Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-22
A FORTUNATE TURN.
The Remarkable Luck of a
French COrnei Player. Who
Makes a Small Fortune
In a Single Day,

New Orleans P~icsyune, February H.
Mr.. G. Clayette, first cornet of the
French opera company's orchestra, is
certainlya gentleman whose good for
tune many persons will envy. The
history of the circumstance attending
the stroke Of luck by which he became
the possessor, suddenly, offfteen thou
sand dollars, illustrates the fact that
one is guided to the road to fortune
sometimes by events apparently very
insignificant.
Last Friday Mr.. Clayette was stroll
ing along Royal street, in the vicinity
of Cont, when he CHANGED to see a
gentleman enter the Office of Juan
Jose Libano, No. S. Royal, and in
spect some Of the tickets for the
monthly drawing of the Louisiana
lottery company. Mr.. Clayettc stop
ped and watched the proceedings, de-
batting in his mind whether he, too,
should try his luck. He saw the
gentleman lay down a dollar and pur-
chase half of a ticket. The number
of course, he could not see, but he
had remarked the place in the wiz
dow from which the ticket had been
taken, he walkedjn and purchased the
remaining half of the ticket upon
which his attention had been fixed.
1t was the number 1886. But We'd
nesday came, and Mr.. Clayette, gIanc-
ing over the list of PRICES published in
the Ficayune, was astOnished to find
that ticket No. 1856 had won thirty
thousand dollars.
He held half of that ticket, and con-
sequently was entitled to fifteen thou
sand dollars-seventy-fve thousand
%francsl This intelligence he conveyed
to his friends, but they could scarcely
realize hat their confrere Of the or
chestra had been so successful. They
thought there must be some mistake.
"Sevebty.five thousand francs for one
dollarl' 1t twas too much. They could
not behave it,
Nevertheless, 1t was true, delight
fully true, so far as Mr.. Ulayette was
concerned. The writer met him on
Thursday morning as he came out of
the Louisiana lottery company's office,
on st. Charles street, with a check on
the Louisiana national bank for Sl5,-
600.
Suffice it to say, it was Mr.. Isaac
Kern who had preceded Mr.. Clayette
into Libano's Office on Royal street,
and purchased half of ticket No.
1856. He, too, is now richer by
$l5. 1000.
You are from France, | believe"
remarked the reporter to Mr.. Clayette.
Yes he replied in French, this
is my first visit to America. | came
from Paris with Dir. de Reaqplap's
opera company"
is this your first speculation In lot
terry tickets?"
No, indeed" said Mr.. Clayette, Il
have before bought tickets in the Paris
lottery, but never won anything, and
was beginning to think that | never
would be so fortunate as to obtain a
prize in a lottery.
You will not forget New Orleans
when you 60 aWay?"
Certainly not" be responded with
a smile; Il have a beautiful souvenir
Of this city pointing to his check.
In the course Of conversation, Mr.
Clayette observed that he would still
continue to play the cornet, but he
thought the notes would sound sweet
er than thoy bad ever done in the
past. Before leaving Paris he had had
a presentiment that some good fortune
was in store for him, and it had come;
he was happy.
Mr.. Clayetto is a handsome man, in
Ia the prime Of life. 1t was learned
that he has travelled muck, AMI az one
time was a soldier.