Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-09-16
When he went home the next night

himself The tempter had grasped
him firmly, and whenever he thought
of the lottery he saw nothing but piles
of gold and silver. In short, James
Lanning had made up his mind that
he would buy the ticket He went to
the little box where he had already
one hundred and twenty dollars laid
up toward paying off the mortgage
from his house. The lock clicked with
a startling sound, and when he threw
back the cover he hesitated. He looked
at his wife, and he saw that she was
sad.
"Oh, I'm sure shall draw a prize!
he said. with a faint, fading smile.
He took four half eagles from the
box and put them in his pocket. His
wife said nothing. She played with
her baby to hide her sadness. for she
did not wish to say more on the sub
ject. She had seen that little pile OF
gold gradually accumulating, and both
she and her husband had been happy
in anticipating the day when the pref
ty cottage would be all their own. But
when she saw those four pieces of gold
taken away from the store. she felt
a foreshadowing Of evil. She might
have spoken again against the move
ment, but she saw that her husband
was sorely tender on the subject, and
she let the affair go into the hands of
fate.
A week elapsed from the time that
James bought his ticket to the draw
ing of the lottery, and during that
time the young man had not moment
of 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 out. 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! 1t was not
there. He had drawn a blank! He
left the office an unhappy man. Those
twenty dollars which he had lost 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 lost.
She found no fault with him. She
only kissed him, and told him that
the lesson was a good one, even though
it had been dearly bought
But James Lanning- was not salts
fed. He brooded over his loss with
bitter spirit, and at length the
thought came to him that he might yet
draw a prize. He wished that he had
not bought the first ticket, and he
thought that If he could only get back
his twenty dollars he would buy no
more; but he could not rest under his
loss. He was determined to make one
more trial. and he did SO. This time
he purchased a ticket without his
wife's knowledge. The result was the
same as before. He drew a blank!
dwelt fearfully. upon the mechanics
lips.
"Oh, I must draw a prizer' he said
to himself. 81 must make up what
I have lost. Let me 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 Lanning
had the last ticket in his pocket All.
how earnestly he prayed that that last
ticket might draw a prizel He had
become pale and careworn. and his
wlfe-poor, confiding soul-thought he
only replned because he had lost twen-
ty dollars. When she would try and
cheer him he would laugh. and try to
maize 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 ticket-"Mr.
Rowse has been here to-day after his
semi-annual interest. 1 told him that
you would see him tomorrow
Yes, 1 WILL" said James, in a faint
voice. "Yes, tomorrow I shall see
HIM"
Young Lanning 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
Lanning returned to his home at night
he was penniless! 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?" 2" cried the startled wife,
springing to the side of her husband
and twining her arm about his neck.
The young man looked up with a
wild, haggard expression. His lips
were bloodless, and his features were