Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1873-01-02
THE LOTTERY TICKET.

young, HOUeSI udD, WHOeo aiSheot onioi
ton was to gain a comfortable home iol
himself and wifc, and TO be thought well
of by his neighbors. He had built him
self house, and there still remained upon
tia mortgage of Eve hundred dollars; but
this sum he hoped to pay in very few
years if he only had his health. He had
calculated exactly how long it would take
him to clear off this incumberance, and
he went at work with his eyes open.
One evening James came home to his
supper more thoughtful than usual. His
young wife noticed his manner, and she
inonired the cause.
What is it, James2" she kindly asked,
''W.v, never saw you look so sober be-
FORE
We'll, I'll tell you, Hannah" returned
the young man, with slight hesitation
in his manner. IL have been thinking
that should buy lottery ticket"
Hannah Lqnning did not answer i'm
mediately. She looked down and smooth
ell the silken hair of ber babe, which was
chirpiDg like little robin in her arms,
and the shades of her handsome features
showed that she was taking time to
think.
GLOW much will it cost 2" she at length
asked, looking hali-timidly up into her
husbands face.
Twenty dollars" returned James, try
ing to assume q confidence he did not
feel.
"And have you made up your mind to
buy it2"
"Well, I think I shall. What do you
think about it9"
.If you should ask my advice, James,
shonld saw do not buy it."
'.But WHY sos"
"F0r many reasons" returned the wife,
in trembling tone. She would not Of
fend her husband, and she shrank from
giving him advice lie would not follow.
s.In the first place. think the whole
scheme of lotteries is bad one; and then
You have no money to risk"
''But just look at the prizes" said
James, drawing scheme" from his
pocket. Here is one prize of twenty
thousand dollars, and another Of ten thou.
saud, and another of five thousand, and
so on. Something tells me that if | buy
a ticket shall draw large prize. And
then Just think, Hannah, how easily
could pay all up for my house, and, rer-
haps, have good handsome sum left"
The young man spoke with much ear
nestuess and assurance, but he saw there
was O cloud upon his wife's brow.
at seems to me that the chance OF
drawing a prize is very doubtful" )" said
Hannah, as she took the scheme. "Here
are many Thousand tickets to be sold."
The babe tried hard to snatch the paper,
and Hannah laid it aside.
IL think shall run the risk" resunJed
James. glanciDg once more over the pa Ter,
and resting with nervous longing uLon
the figures which represented the lei ger
prizes. There's Barney; he drew eight
hundred dollars about year ago."
"Yes, I know it," answered Hannah,
with more warmth than she had before
manifested. "and what has become of the
money? You know he has squandered
it all away. All, James, money is OF no
use to our happiness unless we come
honestly by it."
Honesty" repeated tho young man.
"Surely there is nothing dishonest in
drawing prize in q lottery"
II think there is" kindly, but emphat.
ically, returned the wife. "All games OF
hazard, where money is at stake, are dis.
hsnest. Were you 10 draw a prize Of
twenty thousand dollars, yOu would rob
thousand men Of twenty dollars each
or, at least, you would take from them
money for which you returned them no
equivalent. Is it not gambling in every
sense OF the wOrd2"
20, no; you look on the matter in too
strong light"
Perhaps L DO, but yet it looks so to
me. What you tnay draw some one else
must lose; and perhaps it may be some
one who can afford the loss no better than
you can. l wouldn't buy the ticket,
Jaues. Lei us live on the products OF
our honest gains, and we shall be hap
pier"
James Llnning was uneasy. lie had
no answer for his wife's arguments; at
least no answer that cOuld spring from
his moral convictions, and he let the mat
ter drop. But tue young man could not
drive the ~ rem from his heart. All the
next day his head was full of prizes, and
while lie was at his work, he kept NUT
trring over to himself, Twenty thousand
dollars" Ten thousand dollars" Five
thousand dollars" and 81 on.
When he went home the next night, he
was almost unhappy with the nervous
anxiety into which he had thrown him
self. The iempter had grasped him firm
", and whenever he thought of the lottery
lie SAW nothing but piles OF gold and silver.
In short, james Lanning had made up his
mind that he would buy the ticket. lie
went to the little box where he had al
ready Il hundred and twenty dollars laid
up toward paying of the mortgage from
his house. The lock clicked with start
ting sound, and when he threw back the
cover, lie heslta,ed. lie looked at his
wife, ard he saw that she was sad.
80, I'm sure | shall draw prize" he
said. with faint, fading smile.
He took four half eagles from the box
aud put them into his pocket. His wife
said nothiug. She played with her babe
to hide her sadness, for she did not wisl
to say more on the subject. She had
seen that little pile Of gold gradually &C
cumuls;ing, and both she and her hus'
band had been Lappy in anticipating tht
day when the pretty cottage would be al
their own. But when she saw those toul
pieoes Of gold taken away from the store