Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-07-14


bon was q prey.
He walked slowly along towards his
home. Almost mechanically. ne paus.
ed before the show windows of a to-
bacco-shop. AS he did not smoke, he
had never set foot in the establish
ment. In the window was displayed q
poster which read as follows:
The Mezidon Lottery.
100000 francs in prizes.
One prize OF 10000 francs.
Two prizes Of 10000 francs.
Other prizes ranging from 5000 to
100 francs
Tickets one franc.
Drawing June Is. (Without postpone
ment)
n. BAH prizes paid in cash
Below this seductive poster. on a
glass shelf, in the midst Of a heap of
pipes, tobacco pouches and amber
mouth-pieces. lay pile of tickets for
the aforesaid lottery.
! AS ten o'clock sounded from all the
clocks in the neighborhood, one could
hear these inarticulate words from the
| lips OF the cOnfecuOner:
100000 francs!-it is not probable
, but it is possible, after all If not
| 100 900, why not 100000"
When anyone mentioned a lottery
that door opened by chance upon a
fortune-before his wife she invariably
replied:
Yes, yes; l know how one can win
money in a lottery. have found out
the way to make sure!''
How do you manager" inquired
some innocent listener.
Il never buy ticket-so 1 win the
twenty sous l did not invest in one"
After hearing this, NJ Moulinier
never thought of risking one franc
in any enterprise Of this kind.
This evening, however, while re-
fecting on the dreadful situation into
which his love for dominos had
plunged him, this advertisement of
the MezidOn lottery had an indescrib-
able fascination for him. He contin-
Ied his monologue in the following
fashion:
With twenty sous l might gain a
hundred-fold, ten hundred-foId, one
hundred hundred-fold. In a month
from now my deficit would be made up
and [ should have nothing to fear
from Eudoxie's anger
After pause, he continued: How
the name of that lottery, Mezidon,
fascinates me! 1t might be that it is
the voice of fate. saying to me: Buy
a ticket Buy a ticket!'"
SO, after this mental TEMPEST. M.
Moulinier crossed the threshold of the
tobacco shop.
Clor1nde, the confidential clerk of
the proprietress, Nine Valmadou, who
was often absent in the evening, was
sitting before the counter on a bench
covered with red velvet, which was
shabby and faded at the corners.
On seeing the confectioner, the
young woman, a rather pretty brun-
cite, made a gesture of surprise.
IN. Moulinier!" she exclaimed:
land what gives me the pleasure of
seeing you?"
1nwardly f1attered by the notoriety
he enjoyed in the chef-lieu of the |
Seine-Inferieure, he, proprietor of the |
Bon Bonbon, replied graciously:
well, mademoiselle, I would like
-" He hesitated.
"a cigar? What brandt
mo, mademoiselle-a lottery tick
et," he said, pointing to the tempting !
poster.
Certainly, monsieur"
Opening the door of the show-win- !
dow, Clorinde took out the packet
of tickets, selected one and handed it
to the confectioner, saying:
Anything else?"
why, the 1000 francs I expect to |
draw" replied NJ Moulinier with an
attempt at wit.
The laying down a franc on the
counter, he looked at the ticket, read |
the number aloud, O13,028. then put it
carefully away in an out-of-the-way
corner of his pocket-book.
I wish you good evening, made
moiselle."
Good luck to you, monsieur"
Looking back he saw that it was
just half-past ten by a clock that
stood under a mirror.
'Eudoxie will be furious he |
thought. He then fastened home as
fast as his slender limbs would carry
him.
The Bon Bonbon closed every night |
at nine o'clock A few moments later, |
Nine. Moulinier went up to her cham
Der and awaited the coming of her |
husband. AS soon as he entered on !
this especial evening, she sat up in |
bed and exclaimed harshly:
you are rather late! What kept |
your"
Nothing at all, my dear. My watch
is slow-that is al"
Did you win at dominos?"
cat first l lost twenty-five confines,
but I won it back, and ten more with
it, my dear"
Then Eudoxie put up her forehead
for the kiss her husband dropped
there every night.
Shortly after, two sonorous snorings
seemed to indicate that the couple
We're enjoying the delights Of sleep.
In fact, only Eudoxie really slept.
Her husband contented himself with
initiating the nasal music of his spouse
so as to deceive her in case she sud-
denly Weakened. He could not get to
Sleen on account of a. magic number