St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1880-05-29

Lou re better on without nOne.'
Simon neither desired wine or cigar
nor any other luxury Of dissipated you'll
but if he could have had the price of
lottery ticket without working for it,
would have rejoiced.
In his early boyhood he had dreame
that he had drawn a lucky number. H
believed in dreams-that dream in pal
ticular.
1t had the effect upon him that havin
his name in will has upon many
young man.
| He saw no need of learning trade
OF going into shop Or setting himsel
to earn his bread anywhere or in an
manner.
With his first pound he would buy
lottery ticket, draw the fifty thousans
, prize, reimburse his aunt for all that sh
had expended upon him, be very Jolly ant
generous to everybody, and Live luxu
riously every day. like the town nous,
i'll the fable.
One afternoon as he sauntered in
sleepy-eyed and dreamy, he found Sally
Corkindahl at the tea-table.
She had been sewing for his aunt al
the afternoon.
Meanwhile he also had been very busy
He had found an imaginary pound
bought ticket, drawn the prize, and be.
slowed upon his aunt little carriage,
two cream-colored horses and a black
silk dress.
Her delight over the unexpected pres
ent and wonderful news had kept him
from opening the canned fruit as he had
promised to do.
Mrs. Wheeler, who knew nothing of
this fine waking dream, desired to scold
him.
However, Sally's presence prevented
her from doing SO. She contented her
self with talk at him over the dress
makers shoulder.
She praised the girls industry, her
prudence, her economy.
That the way to get on" she said
-" that's the spirit like. Independent
from the time you lost your parents, and
making little savings all the while.
Don't say, 'only fifty pounds Every
little makes a mickle, I've heard my
grandmother say. Many one that has
earned double your money hasn't saved
a penny
Simon listened.
Fifty pounds!'' said he to himself.
"Why don't she buy lottery ticket,
draw a prize, and stop sewing? 1 would"
He looked earnestly at Sally. The
color came into her thin cheeks.
She was not often the object of such
intent regard.
Could it be that this young man adj
mired her?
Sally Corkindahl felt sure that this was
so when Simon offered to see her home
that evening.
That was the beginning of it.
The end was that wedding which had
awakened such establishment at Painsted.
The wonder that industrious Sally
Corkindahl had married such an idle
fellow, who certainly could not take care
of her, was only matched by the wonder
that handsome Simon Wheeler had mar
rled that plain, utterly unattractive Sally
Corkindahl.
Mrs. Wheeler resented it highly.
Since you've chosen common seam
stress, and married her without a hint to
me, you can take care of her, she said:
81 won't"
SO Simon had sauntered over to the
one room which Sally hired, with his
portmanteau in one hand and an UNI
brella in the other; and Sally still went
out to work, while Simon sat at the win
dow and looked at his paper
He had told her he expected to come
into a fortune, and she received his state
ment with the credulity of love, and was
content to pinch and toll in the mean
lime.
She had placed her savings book in his
hands
All she had was his by the law of her
owe, and before their wedding-day was
'ver Simon had bought his first ticket.
1t was that that made his heart beat so
wildly, not the touch of her honest hand
lpon his own as she met him in the gloam-
ng; but he said to himself, s:There
han't be any more drudgery for Sally
When draw the capital price,
There are twelve months in the year;
ach month the great Gumbo Lottery
lad drawing'-each month Simon
Wheeler bought a ticket and drew a
flank
Sally knew nothing Of it.
Liz anniversary OF Gnelr wedding
anne. On that day Simon bought two {
ickets, and in due course of time drew {
wo blanks.
He was always kind to his wife, for '
yer talked of his expectations, and I
raised her industry; forever looked at {
he paper, and made little sums in lead S
encil on Sally's pine table. |
At the end Of two years Sally began ,
feel a little anxious, at the end of |
lree little weary, at the end of four Z
larmed
Forty-eight months had passed by, c
'rty-eight drawings had been made by f
lie Gumbo Lottery, and forty-eight v
[anks had been drawn by Simon. 9
One day he made his purchase with v
epidation, and returned home trem- b
ing; he had spent the last pound of his a
DOR wife's hoard! n
He had bought his fiftieth ticket in the p
jumbo, and for the first time his heart t
lied him; he had always expected r
NE before, now he only looked for t
ank. a
He went into his small room. Sally s.
r. of hor lob l. | n