The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-15

 and I'm sure the saying proved true Tn the case I'm going to tell you apout' though you may say there was no ac- tual sin committed by my friend, wnich may be true, but he gave way uhoer strong temptation, and that IS the next thing to it. Anyway, Will Lawson, the eldest son of her who was Samantha Fisher, would never have been arrested for murder and put in peril of his lire II he hadn't yielded to temptation ana naa to do with a lottery ticket.
 Widow Lawson, Wills mother. lived next door to me in a little white cottage with green blinds and neat flower gar den in front when these things happened, and we were the best Of friends. 50 remember as If 1t was only yesterday the day Will came home from the city With his new clothes. It was the 9th or De- cember and Wills mother had been saV- ing up all summer to buy that sult TOT Christmas present for her boy, so 1t was quite an event when he brought It nome I ran right over when l saw him. ana ne put the clothes on and paraded around the house so we could see how he looked in them. Will was handsome boy, with his straight, slender figure, his dark hair and blue eyes and his lauging, rosy face, and he looked well in anything, but he seemed particularly taking in that suit, which was black with a little Whlte silk thread running through 1t. He was just turned twenty that fall and far and away the likeliest boy in the village. TOT he was steady and honored his mother and worked every day in the little nour mill down by the race.
 After the boy had shown off his clothes and told us all about his visit to the clty, went home, for I had left some things stewing on the stovee and l was afraid they'd burn, but hadn't been home very long before Mrs. Lawson marched In, with a worried look on her face and that wretched lottery ticket In her hand Mrs. Lawson was a Godzfearfng woman, and she almost cried as she told me about finding a ticket in the watch pocket or Wills new pantaloons.
 'The worst of t." she said, "is that Will denies all knowledge of the ticket He spoke up real dlsrespectful when told him he'd better burn IL. lie ssio II might bring luc!i. Luck is hard work and saving ways, said l. and I'm :orry to see such mo- tions getting into your head. Nothing rood can come of it, you may be sure. If I were in your place, I'd burn that lot tery ticket right now in my kitchen stove"
 But I promi ed Will I wouldn't de- stroy it." she said.
 l into my way of thinking, though shed come over to consult me, and she went home with the ticket clasped tight ir her hand, as if it could bring anything but sorrow. She asked me not to men ton the matter. and I promised. thougf didn't like to see her getting secretivt in her old age
 It was exactly two weeks after-or December g, to be exact-that Mrs. Law
 l.. HaNIy ytV,er- -NNnNVs cheerful than I'd seen here look for many a long day. She was a little. thin. timiC woman. with a sad face all hollowed 1T at the cheeks and temples and faded blue eyes and hair that was turning gray. bu she looked quite young that evening.
 "aWhat do you think?" she asked. al most dancing across to the sink, wher' was cleaning a small turkey for Christ mas dinner-"what do you think? Wilr' ticket has drawn a. prize
 Her words and her manner struck m all of A heap, but I managed to ask he what kind of prize, for I thought per hans he'd drawn a necktie or clock.
 "It's a money prize," she said. Eff teen thousand dollars T had turned around, with my dish nan. almost full of bloody water. in m, hands. and I just sat down in chair fesIire weak all in a minute. and tn diShDan tipped ONeI' oIA "NNN went sailing over my clean hoor.
 'Eor land sakes, I said when l go my breath again. You don't say sol" "Yes.' she said. It's all here in thi list Number 9S,5
 When I asked ner if he'd gnt the none and she said he was going to the city UT rext day to get it, I didn't encourage he in any hopes that might not be fulhlled. Well" said Mrs Lawson, WIFI
 
 it's all right. He's going to the city to morrow with Will after the, money They'll be back in the evening In tim for Will to play Santa Claus in Distric school No. 3.
 Then she hesitated a little, pulling a the strings of her winter hood. which wa all crinkled up under her arm, but hnall asked me not to say anything aoou Will drawing the money.
 "Je doesn't want it known she sait though can't see why, and we're goin m living as If we hadn't a cent in tn world for a time at least, and then pei haps we'll move away
 Mrs Lawson went away looking jul as cheerful as if Will had earned tf money down at the mill and had 1t all his hand. and I had to go to work ar clean up the mss on the hoor cause h,. that nan of bloody water. But som couldn't seem to be thankful fC
 Ia+ Mrs Lawson considered such ,",nssing couldn't get the notion o' nf nav mind that something dreadf would come of it.
 "UTt~ The next morning, the day befo Christmas, Will Lawson and Lawy Ciapp were up bright and early and toe tbe 5.23 train for New York. They g the money. though they had to p' something out of the prize so as iot
 at va, ai' u'ain office They got home late tbe afternoon. and Ms. Lawson pa and nervous as a kitten, was at the tra tn meet them.
 ' Win y'i jumped of first and, running