Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-02-26
HIS LUCKY NUMBER-A FORTU.
NATE MISTAKE.

NAIE MISlAhEs
every one has lucky number" said
the old gentleman. "Mine is twenty one.
Twenty nine might have been, would
have been an unlucky number for me.
Yet didn't know it; both were painted
in black letters on white oval. Twenty
one-twenty-nine. Not much difference,
YOU see-21, 29-very like indeed; and
vet because | chose the number without
a flourish and long leg, am here to-
day, and have had long and happy life,
| should have been the occupant of a sui
cide's grave ever so many years ago had |
chosen twenty-nine."
81 really can't understand" said l..
Was it lottery or draft, CONSUMPTION,
or what? Was it game-was it?"
at was a number on door" said the
old gentleman. "Wait minute; I'll tell
you all about it.
II was very much in love; everybody
is at some time in his life. AT twenty
five | was desperate. Talk about Romeo .
He was nothing compared with me.
'I'm not ashamed of it. She was a
worthy object. Not only because she was
beautiful, but she was good and amiable,
and such a singer. She sang soprano in
the church choir. And I've heard stran.
gers whisper to each other, Is there real
" an angel up there?' When she sang
her part alone clear and sweet and flute
like her voice was. I've never heard its
equal
"Well, / loved her, and thought she
liked me- but | wasn't sure. | courted
her a good while, but she was as shy as
any bird, and | couldn't satisfy myself as
to her feelings. So l made up my mind
to ask and know for certain. Some old
poet says:
lie either fears his fate too much,
Or his deserts are small;
Who fears TO put ii to the touch,
And win or lose it ALL
II agreed with him; and one evening
as | walked home from little party
where we had met, with her on my arm,
| stopped under great willow tree, and
took her hand in mine and said:
"Jessie, love you better than my life
will you marry me%
II waited for an answer.
"She gave me none.
JESSIE said, won't you speak to
me?
''Then she did speak.
"'No-oh, dear, mop
II offered her my arm again, and took
her home without word. She did not
speak either She had told me before
that she should start with the dawn to
visit an aunt in New York; but did not
even say goOd-by at the door. / bowed,
that was all. Then when she was out of
sight, and | stood alone in the village
street, | felt desperate enough to kill
myself.
what had | done to have so cold "a
refusal? Why should she scorn me sol?
~ + F,r T
peated the words.
yet 1t stung me all the same. |
tossed from side to side of my bed all
night, and thought | could endure it
no longer. But would not pain and dis
grace my respectable relatives by com
hitting suicide in the place where they
dwelt and were well known and thought
of. | would go to New York-even then
a very large city-and, seeking some
hotel, register an assumed name, and, re-
firing at night with bottle Of laudanum
and brace Of pistols, awake no more,
ana 50 be rid of my misery. | arranged
my affairs to the best of my ability, and
received an imaginary letter from a
friend in New York, requesting my pres
ence on matter of business bur0ened
myself with no unnecessary luggage.
What did an unknown suicide want of
another coat and change of linen?
II kissed my mother and sister, and
startled my grandmother by an embrace,
and started upon what | mentally called
my last journey, with adetermined spirit.
There was certain hotel to which
many of the people of our village were in
the habit of going This | avoided.
Another, chosen at hazard, seemed to
be better. Tkither | walked, determined
70 leave no trace of my destination to
those who knew memo clue to my iden-
uty to those who shall find me dead.
Il had no mark upon my clothing no
card, paper or letter with me. l had torn
the hatter's mark from my beaver. As
assembled the hotel steps | felt so to speak
like one going to his own funeral.
"A grinning waiter bowed before me
A pert clerk lifted up his head and stared.
was an ordinary traveller to them--that
was evident
1t was late In the evening. The place
wore an air Of repose Laughter and q
faint chink Of glasses in an inner apart
ment told of some conviviality One old
man read his newspaper before the fire
Nothing else was astir.
Il asked for room The CLERK
nodded.
" Do you Gaze what 1oor: he asked
ftI 1Fasl~ nv had