, 1879-02-23
D;scontent OF UuIucky Ticket Holders
4 Personal Grievance Of Your
Correspondent.
The Drawing Of the Prizes--A Visit
to the Troc2dero-Sone Of the
Lucky Winners.
The New Miaisttry---M. and Fine.
Grevy at the Elysee---The Con-
certs and Theatrea.

the National LoLLcfy 1crc, although oue "ou4u
almost think there had now been time enough
for every shadow Of Interest to exhaust itself.
The proceedings in the Trocadcro Palace are
watched daily with unabatcd curiosity, and each
turn Of the wheel OF Fortune produces as fresh
1luttcr Of excitement rs il it were to decide
the allotment Of another 600 prize, instead
Of one more modest, and probably worth at the
utmost a tivc-hundrcdth part Of it. Gradually,
however, as the drawings proceed, feelings OF
envy, hatred, and distrust appear to be k1ndling
in the breasts Of the people who don't>Wln: ny
far the largest number Of tickctrholder5, I need
scarcely observe. The Ladies and gentlemen
who carry off good lots, in the shape Of diamond
brooches OF Erard panos, naturally don't find
fault with the way III which matters are con-
Quoted; but the Others are
DaEKLy nIST1SG At POSSIBLE TREACHERY,
impcrfections i'll the drawing-apoeratus,a and de-
liberate intention to dcfraud. One man writes
indignantly to the papers TO complain that his
series-thc nintfl-has nnrl!y won anything,
while others, such as the first and eleventh,
have been favored with repeated marks Of For
tunes lbcralty. For my own part. don't
feel thoroughly convinced that the eighth series
has been eivcn fair chance; take itas personal
ofTcnse that my hundred thousand-the sixth
has not been more distinguished By the nisera-
Bile machine that is being set stupidity revolving
for somc six hours day up at the Trocadcro.
but 7 acknowledge that I cannot lay
my finger upon any particular Tact
or indication that would justify my
bringing a charge Of fraud against
the management; so am forced to grum bic in
an undertonc. II those confounded wheels
would Only stop at No. G26, 1000, or thcreabouts,
/ should be much more amiably disposed to-
wards the Lottery people. The other day
walked into the Trocadero Hall for few min
utes, to help to supcrintend the proceedings
and see all fair. Tile method Of the drawing is
as slow as it is simple, but how any body in his
senses can pass hours at time watching one
man turn six wheels successfully, another call
out the result OF the aforesaid turning, aud y
third register that result on a sort Of wooden
signboa=d, is
i. MORE THAN CAN COMPREHEND.
Do they really expect those six revolving
pieces of iron will stop at their particular num-
Der any the sooner for their presence? Can they
imagine there is some magnetic power in the
glance of their wrathful eyes that must compel
them to obedience? Or is their pcrsistency only
new manifestation OF the invcterate love OF
idling remarkable In most Partisan renters, and
1A*opA~~pNs0~
What chiefly noticed at the Trocadcro was
that the handsomely decorated ceiling Of the
hall-which looked so fresh aud gorgeous at the
time Of the Exnibition-has been completely
ruined By the damp. The bright-yeiow tones
and the rich gliding OF thu palnl-!eayes arc all
blecked ard blurred by the uns'ght!y stains, and
the whole balling seems ST. angclE Vnst aud
cbeerless. When: the organ Is taken away to
Aurcuil Church. Us it soon will be. the aspect OF
the place will be truly dismal.
Before quitting this subject allow mo to cor
rect an error which cTept into my last letter in
prize in the lottery-a diamond parure, or its
equivalent, 0,cu0, was won by lady-nor by
i gentleman-rcs'ding ia Nice Her name is
Mime. Girard, and she has, they say, just given
an unnistakablc sign Of vitality by calling upon
tho authorities at the Tracodero and aonounc-
ing her intention to " elect - for
THE HARD-cAsH ALTERNATIVE.
Sensible, sensible creature! Among the fortu-
nate winners is also II. Tiesserenc de Bort. Jr.,
son Of the late Minister Of Commerce, to whom
has fallen q fine pianoforte. have not heard
VINO won the grand Cayaille- Coll organ yet.
Let ush hope some good woman from the Hallcs
or gentleman ag-plcker from the Rue Mouf-
fetard, has been the lucky person.
To talk seriously, it is perfectly unreasonable
for holders OF tickets in the Lottery to CON-
plain Of double-dealing-save In one detail,
which will come to presently. It should DO
remembered that the enormous number Of r.
000, 900 tickets was issued Willie the totat nurl-
ber of2prizes Offered. including the smallest
land there are thousands Of insignihoant V0lue),
did not exceed $4,000. Now make simple cal
culatiou. You will find the odds against single
ticket to be exactly as 150 to l. The chances
against the same ticket winning either Of the
5000 are approximately as 9,39S to l. Under
the circumstances, the winners should consider
themselves miraculously favored.
In certain matter, however, it is hardly de-
niable that the holders OF tickets belonging to
the original or first series
ARE ENTITLED TO COMPLAIN.
They bought their chance under the impression
that 1,0C0, 900 Of tickets only would be issued,
and that to this 1000 600 there would be at least
one grand prize OF about s25,n00 It is urged
issue by gradual stages to 1o,000,000 the num-
ber OF prizes was relatively increased in the due
proportion. So it was, il large and small count
alike; but the number Of grand prizes was not
was one OF s25,ooo only. The only. other three
approaching this in value we're the diamond
necklaces worth $4,000, 1000, and $4,000,
respectively. All Of these were offered, not TO
the first series aIoue, but to al twelve series;
and the chances OF the original ticket-holders Ut
course was diminished immensely. In fact the
Government has been clearly guilty OF breach
Of contract towards the tickct-holdcrs OF Series
No. l. No others Lave right to complain.
THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS
has been ended as easily US the Governmental
crisis, though BY change far less radical. Sew
eral OF the intmbcrs III the late Dufaure Cabi-
net return to office. a notable exception is N.
Dufaure himself, who, seeing plainly that his
ideas arc no longer advanced enough to satisfy
public opinion in France, has had the good sense
TO decline the cares Of power and to retire from
pOllrical life st 4 moment when fhe transient
popularity acquired by .he Important part he
has played IN the recent history Of his country
might have sorely tempted him to retain Office.
AS it is, he is universally respected Had he,
however, foolisnly clung to bis post, before Q
month he would have been Us unpopular as NJ.
Buffet This the wary old statesman wcll knew.
He made mis- decision accordingly, and now His
tory will be able to say Of him as Of alacMahon,
though more respectfully, that Nothing in his
political life became him SO well as the leaving
of it.''
Two very prominent members Of the Dufaurc
Cabinet have been reappointed. NJ. Marcere-
4 clever but shifty and onice-loving Republican
lis still Minister OF the Interior.
II. WADDISeToN
remains Minister for Foreign Affairs, and be-
comes President oi the Council. Of their col
leagues in the late Cabinet, NM. Leon Say and
De Frcyclent (Gambctta's rishthand mani and
Gen. Grestey stay. The rest disappear. n.
Jules Ferry replaces u. Bardoux ut the Minis
try Of Fnhlic instruction and Fine Arts. III.