The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1911-02-10
LOTTERY IN ITALY
Gambling Under the Auspices of
the Government.
THE DRAWING IN PUBLIC.

King Humbert |. made the rules for
the public lottery of Italy:
First.-The public lottery is tempora-
riiy maintained by the favor of the
state under the following laws.
Second.-It is administered by the
minister of finance, under whom the
chiefs are chosen for their respective
functions.
Third The lotto is formed by nine
ty. numbered from ! to 90, inclusive.
five Of which drawn by chance deter.
mine the successful.
Fourth.-One can play the lotto" in
the following manner:
On one number very rarely played).
On all five numbers (very rarely
played).
On two numbers--the 'amDo.''
On three numbers. which Is known
as the "terno"
On four numbers, which is known as
the "quaterno."
Fifth.--When one number Is played
the winner is paid ten times and a
half his output; when two numbers
are played the winner is paid $50
times his output; when three numbers
are played the winner is paid $3.50
times his output; when four numbers
are played the winner is paid 60,000
times his output. Therefore II one has
by any cha nee bought No. | ticket
and wins the four numbers (quaternoI
he wins 100000.
At 3 O'Clock on every Saturday after
noon throughout all Italy the drawing
of the lotto takes place In Naples
the ceremony is held at the end of
foul filthy alley known as the Impre
sa. back In u great courtyard, In full
view of the people on the balcony of
an old palace From early In the aft.
ernoon until the fatal hour the streets
Of Santa Chiara and the alley Gil up |
with the crowd whose hope ON this |
day is to be deceived The streets are
always so full Of life that for this
extra crowd, jostling, pushing and
eager, there would seem to be no place.
II II comprised of the very poor The
better Glasses watch for the telephone
or the showing of the numbers In the
various banks in the city to discover
their far. but In the lmpresa the
crowd Of people IL as dense as II shad
Ow. There are many here who have
paid their last cent for ticket. There
are many here who are In debt for the
shoes they wear and will never be able
To pay for them. But at the stroke of
the church clock the blinds Of the bal.
cony open and the paraphernaia Of
the lotto ire brought out--a long
green table. ON which Is placed crys-
tai ball bound with silver and an iron
box containing ninety other little box
es. IN which the ninety numbers are
locked by the State, The officers Of
this performance are eoolly Indifferent,
and the only figure deserving Of note
~ that of the little orphan child. dress
pi IN SNOWY white, chosen by law from
The orphan asylum 10 draw up from
the crystal ball the five magic nun
bers.
~ the sight Of these familiar loo Sed |
for objects the crowd begins to cry
md chant, 10 beSeech and evoka II
Degs the little orphan child TO draw
we'll And the child In his white robe.
MS Innocent eyes on the mass of peo-
pie, looks down on tie beggars with
heir yellow locks ard on the appeal.
ng mass One by one the balls are
aken OUT from their sealed boxes, dis
aiayed to the people and dropped into
he big bowl
itiey nave blindfolded the little bam-
llnn, ana he stands on Il chair. for he Il
'nly eight years OF age and is small, In
h'i sight OF the people, The balls hav.
M been shaken around for the last:
ime, the child puts hi', hand In and
raws. The first num- i.r that he pulls.
y. ~ c'i'ed FORTH 30. 4" Now, every
'"iia. VINO has DC ught No. s for place
~ essuet won II lost No one holds
w a@taber T ,his crowd, however,
w w 'sNSN y murmur-and fresh
t@F'S"efUNe = ar the child to draw we'll
- ~ST" who have drawn for the
W. "" the Quateno still have their
'"H' The child draws again, this
80 u. and the holders of the
are now the interested ones, for
= next will be their last chance, The
lthusiasm breaks forth again With
and cries and prayers, and
The quiet child before the urn in his
white dress hears them and trembles,
for he knows that he Is menaced. Be
fore the people there Is n blackboard,
mud q mnh posts up the numbers as
they ire drawu-5. Il, IL, 10 and so,
And this series Of five Is discussed,
yelled nj, challenged. cursed. for not
one In the crowd has drawn fortu-
nate number, The child's eyes are un-
hound, and he is put down and set
free, The balls are returned into their
boxes sealed up and carried away un-
der the eyes of the crowd, which after |
waiting for moment, unable to be.
lieve its iii fortune, breaks up and dis.
rupts. Apathy Is thrown upon the ma |
1ority MS much as such a state of mind |
IL possible TO Il Neapolitan mass as
they begin in groups to discuss the
failure of their schemes and their COM
Marie Van Worst in Har.
per's Magazine,