Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-01-04
Taking a
Chance

| lie, for you to squander your hard
/ earned money on worthless lottery
ticketS said Leslie's wife in a burst
Of indignation. Il haven't heard OF
| anyone being so shallow-brained IL
| years"
Never mind, if Sits wins you'll be
able to buy all the luxuries your little
heart Graves for and I've always de
sired you to have. Don't be too skep
| teal but-wait-" replied Leslie.
I'D prefer any day to have the two
dollars you've wasted for some real
necessities instead of imaginary lux
uries. A pair of gloves, rug for the
/ hall, silk for waist, and thousand
and one things"
Lets not quarrel over the money
until we get it" broke in her husband
After the above conversation Mrs.
Leslie tried TO forget all about the lot
| terry ticket, but impc ssible.
| Meanwhile her husband, occupied
with the cares Of business, had for.
gotten completely about the little blue
ticket. Matters of much greater i'm
port occupied his mind.
Belinda" he said one night, 1.-The
! bills for the last month are simply
enormous. My income does not war
rant these expenditures. There's more
money going out than coming in. I'm
! neither parsimonious, misery nor
stingy, but there's limit to all extraV.
agance."
! For once Mrs. Leslie was silent; she
simply smiled and kept on sewing.
When she looked up she was startled
| to notice the silvery tinge to her hus'
bands hair, how tired and old he
looked, while she seemed to grow
more youthful in appearance every
| day.
Don't you feel WE'LL" she ques'
toned, anxiously.
Can q man feel we'll and happy"
was his curt answer, when he's con-
tinually larassed with financial
| troubles?"
The wife, wishing to end the discus
sion, proposed that they 90 to the
nickel show"
Astonishing that you did not sug'
gest box at the opera" Srumbled
her husband as he assented.
Mrs. Leslie finally threw ali caution
10 the winds. She seemed 10 have
been bewitched by the demon OF buy"
The old portieres in the little parlor
were replaced by elegant new ones,
which made the parlor carpet appear
so shabby In contrast that 1t was not
long before new rug adorned the
floor.
The comments or their friends were
numerous. When they noticed the ma
hogany bookcases and the piano which
had been purchased on the installment
plan and Mrs. Leslie expected to pay
for when the lottery money was as
tributed. "Mr. Leslie must have made
great deal of money" they said.
After three months Of apprehension
and anxiety Mr.. Leslie gave vent to
his pent-up feelings. Opening the new
tangled desk to look for pencil, he
burst forth in a voice of anger, dismay
and evaporation, BILLS. bills. bills,
that's the only kind OF correspondence
In this house nowadays. None OF them
receipted either. I'll have to borrow
money on my life insurance if this con-
tinues.'
Yes" answered Mrs. Leslie with
tears in her eyes, But figure 1t Will
be all right il Ne only have q little
patience"
What do you mean?'
tits rather inconvenient just now,
but I fancy it will be all right when
your lottery ticket comes due. Didn't
YOU maintain vociferously that the lot
terry money would eventually pay for
everything. Maybe then you can take
a vacation and rest up a little"
What coinage of your brain are
these vivid imaginations? said Mr..
Leslie as he srrang to his feet, giving
his wife one long look as if he had
never seen her before. After a tense
silence which seemed aged to his wife,
he exclaimed, THE lottery money!
What do you mean? ] suppose it's a
woman's prerogative to change her
mind, but didn't you distinctly assert
that you wouldn't touch one penny OF
that money!"
"Yes. but"
That's the reason why never took
the trouble to inform you that the
drawing was weeks ago and our num-
Der was not among the lucky ones.
Mrs Leslie turned pale. WHAT a
foolish woman I've BEEN" she said.
81 thought so much about 1t that l
didn't realize we could lose"
Mother" called sweet. young
voice, where are you? I've some won
derful, glorious news to tell you"
What is it, dear?" she asked as g.
young girl entered the room.
Don't look so gloomy, mother
nine" she replied, as she wound her
arms around her mothers neck. Bill
Thorsch Is coming tomorrow to ask
Yo+har,e consent to orr wedding. Oh,