Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-10-15
RUINED BY GOOD-LUCK.
BY MRS. JULIA A-cARsEY.

the past year, by reading story IN ths
.J01ry.aJ with the title, Philips LOTTERY
Ticket which, from internal evidence
presume TO be fact. Ii carried ms
back, however, in memory, TO the very
mature age of sixteen, when / thought
Alonzo c. the prettiest specimen Of
young-manliness i had ever seen. Very
singular did il seem to me that my
msther did not coincide with me in this
belief; still more singular that, although
his mother was one of the stillloyed
friends Of her girlhood, she steadily dis
countenanced any acquaintance between
her daughter and the son of her dear
friend.
He was rather above the common stat
ure, but so finely proportioned as to seem
"just right" with curling brown hair, OF
chestnut shade, and the whitest teeth
"a girl might have envied both teeth
and curls in another girl; as they be-
longcd to a young man, what could she
do but to admire tbems
Pray, do not think that lost my heart
then and there. Looking back through
all these intervening years do not think
there was the least reason for maternal
anxiety, since even then, as cordially as
now, were merely "pretty" men held in
contempt in my estimation. Ny rather
freely-czpressed admiration ought TO have
quoted her fears, for woman will no
more praise the man she loves than a bird
will hutter toward its nest when the in
truder is near.
So remember, young man, ii the girl
you fancy tells another young man she is
glad TO see him, chats gayly with him up
on all the topics of the times, and, when
he leaves, asks him to call again, you
need not be the least jealous. She cares
not the firt of her fan for him or she
would have done none Of these things.
Yet Alonzo c. had other qualities
besides clear complexion, deep hazel
eyes and winning smile. He was in
tellectual and well educated, planned,
one would have said, for true and noble
manhood.
will give you a brief sketch of his
life, partly from the few words of
caution" my mother felt it to be her
duty" to bestow upon me, and partly
from my own subsequent observation
He was head clerk TO r, then one
of the most enterprising book publishers
at the Hub" with good prospect Of u
partnership. His employer had himself
suggested the probability of such an ar
rangement at no distant day, and most
people supposed, from certain unmis-
taxable signs. that another kind Of part
nership would soon be instituted be.
tween him and his employers fair
daughter.
AT that time lotteries were'.icenscd by
law. Whether IL was undue haste to be
rich, or overpersuasion on the part Of
some ticket vendors, or mere thought
lessness that induced him to- buy
ticket, know not. The act was the
turning point Of his life. He bad the
i'll luck 10 draw the highest prize offered,
$20, 900 He did not think IL i'll luck at
the time, however, He was nearly wild
with joy, so was his poor widowed
mother, so were his two young sisters;
almost enyious were his younger broth
ers, who Immediately commenced teas
ing for portion of it to buy
lottery tickets with, that they, too,
might become rich. More fortu-
nate than he, they drew blanks every
time, and, at last, Disguised with their
"luck," went back to their work, became
rich by honest trade, and so were able,
years aftcrward, TO pay the expenses of
his last sickness, and give him decent
burial.
Could that poor mother have been told,
as, with brain almost bewildered with
JOY, she tried to realize the magnitude
of the sum, and plan the wonderful
things that they would do with it, that it
was the price Of her boy-how would she
have shuddered-how earnestly would
she have tried TO cast il far from her!
Alas! how yainly she cried in after days,
come back to me, poverty and toll, II
with you We can bring my son, pure and
frtta ma .sl,ar ha oh k.ysft tyX.t 10
privations!
How bitterly and passionately sobbed
forth 10 my sympathizing ear his young
sister, Oh! would | had never had n
brother, or he had died in his innocent
childhood" For, even as she spoke,
tramp, tramp, up the stairway, through
the hall past our chamber door, stop
ping only when 1t reached his room,
came the heavy tread of the night
police, bearing their worse than lifeless
burden. II was an arrangement made
with the city watch by one OF the lucky
brothers who only drew blanks, and SO
were left TO become rich and respectable
by honest industry, that. whenever the
unlucky drawer OF the $4,000 prize was
seen Keeling through the streets or lying
in the gutter, he should be taken care of
by these faithful guardians of slumber-
ing city and conveyed or assisted to the
shelter Of his own room under his moth
er's roof Surely my friend forgot her
kind and manly brothers who were the
pride of her heart and the solace OF their
mothers afiliction in her passionate grief
for his sin and shame.
The day he drew the prize he babe his
employer farewell The money he re.
ceivcd in payment of his salary due that
day war the last he ever received hon
estly. For anything gained by any form
OF gambling is not gained honestly.
That day he babe adieu to toll Of hand
or head; lie also babe adieu, although
unconsciously, TO health, happiness, re-
speciality and to wealth. He thought
his "luck had made his fortune. His
use of 1t closed the door of fortune and
barred 1t forever.
He purchased lottery tickets by the
wholesale, but, except u few small prizes,
his "luck" seemed to have deserted
him. Upon the whole, he did not get his
money back again. Then he resorted to
other modes of gambling, sometimes los
ing, sometimes winning as more ex-
pericnced gainesters saw tit to allow him
4. a.,