The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-08-16
AN NUMBER

mer OF 1S- was seated with nv
friend, Captain p, at the open window
Of his room when the door was thrown
open n in walked an old soldier of
the name of Sang.
He showed us a lottery ticket which
he said he had found secreted in the
back of a book which he had bought
the day before at one Of the bookstalls.
| took the piece Of paper and examined
1t. 1t was for 100000 and would be
drawn for In five weeks time.
Captain p, leaning out of the win
dow, with his chin resting on his
hands. had scarcely noticed the en-
trance Of the old man. but when l
called him and held the scrap of fimsy
paper out toward him he turned ter
ribly pale and sank back into his seat.
mo. 53" he murmured. aghast. "You
will win" he added in strange, low
tones which made us both start. II
want you to get rid of that ticket, for
as sure as we are living men you will
be the loser in the end"
"Ah! Perhaps you would like to Sc
cure the ticket" said the old fellow.
Will Il peculiar smile.
The captain only shrugged his shout
ders and turned to the window.
Il know" said Sang, "that I could
get a good sum for this ticket If it
were known l had it for sale. How
ever, as the captain is SO positive it
will be drawn l will retain the ticket
and run the risk of being the loser.
l 0rn hrplr,oI fl.o,,co~I x7oJyo~.l VVyl-
I see what it is-the captain is jealous.
Ha, ha!'
He went out, and as he descended
the stairs l heard him mumbling:
you will be the loser in the end.
What can the captain mean, l won
der? He gained the street, and 4
could lear no more.
I turned to Captain P. He was
standing silent and motionless at the
window.
For a long time l sat watching him,
standing there so pale and silent, all
the while racking my brain how to &C.
count for his strange conduct on seeing
the number of the lottery ticket-No.
30. What painful recollections did
these two figures recall to his mind?
I asked myself the question v and
over again. but l still remained in the
dark.
All at once he closed the window
and simply said. as If speaking to him
self:
There can be no doubt about it. No.
IS is an accursed numberr'
II do not understand you. captain"
I said, for l began to feel curious.
He remained silent for some time, as
if in deep thought, and l did not in
terrupt him.
Listen he said suddenly, "and you
can judge for yourself as to the truth
of my statement" He lit a cigarette
and drew his chair to the table.
eleven years ago." he began, my
father. although considered to be a
money in a lottery. His ticket was
drawn, and he became possessed Of
100000. He was fortunate. So ev-
erybody said. I. too, thought SO at the
time. One evening he entered one Of
the gambling saloons, and, becoming
fascinated by the play, he lost all his
ready money in a few hours. Then
arose from the table at midnight he
was a beggar. Maddened by his losses
and rendered insane by the knowledge
of the grief of his family, he shot HIM
self through the heart. His ticket was
No. 53!'
"Yet l cannot see how that goes to
prove your statement" 1 said. 1.-The
same thing could happen with any
number"
True" he replied. II attached no
Importance to the number at the time.
-Four years went by, and I had almost
forgotten No. SO, when a friend Of
mine in poor circumstances managed
to buy a lottery ticket. He won, like !
my father, 100000. Poor fellow! 1t
was the price OF his reason. The sud
den rise to wealth turned his brain, |
and he is now an inmate Of an asylum.
Now you will understand me when I /
tell you his ticket was No. 53!'
I shuddered, but remained silent.
You can have an idea," he went OIL,
"as to the state of my feelings on see
ing poor Sang in possession of a lottery
ticket bearing the fatal No. 53!'
1 could answer nothing. To me 1t
seemed inexplicable.
The day of drawing slowly came
round, and, as the captain had foretold,
Sang's ticket was drawn. No. SO was
announced the winner!
When the captain heard Of it he
shook his head and murmured:
"Waft! Wait"
Sang forsook Hooley street and
bought for himself a nice little villa.
He was talked Of az being a lucky man
and was envied by all except Cap
tain p.