The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-07-15
THE LOTTERY TICKET.


from Gatesborough to West Gatesbor-
ough i'll the teeth of a keen November
storm. wondered why this particular
storm affected her so disagreeably. Cen
orally in such weather she beguiled the
way with cheerful thoughts and calcula-
tions, all overspread by calm compla-
cency that she had at last gained this
position as teacher, so long coveted: but
tonight she found herself wishing that
the school were at West Gatesborough
instead of Gatesborough, or else that her
mother and the small house and farm
which was their sole estate could be
moved nearer to the school.
This wishing was all SO unlike Celia's
matter of fact reasonableness in general
that she sought hard for the reason why
she should be taken with such desire.
She soon found it in the fact that she was
undeniably hungry.
She was wet, cold, and bedraggled, but
most of all she was hungry, with the
keen, uncompromising hunger of healthy
young girlhood. Surely this of itself was
enough to induce gloomy thoughts and
futile wishes.
II was silly not to think of it sooner, :"
she half laughed to herself. II had be-
gun to forget that ] had such a very
neager lunch this noon. But never
mind: mother will have hot supper
waiting for me-"
Then she turned the last bend in the
road, and seeing the light in her moth
ers kitchen, stumbled along more quickly
than ever A feeble light it was. and
typical in a measure of every thing
within the house, from the mother down,
except when Celia was there. Even the
fires Mrs. Bonner kindled had trick OF
burning weakly and uncertainty.
When, few moments after she saw
the light, Celia burst into the kitchen,
with her cloak and umbrella held out be.
fore her, the savory supper she had so
keenly anticipated was in no way ap.
parent to her senses The table was pro.
vided with no other edibles than cold
Graham gems, a very few slices of cold
corned beef, and the inevitable dish Of
apple sauce.
Needless now of the drip which be,
spattered the homemade carpet, Celia
stood still.
"Mother! You don't mean to say this
is all you have for support"
Affecting intense preoccupation with
the teakettle, her mother responded, II
don't see but it's pretty good, Celia.
But, mother! We've had nothing
else for the last week, and / told you
was starving for something hearty and
warm. gave you money this morning
to buy steak"
well, you see, there's so many other
things to get," Mrs. Bonner pleaded
weakly. There was something so furtive
and insincere in her manner that Celia
without difficulty, jumped to conclu
sion.
Mother, believe you've spent that
money for another lottery ticket"
This abrupt statement revealed the
skeleton which had stood in the closet Of
this poor little household for more than
year. 1t was a subject 80 repulsive to
Celia that she hated to speak of it, but SC
dear to the mother that she loved to en-
large upon it.
"And suppQsing did, Celia" she said
more confidently. Fortunes going te
turn sometime. and I'll be bound you'd
be glad enough if we came into SIS 900 al
at once, as that young man did up il
Massachusetts,.
The lines of the argument were al
wearily familiar to Celia, but hunger gave
an added visor to her protest.
II might be demoralized by it," she
said, "but I'd never be gladl Whether
you gain or lose, the principle is the same
It's nothing but gambling, and though
you'd feel pretty badly to hear that oul
Joe out in Colorado had become a gam
bier, you think it no harm to be one your
self, though you are a church member.
Mrs. Bonner remained silent littl,
while, and then began to cry softly.
It's too bad for you to scold in tina
way, Celia" she said, "when all Tn
thinking about is your good and Joe's
And even il am a church member,
don't see that Pm committing any sin
Amt lotteries as old as the days of Moses
and didn't he consent to them? AnC
didn't the early settlers in Maine anc
New Hampshire make use of them t,
build churches as well as schools?"
This was again familiar ground to Celia
but she took it up as if it were quite new
Yes, mother, but we don't live unde
the Mosaic law now, and our forefather
did many things which we don't initiate
Because they hanged innocent women a.
witches, we should not consider it righ
to do it. Lotteries began in corruption
and they corrupt wherever they go. In
sure every Christian must condemn then
at heart, and to win in them is NOR
dangerous than to lose,
You never have been the same, mother
since you bought that first ticket tw,
years ago. It's like dram drinking; 20,
want to keep on at it. don't mean to b.
unkind, but / can't make it seem any
thing less than wicked"
The stern young preacher softened
little here, and a plaintive sniffie by wa,
of acknowledgment prefaced Mrs. Bon
ner's reply;
II don't believe I'll ever need to go int
them again, Celia; ! feel it that I'm
/ going to get something this time. ! ha'
a dream last night, and in il was count
ing out 10 bags of gold I"
1t was useless to argue further, Celi
moodiiy set about clearing away th
dishes, and said no more
A few weeks later, coming over tn
hill in a snow storm, Celia found the lit
tie light absent from her mothers win