The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-04-21
LUCK IN LOTTERIES.
Some Strange Freaks That fortune Has Played In
Tho Distribution OF Hsr Bouniy.

Fortune Is never so capricious az
when she is turning lottery wheel
and a whole library might be written
of the strange pranks she has played
with those who have wooed her in this
guise. She was in a strangely caprici-
Gus mood, says Tit Bits, when IL
pleased her TO convert a Dublin shop
assistant into man OF fortune ana the
founder of a noble family.
Luke White, the father of the first
Lord Annaly. was a poor Manxman
who had drifted TO Dublin TO serve be-
hind the counter of a bookseller
shop. In the hope OF adding 10 his scan
~ earnings he bought a number of lot
terry tickets for sale, but found himself
unable to dispose of them all. At the
last moment he decided to send the un-
sold tickets to Belfast, in the hope OF
finding a better market there; but when
the coach had been day on its journey
he received a letter informing him that
the despised tickets had won valuable
prizes.
Although the news came in the dead
of night. Luke White got up immedi-
ately, saddled horse, and raced madly
i'm chase of the coach. He rode through
the night and the whole of the follow
ing day. and overlook the coach with,
i'm a few miles OF Belfast He rescued
the bundle of tickets and. returning
home. exchanged them for prizes OF the
value of 100000
An amusing story Ia told of wicked
trick which fortune played short time
ago on a lady. The lady and her hus-
band who were travelling, called at ths
shop OF a country draper to make few
purchases. They were about TO leave
the shop when an attractive bonnet
arrested the lady's attention. and she
induced her husband 20 buy IL for her
When II came for payment. however.
the husband found. 20 his dismay that
he had not sufficient money to pay Tor
it. In this dilemma he offered the dra-
per an eight share ticket In German
lottery which he had in his purse, and
finally induced him to accept IL in par;
payment A few days later the lady
learned, to her disgust. that the lottery
ticketh ad won an eighth of $4,000. and
that her darling bonnet had thus cost
her the record price OF nearly $500
IL was happy inspiration that
tempted a young lieutenant on the ttal-
ian battleship Lepanto to turn his ati
tention to the Spanish Christmas lot
terry a couple OF years ago. The ship
was cruising off the coast OF Spain, and
IL occurred to the Lieutenant 20 induce
all on board. from captain TO cahir
boy, to join in n lottery ticket. The
ticket was bought. and, to the delight
of all. was fortunate enough To win the
first prize OF s165, 900. which was divided
among the lucky owners on Christmas
Day.
A very curious piece OF good fortune
fell last year to the lot of a poor widow
who kept "A small shop I'm suburb Of
Berlin. One evening az she was serv-
ing customer a workingman stepped
I'm To the shop and begged permission
To light his pipe. Drawing a piece of
paper from his pocket. he twisted II up
lit IL at the gas Jet. and. after lightin.
his pipe. threw down the spill and
walked out with a word ~ thanks
When sweeping the floor the nex'
morning the widow took up, the charred
paper out Of idle curiosity. and unfold
ing II. saw that II was n lottery ticket
onlv a fraction ~ II was burnt. SHE
folded n IN. put n away In her pocket.
and had almost forgotten II. when IN,
result of a large lottery drawing caught
her eve i'm the paper she then refnem-
bered the crumpled ticket I'm herpockat
and. on producing VI. found 60 her
amazement and delight that the re-
iected ticket had won prize of $50, Coo
she claimed the prize. and although sho
advertised widely for It's original owner
with the intention OF sharing II with
him, she has been heft i'm undisturbed
possession Of her fortune.