The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1875-11-06

| WCCA CI0RSSA sAS'. 49, 1890 49,
James bought his ticket to the drawing
of the lottery, and during that time the
Young man had not q moment Of real
enjoyment. He was alternating between
hone and fear, and therefore his mind
was constantly on the stretch.
At length the day arrived. James
went to the Office and found that the
drawing had taken place and that the list
of prizes had been made out. He seized
the list and turned away so that those
who stood around should not see his face.
He read the list through, but he searched
for his number in vain. 1t was not there.
He had drawn q blank! He lett the
Office an unhappy man. Those twenty
dollars which he had lost had been the
savings of two months of hard labor, and
he felt their loss most keenly.
When he returned home that night he
told his wife that he lost. She found no
fault with him. She only kissed him
and told him that the lesson was good
one, even though it had been dearly
bought.
But James tanning was not satisfied.
He brooded over his loss with bitter
spirit, and at length the thought came
to him that he might yet draw prize.
He wished that he had not bought the
first ticket, and he thought that if he
could only get back his twenty dollars he
would buy no more; but he could not
rest under his loss. He was determined
to make one more trial, and he did SO.
This time he purchased the ticket with
out his wife's knowledge. The result was
the same as before. He drew blank.
"Furty dollars!' was a sentence that
dwelt fsarfully upon the mechanics lips.
"Oh, l must draw prize y he said to
himself. 81 must make up what l have
lost. Let me once do that and l will
buy no more tickets"
Another twenty dollars was taken from
the little bank, another blank was drawn.
At the end of three months the little
bank was empty, and James Lanning had
the last ticket in his pocket. All, how
earnestly he prayed that that last ticket
might draw him a prize! He had become
pale and careworn, and his wife, poor
confiding soul, thought he only repined
because he had lost twenty dollars.
When she would try to cheer him he
would laugh and try to make the matter
light.
"James sail his wife to him one day
it was the day before that on which the
lottery was to he drawn on which he
held the sixth ticket-"Mr Rowse has
been here to-day after his semi-annuaI
interest. l told him that you would see
him tomorrow"
eyes, l. WILL" said James in faint
voice. "Yes tomorrow l shall pay him"
e Young Lanning thought of the lottery
and of the prize. This was his sixth trial
and he felt sure that he should draw.
The morrow came, and when James !
Lanning returned to his home at night |
he was penniless! All his golden WIS.,
ions had failed away. and he was left in
darkness and misery.
"James, have you paid Mr.. Rowse his
interest yet ?'' said Hannah.
The young man leaned his head upon
his hands and groaned aloud.
"FOr Heavens sake James what has
happened cried the startled wife,
,pringing to the side of her husband, and
twining her arms about his neck.
The young man looked up with wild.
naggard expression. His lips were blood
less, and his features were all stricken
with death hue.
"What is it? Oh. what?" murmured
The wife.
$50 look in our box-our little bankv
yroaned the poor man.
Hannah fastened away, and when she
she bore an empty box in her
land.
"Robbed :" she gasped, and she sank
down by her husbands side.
yes, Hannah" whispered he: husband,
4 have robbed you"
The stricken wife gazed upon her hus-
,and with a vacant look, for at first she
lid not comprehend; but she remem-
,ered his behavior for weeks past; she
how he had murmured in !
lis sleep of lotteries and tickets, of
blanks and prizes, and gradually the
ruth broke in upon her.
81 have done it all Hannah" hoarsely
whispered the condemned mar, when he
aw that his wife guessed the truth. Cali i:
las gone for lottery tickets. The demon !:
empter lured me he held up glittering
old in his hand, but he gave me none OF
t. Oh, do not chide me! You know
Iot whatI have sufiered-what hours of
gony 1 have passed-and you cannot i,
now now. Oh my wife, would to God
had listened to you"
"-sh," calmly whispered the faithful :.
wife, as she drew her hand across her hus-
lands heated brow. Mourn not for what
\ lost. will no: chide thee. 1t is hard
hus for you to loose your scanty earn !,
ngs, but there might be many calami-