Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-29
is on" remarked Ashton, land I'll just hold

| is on" remarked Ashton, land I'll just hold
| on to this silver"
Goodnow .ndorsed the suggestion.
81 hope" he added that I can do as
well right along. l want to win that first
| prize
[ Good luck to you," said Ashton, as they
| parted.
Things were coming Mr.. Goodnow's way.
| Az the end OF the third week Of his labors
| he found himself charged with over 1,S0o
| tickets, and there over 800 in cur
rency in that bundle in the safe. The en-
| velope had grown too small and GoodnoW
| had tied I'D the bills at the end Of each
| week. using strong pink wrapping paper
| that gave the package certain individual
| ty.
Rumors of the enormous sales had
reached the ears OF a number of people.
One enterprising citizen with speculative
streak in his mental economy approached
James day or two before the fair and
| cautiously sounded him as to his chances.
| Il think I'll catch that first prize all
right" said James.
Tell you what I'll do" observed the
speculative citizen. I'm buy your chance
| In that prize
Jimmy reflected. "whatn you give?"
| Twenty dollars"
TOO little" said Goodnow decidedly.
That set is as good mine and It's worth
| $40. You ought to give me $50
The Spectator hesitated. 'rll give you
| forty.
| Hdl betteTT L ii TAKE H.
You just write out an order on the COM
mittee to deliver the set to me and here 8
| your money.
| Goodnow complied with the simple re-
! quest. Another citizen with eye to a
| bargain. who made similar proposition to
Mr.. Goodnow, haggled over the figures but
finally secured prospective title to the china
| for $40. This struck the prize winner as
good thing and as it was in line with the
idea. that came to him when Mr.. Ashton
was negotiating with him he concluded to
| work it Mr.. Ashton's $50 was easily cap
| tured, and three others whose money ma k
| ing prOpensites had been discovered by the
young man severaly invested in his chance
which they believed was a certainty.
The fair was the greatest success ever
| scored in the social history of Biggvile.
| 1t opened with a crush on Monday and
| there was not night when one could move
ABOUT comfortably. The money fairly
| poured in and the Hon. Jedediah Bigg was
| the bushing recipient of congratulations on
| the consummate skill with which the affair
| had been planned and managed. Goodnow
continued to report progress in his ticket
| noon he had MIR. Ashton give him $50 in
currency for the same amount in coin, and
| aooed 1t to the pink package. He made the
addition at his desk ana. just as he had
| finished tying it up, slipped the parcel into
| drawer and stepped over to- the chief
| bookkeeper.
Did you speak to me?"
No"
That's funny. thought you called me-
l beg your pardon"
AS he returned to the desk and reached
INTO tie drawer for the bundle there came
| into his mild blue eyes strange gieam OF
sauS1acton but 1t was gone when he hand
| ed the neatly tied package to Mr. Ashton.
mere you are. sir. Nine hundred and
n,nety-three dollars. l guess You get that
prize When shall We settle UP the ticket
account?'
20. no hurry about that. as long as the
moneys here Tomorrow or Monday will
| do. No: Monday Will be observed as Christ
mas. Tuesday Will do
Very well. If you don't mind think In
take couple of hours off tomorrow and
look N on the fair myself
I'm sure there'll be no objection l may
be there. too
II hope you will remarked Goodnow.
And if you are / won't do a thing to the
shop, he added, under his breath.
Goodnow's visit to the fair produced
something of flutter. 1t had been gen
eraLy known that he was the first prize
winner. and as he moved modestly about
from booth to booth making purchases here
and there he heard complimentary WIS
pers on all sides Of him. Old Mr.. Ashton
was visibly elated at the sensation the
young man created. He had recently had
good deal to say about Goodnow and posed
as the discoverer of the talented and ener-
getic employe. He was particularly cordiaI
when they met, but before they had chatted
long the young man excused himself. Ten
minutes later he appeared at the emporium
with small leather satchel and addressed
AHf. Ashton s assistant.
Mr.. Palmer, they asked Mr.. Ashton at
the church If he would accommodate the
committee with some small bills for silver.
The crowd seems to object to SO much
coin, and Mr.. Ashton suggested bring over
500 to be exchanged
The cashier made the exchange without
question, and Goodnow hurried away. Going
directly to his room, he carefully locked the
door, and then reaching under the ward
robe brought to light pink package, which
he threw into the satchel. Aga n there
came into his eyes that gieam of satsfac-
tioa.
I'd give 81 in pennies to see old Ashton's
face when he opens that roll in the safe
Then he grinned. And when the specuIa-
tive old boys find that seven of them won
that first prize. Not bad. Let's see:
here's s993 from the ticket snap. 500 from
rights to the first prize and $500 in change.
That's pretty near $1,000. Not so bad for
little Jamesy, and l think I'll move The
races are on at New Orleans, and maybe
l can do something with the pennies"
Then he strolled down to a railway sta
ton. bought a ticket and sleeper and
went out for little lunch.
Things happened at the Emporium I'M
mediateiy after Mr.. Goodnow's departure.
Ashton arrived, looking red and angry.
| where's Goodnow?' he demanded.
Left here about twenty minutes ago,
| sir. Said he'd be back soon"
"Well, when he comes I've got something
| to say to him. | happened to be talking
! to DR.. Trotter and find he holds Goodnow's
| order for that dinner service; paid $50 for
| it. Blame his skim l paid Goodnow $50
| for his chance myself He'll have a time
| explaining things"
| Well he can't be long. He's just gone
| up to the church for that currency you
| told him to get"
| What currency?
| "Why, the currency for the silver"
Ashton stared at his assistant blankly,
| and then, suddenly overwhelmed with sus-
| picon, jumped to the big safe. When he
saw that the pink package was there he
! breathed a sigh Of relief, and, grasping it
| as if to satisfy himself of its reality, sat
| down at the desk and unfastened the
| string. Turning back the wrapper he dis
closed a neat pile of slips of newspaper
cut to the size of bank notes, and staring
| at him in bold black letters from the white
card on the top of it all was this:
|