The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-06-08
NO. So.

| An old veteran in large straw hat was
| describing, with frantic gestures, how he
| had lost his arm In a corner beneath
some trees, u flock of youngsters were
romping with "a monkey, and the rays OF
| the setting sun glanced over the housetops,
fickered upon the green foliage and upon
| the white pavement, over which it cast
long, struggling shadows.
| For some time we had maintained q pro-
found silence, when the door of our apart
ment was thrown open and admitted our
old neighbor-M. Sang.
| He showed us a lottery ticket, which, he
said, he had found secreted in the back of
q book he had bought the day before at
one of the bookstalls.
took the piece of paper and examined
it. 1t was for 500, 900 francs and would
| be drawn for in five weeks time
Captain P, leaning out of the win
dow, with his chin resting on his hands,
had scarcely noticed the entrance of the old
man, but when called him and held the
scrap of flimsy paper out toward him he
turned terribly pale and sank back in his
seat.
mo 63p' he murmured, aghast.
Not another word could wo get oft of
him. He sat pale and dumb, like one
turned into stone
M. Sang placed tho ticket inside his
| pockctbook, with chuckle, and muttered
loud enough for us to hear:
Five hundred thousand francsl Why
that is n fortune! But an old fool like me
will never win"
"You will winv' suddenly cried the cap
tain in strange low tones, which made us
both start
How can you tell, monsieur" whisper
ed the old man eagerly.
II want you to get rid of that ticket, for
as sure as we are living men at this mo
ment you will be the loser in the end'
"Ah! Perhaps you would like to secure
the ticket, monsieur" said the old fellow
with peculiar smile.
The captain only shrugged his shoulders
and turned to the window.
Il know said M. Sang, THAT could
get IA good sum for this ticket if it were
known had it for SALE However, as the
captain is so positive it will be drawn, 1
will retain the ticket and run tho risk Of
being the loser. Five hundred thousand
francs! Why, l see what it is The captain
is jcalous Ha, hal"
He went out, and as he went down tho
stairs heard him mumbling:
You will b. the loser in the end What
hundred" he gained the street, ant !.
could hear no more.
turned to Captain P He was stand
ing silent and motionless at the window.
Although his eyes were directed to where
the performers stood, knew from their
fixed and steady gaze that he saw none
nor did he hear the music.
For n long time / sat watching him,
standing there so pale and SILENT all tho
while raking my brain how to account for
his strange conduct on seeing the number
of the lottery ticket-No. 53. What pain
full recollections did these two figures re-.
call to his mind? l asked myself this ques-
ton over and over again, but / still re-
maincd in the dark.
The captain still continued to gaze ont
of the window. Tho music had ceased, tho
sun had disappeared, and the square was
almost deserted
All at once Eo closed the window and
simply said, as if speaking to himself:
"Thcro can Dc no doubt about it! No
90 is an accurscd number!'
Il do not understand you, captain"
said, for l began TO feel curious.
lie remained silent for some time as IL
In deep thought and l did not interrupt
him
Listen, he said suddenly, land you
can judge for yourself as to the truth Of
my statement
He lit a cigarette and drew his chair
closer to tho table.
Eleven years ago. no began, my fa-
ther, although considered to be very SEN
siblc man, invested sum Of money in
lottery. His ticket was drawn, and he be-
/ came possessed of 500, 600 francs. He was
fortunatel So everybody said. 1, too,
thought so at the time. One evening he
entered ono of the gaming saloons, and
becoming fascinated by the play he lost all
his ready money in a few hours Then all
his property went, and when he arose from
the table al midnight he was beggar
Maddened by his losses and rendered in
| sane by the knowledge of the grief of his
family he shot himself through tho heart
His ticket was No. 53!'
yet 1 cannot sec how that goes to prove
your statement +" said. 1.-THE same thing
could happen with any number"
True" he replied. 81 attached no i'm.
portance to the number ut the time Four
years went by, and I had almost forgot
! ten No. SO, when a friend of mine in poor
circumstances managed to buy lottery
| ticket. He won, like my father, 500, 600
francs. Poor fellow, it was the price of
his reason! INC sudden rise to wealth
turned his braip and he is now an inmate
| Of the K asylum. Now you will I'M
| derstand me when i tell you his ticket
was No. OBJ
shuddercd, but remained silent.
The day of drawing slowly came around,
| and as the captain had foretold M. Sang's
ticket was drawn. No. SO was announced
| the winner!
When the captain heard it, he shook his
head and murmurcd:
wait, waltz
NJ Sang forsook the Boulevard NJ
and bought for himself a nice little villa
| He was talked of as being lucky man and
was cnvicd by all except Captain P.
You will be the loser in the end, T" the
captain had said. But now I began to
| think he was mistaken.
One morning, scarcely three months aft
or the drawing, Captain p placed q
newspaper before me, and without q word
| pointed out certain paragraph.
read, We: almost stifled heart, that a
| thief had entered M. Sang's house the
night before, and while searching for the
money, which was believed to be secreted