The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-12-21

committed by my friend, which may be
!. true. but he gave way under strong
temptation, and that Is the next thing
to It, Anyway, VIII Lawson, the eldest
son of her who was Samantha Fisher,
would never have been arrested for
murder and put in peril of his life If he
hadn't yielded to temptation and had to
do with a lottery ticket
Widow lawson Wills mother lived
next door to me In a little white cot
tage with green blinds and neat iow-
ar garden in front when these things
happened, and we were the best of
friends. So I remember as If it was
only yesterday the day Will came home
from the city with his new clothes. 1t
was the 9th Of December and Wills
mother had been saving up all summer
to buy that suit for Christmas pres
ent for her boy, 80 1t was quite an
event when he brought 1t home. I ran
right over when saw him, and he put
the clothes on and 'paraded around the
house 10 we could see how he looked In
them. VIII was a handsome boys with
his straight, slender figure, his dark
hair and blue eyes and his laughing,
rosy face, and he looked well in any
thing, but he seemed particularly TAX
ing In that suit. which was black with
q little white silk thread running
through it. He was Just turned twenty
that fall and far and away the likeliest
boy in the village. for he was steady
and honored his mother and worked
every day in the little flour mill down
by the race.
After the boy had shown off his
clothes and told us all about his"visit
to the city i went home, for had left
some things stewing on the stove. and
was afraid they'd burn. but I hadn't
been home very long before Mrs. Law
son marched in, with a worried look on
her face and that wretched lottery tick
ct in her hand. Mrs. Lawson was a
God fearing woman, and she almost
cried as she told me about finding a
ticket in the watch pocket Of Wills
new pantaloons.
1.-The worst Of It," she said, rs that
VIII denies all knowledge of the ticket.
He spoke up real disrespectful when I
told him he'd better burn it. He said it
might bring luck"
Luck is hard work and saving
ways" said l, "and I'm sorry to see
such notions getting into your head
Nothing good can come Of 1t, you may
be sure. If were in your place, I'd
burn that lottery ticket right now in
my kitchen stove"
But l promised Will | wouldn't de-
stroy it," she said.
All could say didn't persuade her
into my way Of thinking. though she'd
come over to consult me- and she went
home with the ticket clasped tight in
her hand, as II 1t could bring anything
but sorrow. She asked me not to men
tion the matter, and promised, though
/ didn't like to see her getting secretive
In her old age
II was exactly two weeks after-On
Dec. 20. to be exact-that Mrs Lawson
came over to my house looking more
cheerful than I'd seen her lock for
many long day. She was little
thin. timid woman, with sad face all
followed in at the cheeks and temples
and faded blue eyes and hair that was
turning gray, but she looked quite
young that evening.
what do you Think" she asked, al.
most dancing across to the sink, where
l. was cleaning small turkey for
Christmas dinner--"what do you think?
Her words and her manner struck me
= all of heap but managed to ask her
what kind of prize, for thought
+ perhaps he'd drawn necktie or a
clock.
ITS a money prize" she said. Eff
teen thousand dollars
I had turned around, with my dish
pan, almost full of bloody water, in my
hnu 7 i,,c cot IN, hot
feeling weak all in minute. and the
dishpan tipped over, and all that water
went sailing over my clean floor. =
"For land sakes!" said when I got
my breath again. "You don't say sol"
YES" she said. Its all here in this
list. Number 9S. 567."
When I asked her IL he'd got the
money and she said he was going to
the city the next day to get it, didn't
encourage her In any hopes that might
not be fulfilled.
"Well," said Mrs. Lawson. willis
asked Lawyer Clapp about it. and he
says it's all right. He's going down to
the city tomorrow with Will after the
money. They'll be back in the evening
In time for VIII to play Santa Claus in
District school No. g."
Inen She heSltateQ little, pulllng at
the strings of her winter hood, which
vas all crinkled up under her arm, but
finally asked me not to say anything
about VIII drawing the money.
HE doesn't want 1t known" she
said. though I can't see why. and
we'rc going on living as II we hadn't
cent In the world. for time at least,
and then perhaps we'll move away"
Mrs. Lawson went away looking just
as cheerful as II Will had earned the
money down at the mill and had 1t all
In his hand, and had to so to work
and clean up the muss on the floor
caused by that pan of bloody water
: But somehow couldn't seem to be
thankful for what Mrs. Lawson consid-
cred such blessing. couldn't get the
notion out of my mind that something
dreadful would come Of 1t.
The next morning, the day before
Christmas, VIII Lawson and Lawyer
Clapp were up bright and early and
took the 5:23 train for New York. They
got the money, though they had to pay
A.~Ap . AZ