket herself also.
Finally yielding to solicitation, Mrs. Hugger
said she would take half-interest with Curth in
a ticket. So he and she kissed for luck as the
German custom is, and the three went down
town together to find place where the tickets
we're on sale.
After searching for about two hours they at
length found a bookstore we're glft-concert cou-
pons were speculated in. Ourth bought two for
himself, and the old lady purchased one Then
Curth and Mrs. Hugger kissed again to make
their luck more binding, and selected their part
nership ticket, after which they went home.
On the night before the drawing Ourth dreamed
that his partnership ticket had drawn q prize Of
$500. The vision seemed 30 real that he firmly
believed it would come true and actually planned
now he would dispose Of his half (S250) before
leaving his room on the following morning.
Then he went to the saloon and informed Mrs.
Hugger of what he had seen in his dreams. He
was so enthusiastic and 30 positive the ticket
would draw prize, that some outside parties
who happened to be in the room made sport OF
him. But he felt 30 sure of winning that he Of
fered to bet the drinks for the company on his
success. The bet was promptly accepted, much
TO his qualification. In the afternoon, in more
than fulillment Of the dream, Mrs. Hugger re-
ceived a telegraphic dispatch that this partner
ship ticket had drawn the grand prize, calling
for the handsome sum of $4,000.