The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1904-10-15

y was almost unhappy with tha now,
gus anxiety into which he had +bro+ -
IN, The tempter had grasnad
Inn nrmiy' and whenever he fho,3oSt
~ ene lorrery he saw nothing bi1t n,1as
/ OF gotd and silver In short To 49,
tanning had made I'D his mind +ho :
ne would buy the ticket, he went =,
sne NIUE Dox where he had alreadv
one hundred and twenty dollars iais
up toward paying off the mortgaoo
from MS house. The lock clicked T,i+h
Startllng sound, and when he throw
oack the cover he hesitated ua ,oo,,os
sad. sue was
Oh I'm sure I shall draw q nr,vo ~,
ne sa1o' with a faint, fading smile
| ne LOOK four half eagles from nh q
pox and put them in his pocket uio
wlre said nothing. She PLAYED with
ner Daoy to hide her sadness, for she
ala not wish to say more on the sub
Ject. She had seen that little milo ~
soio gradually Accommodating and ho+h
sne ana her husband had been happv
IN anticipating the day when the pret.
~ cottage would be all their own. Rnt
When she saw those four pieces Of gold
'aAeh away from the store, she felt
roreshadowing Of evil. She might
nave spoken again against the move
ment' but she saw that her husband
was serely tender on the subject and
she let the affair go into the hands If
fate. "
A week elapsed from the time that
James bought his ticket to the draw
ing OF the lottery, and during that
tlme the young man had net a moment
or real enjoyment. He was alternat-
ing between hope and fear, and there-
fore his mind was constantly on the
stretch.
AT length the day arrived. James
went to the office and found that the
drawing had taken place, and the list
OF prizes had been made cut, He
seized the list and turned away. SO
that those who stood around should
not see his face. He read the list
through and through, but he searched
for his number in vain! It was not
there. He had drawn a blank! He
left the Office an unhappy man. These
twenty dollars which he had lest had
been the savings of two months Of
hard labor, and he felt their loss most
keenly.
When he returned home that night
he told his wife that he had lest,
She found no fault with him. She
only kissed hia, and told him that
the lesson was coed one, even though
It had been dearly bought.
But James Lannlng was not eatis-
fed. He brooded over his loss with
a bitter spirit, and at length the
thought came to him that he might vet
draw a prize. He wished that he had
mot bought the first ticket, and he
thought that If he could emily get back
his twenty dollars he would buy No
more; but he could not rest under his
loss. He was determined to make one
mere trial, and he did SO. This time
he purchased a ticket without his
wlfe's knowledge. The result was the
same as before. He drew a blank!
''Forty dollars!" was a sentence that
dwelt fearfuIy upon the mechanics
lips.
"Oh, must draw a prize! he said
to himself. II must make Up what
have lest. Let nae once do that, and
I'll buy No more tickets"
Another twenty dollars was taken
from the little bank, another ticket
was bought, another blank was drawn.
At the end of three months the little
bank was empty, and James LanniRg
had the last ticket in his pocket. All,
how earnestly he prayed that that last
ticket might draw a prlzeI He had
become pale and careworn, and his
wlfe-poor, oonfdfng soul-thougaat he
only repfned because he had lost twen-
ty dollars. When she would tEy and
cheer him he would laugh, and try to
make the matter light.
James," said his wife to him one
day--it was the day before that on
which the lottery was to be drawn IN
which he held the sixth ticiet-"Mr.
Rowse has been here to-day after his
sem1-annuaa interest. Il told him that
you would see him tomorrow"
Eyes, I WILL" said James, In a faint
voice. Eyes, tomorrow I shall see
him."
Young tanning thought Of the lot
terry, and of the prize. THIS was his
sixth trial, and he felt sure that he
should draw.
The morrow came, and when James
tanning returned TO his home at night
he was pennitess! All his golden vi
sions had faded away, and he was left
in darkness and misery.
James, have you paid Mr.. Rowse
his interest yet asked Hannah.
The young man leaned his head
UPON his hands and groaned aloud.
"For heavens sake, James, what
has happened p cried the startled wife,
springing to the side Of her husband
and twfning her arm about hlS neck.