The Newark journal. (Newark, Ark.) 1901-1959, 1908-02-28

a DIVISION
O. SIN
BY ALAN HAMILTON
BY ALAN HAMILTON
eCopyright.)

WIZ A4SAAt+(
4 hope she'll git it, lamented
Deacon Phlbry, tapping cream bis
cult on the head and gazing gravely
at his grey-haired spouse. "Ye see,
it's like this Either Nellie Peevy
draws that silk dress, or else We'll all
be in the lunatie asylum
Il know" assented his wife in a
weary monotone. She was small,
faded woman, whose forehead was al
ways marked by three querulous
wrinkles she was in here yesterday
and almost prayed she might git the
prize She's Citing awfully tiresome
Abigail Bunker had no business,
growled the deacon, ito go to her and
solicit her money. The Lawd knows
she's hard up enough without paying
so cents for the chance of drawing
black silk dress in any Ladies' Aux
Hilary fair"
For lands sakes, hushl" whispered
his wife Here she comes now"
And the creaking of the screen door
In allowing a portly woman of wor'
ried demeanor to enter drowned the
deacons groan. "D'ye think, Mrs. Phil
bry, Number q is a lucky number Z"
asked the newcomer nerVously, I'M
needing the salutation of welcome and
fumbling with the clasp of an ancient
reticule. 4 almost wish now Id taken
%.
THE best way" soothed the dea-
con. lis to be prepared for the worst
and not expect to git nothing. Why,
I've put money into a dozen of EN-
schemes and never drew nothing but a
bedquiIt And as I wasn't there when
that was drawn they drew it over
again and the stage driver got it.
Don't We think l stand any
chance ?" inplored Mrs. Peeyy. lock
ing and opening her fat fingers rap
idly. = dreamed last night I was go
ing to git it with %"
If you had two tickets you'd stand
s-s.e<a a.-olaare.a of COURSE
never failed to detect any possible adj
vantage that might accrue to the La
dies Auxiliary. 1t was her Moloch and
to II she was prepared to sacrifice
even the deacon himself.
1t seems hard,s persisted the Wild
ow, as il the drawing had already
been accomplished and another had
carried off the prize. TT seems pesky
hard that | should live all these years
without black silk"
Truth was, Nellie PeeVy's hopes of
drawing the black silk dress had ruff
fed the placidity of more than one
household 1t was the second time
she had ever triaed with chance, and
the possibilities of the venture loomed
vast before her Ill prepared to
dabbie in even the Ladies' Auxiliary
stock-marllet, she was tasting in this
plunge all the zestful anticipation, ac-
centuated with painful inquietude. of
the amateur gambler 1t had always
been her passion to wear a black silk.
and she had been thwarted from a girl
up.
Not only had she aired her fears to
the Phlbrys, but had also fingered.
swamped with apprehension, in the
homes Of many another of the mem
bers of the auxiliary; until the town
began to discuss the matter seriously
and find the chief point of interest ia
the coming fair to pivot on this one
particular prize drawing.
Thus it was due largely to Nellie
Peevys ticket and the uncertainty at
tached thereto that the Ladies' Aux.
Hilary fair was patronized beyond all
precedent on the last night.
The committee cunnmgly held back
the drawing for the last event. but
throughout the evening the widow sat
bolt upright, obliyious to the program
of recitations and vocal numbers. with
eyes only for the table of prizes. The
large package in brown paper was UNI
doubtedly it, and she studied it hun
grily. To think so thin a wrapper
could contain so much happiness!
I "Will Deacon Phlbry please step
forward" asked one of the committee.
and the deacon. surprised and hus-
! tered, sqaeaked his painful way to the
small platform, where his new boots
caught the rays from two kerosene
lamps and discarded them in halos.
He was informed, after he had stood
motionless for what seemed TO him to
be several years. that the committee
wished him to draw from hat the
lucky number designating the owner
OF the black silk dress. The first num-,
Der selected would win. IL had been
arranged that Elder Temper was to
pass up the hat, filled with numbers
and as he performed his part in the
ceremony he looked in Deacon
Phibry's eyes tc be miles away; ex.