Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-04-17
AN UNLUCkY NUMBER


when the door was thrown open and in
walked an old soldier of lhe name OF Sang.
He showed us lottery ticket, which ht
| said he had found secrcted in the back OF
| a book which he had bought the day be
| fore at one OF the bOOkstalls. | took the
piece of paper and examined IL. 1t was fol
| 800, 600 and would be drawn for in five
weeks time.
Captain T., leaning out of the window
with his chin resting on his hands, hac
scarcely noticed the entrance of the ole
man, hut when called him and held the
scrap Of flimsy paper cut toward him be
turned terribly pale and sank back into
his seat.
| "NO. 53p' he murmured, aghast.
Not another word could we get out o,
him He sat pale and dumb, like ono
| turned into stone. Mr.. Sang placed the
ticket inside his pockotbo book and muttcreo
loud enough for Us 10 hear:
| Zone hundred thousand dollars Why
that is IA fortunel But an old fool like Inc
will never win.
"You will VIM suddenly cried the
captain in strange, lew tones, which made
us both start.
"How can you tellS" whispered the old
| man eagerly.
81 want you to get rid Of that ticket, for
as sure rs we are living men you will be
the loser III the end. "
"Ah. Perhaps you would like TO secure
| she ticket, " said the old fellow, with a
| peculiar smile
The captain only shrugged his shout
lers and turned to the window.
Il know, said Sang, that could get
good sum for this ticket if it were known
; had il for sale. However, as the captain
| is so positive il will be drawn will retain
| the ticket and run the risk Of being the
loser one hundred thousand dollars
Why, | see what it is-the captain is jeal
Jus Ha, hal'
He went out, and as he descended the
stairs heard him mumbling:
you Will be the loser in the end.
What can the captain mean, | wonderg"
! He gained the street, and l could hear nc
| more.
turned 10 Captain r. He was standing
| silent and motionless at the window
For long time l sat watching him,
standing there 50 pale and silent all the
| while racbing my brain how to account
| COR his strange conduct on seeing the
| number of the lottery ticket-No. 53
! What painful rccol"ctiuns did these two
| figure. recall to his mindy l asked myself
! The question over and over again. but |
still remained in the dark.
! \ AT once he closed the window and
simply said a. if speaking TO himself:
There can be no doubt about ii No.
! 53 is an accurscd number
Il do not understand you, captain,
said, for began 10 feel curious
He remained silent for some time as il
in deep thought and l did not interrupt
! him.
| i..,, h. cot
! can Judge for yourself rs TO the truth Of
NY statement. He lit cigarette and
! drew his chair TO the table.
Eleven years ago, he began, "my
! father. although considered to be very
! sensible man, invested IA sum of money in
/ "a lottery. His ticket WAS drawn, and he
/ became possessed of 800, 600. He was
! fortunate. So everybody said. l. too
, thought so at the time. One evening he
entered one of the gambling saloons, and
| becoming fascinated 10y the play he lost all
{ his ready money in few hours. Then
oil his property went. and when he arose
! from the table at midnight he was beg
/ gar. Maddened by his losses and rendered
! insane 10y the knowledge of the grief Of his
! family, he shot himself through the heart
! His ticket was No 53!'
Yet ! cannot see how that goes &c
! prove your statement, | said. THE
| same thing could happen with any num-
! Der. -
True" he replied. Il attached no i'm
/ portance TO the number AT the time. Four
! years went by, and had almost forgotten
/ No SO, when friend of mine in poor cir
cumstances managed to buy "a lottery tick
/ ct He won, like my father, 500, 600
! Poor fellow 1t was the price of his reason
! The Sudden rise To wealth turned his
brain. and he is now an inmate of an asy
! lum. Now you will understand me when
l tell you his ticket was No 53
/ shuddercd, but remained silent.
you can have an idea, he went on,
"as to the state of my feelings on seeing
| poor Sang in possession of "a lottery ticket
bearing the fatal No. 53l"
l could answer nothing. To me 1t
seemed inexplcable
The day of drawing slowly came round,
and, IS the captain had foretold, Sang's
! ticket was drawn. No. 53 was announced
! the winner
When the captain heard Of it, he shook
! his head and murmured:
"Wait! Watt
Sang forsook Hooley street and bought
for himself a nice little villa. He was
talked of ~ being "A lucky man aud was
envied by all except Captain +.
." You will be the loser in the end, y the
captain had said But now l began TO
| think he was mistaken.
One morning scarcely three months
after the drawing Captain p. placed IA
newspaper before me and without n word
pointed out "a certain paragraph. / read
with almost stilled heart that thief had
entered ~ang'S house the night before, and
while searching for the money, which was
believed TO be secreted in the house, he
aroused the owner, whom he stabbed 10
! death.
The captain was right. Sang was the
J loser
There is a solution 10 every mystery
, Can you solve the mystery of No. 53$
Captain =. and myself confess ourselves
baflled. Exchange.
UMBRELLA TRUSTS FAILURE.