The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-07-29

~ was almost unhappy with the nsrv-
Gus anxiety into which he had thrOwn
himself. The temptsr had grasped
him armiy. and whenever he thought
Of the lottery be saw Rothl but piles
OF sold and silver. In SHIRT James
Lanning had made up his mind that
he would buy the ticket. He went to
the little box where hA had already
one hundred and twenty dollars laid
up toward paying Oh the mortgage
from his house The lock clicked with
a startling sound. and when hs threw
back the cover he hesitated He looked
at his wife, and he saw that abe was
cad.
''oh. I'm sure ahal draw q prszeF'
he said. with a faint. fading amiie,
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 70 say more on the sub
tect She had aeen that little pile Of
gold gradually accommodating. 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 &he saw those four pieces Of gold
taken away from the store, abe felt
foFeshadowing 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 lot the affair 80 Into the hands OF
fate.
A week elapsed from ths time that
James bought his ticket TO the draw.
Ing Of the lottery. and during that
time the young man had not q moment
Of real enjoyment He was alternaE-
ing between hope and fear, and there
fore hla mind was constantly On the
stretch.
AZ length the day arrived James
went 10 the Office and found that the
drawing had taken place. and the list
OF prizes had been made out lie
seized the list and tuFned away. 20
that those who stood around should
not see hts face. lie read the llMt
through and through. but no ssareh@d
for hiA number In valn! II was nCS
there. He bad drawn a blankl lie
left the Once an unhappy mAn. Those
twenty dollars which he had lost bad
been the savings OF two months Of
hard labor. and 10 tslt their soaa most
keeniy.
When he returned horns ttAt night
be tod his wife EhAt 30 had Lost
She round no fault with him She
emily kinnSd him. and told hitn that
the lssson was a good one. svea though
u had been dearly bought
But. Jamss Lanniag was not satis
aed. He broodesi over bis Lsaa with
a bitter spirit. Rnd AZ length Che
thought came 10 him mat be- might Yet
draw q pwizs. lie wished that he had
not bought the frSg ueksL and he
thoaght that II hs eould only get back
bis twenty dollars be would bug no
more: but he could act rsat under hla
loaas He was dstsrmtne1 10 make ona
more trial. and be did so Tha time
he purchased = ttcksg wsthoug his
wifs's knowisdge The result waa the
same a. before. lie drew = blank
Forty donArar' wAa q santeaes that
dwsit fearsuly upon ths mechanic
tipA
"oh, ] must draw . pFiseg' be said
70 himself. Il must make up what
have lost Let me once do that. aud
I'll buy no more tieksts"
Another twenty dollars was taken
from the little bank. another tsckrt
was bought. another blank was drawn.
At the end OF three months he little
bank was empty. and James tanning
had the last ticket In hls pocket An.
how earnestly he prayed that that lass
ticket might draw a prtnal He bad
become pale ard earswora. and bis
Wifs-poor. conading sout-thouEhs Aa
only replnsd because hs had lost tweo-
~ dollarA When she would try and
cheer him he would laugh. and try 10
MARE the matter light
James" said his wife 10 him one
day-it was the day before taas OF
which the lottery was n be drawn In
which he held the aizth tickst-"Alr
Howss has been hers today after hla
sami-annual interest I eDld him that
you would see him tomorrow"
"Yea. will" said James. In a Rain.
voice. Yes. tomorrow I ahall zee
him"
Young tanning thought Of the lot.
terry. and Of the prize Thia was his
sixth trial. and he felt sure that he
should draw.
The morrow came. and when James
tanning returned 10 his home at night
he was pennIlessl All his golden VI
ssons had faded away. and be was left
in darkness and misery.
James. have you paid Mr.. Rowae
his interest yet asked Hannah.
The young ran leaned hia head
upon his hands and groansd aloud.
For heavens aake James, what
has happened r cried the startled wife,
springinR to the side Of her husband
and twining her arm about his nsek.
The young man hooked Up with a