University of Virginia Library

THE LOTTERY TICKET.

Donald Fay was a young and industrious
farmer, blessed with a beautiful and
virtuous wife, and surrounded with every
comfort that the heart of man could desire.
But, unluckily becoming acquainted with
some thoughtless companions, who preferred
pleasure to industry, he was progressively
and insensibly led, step by step, to idleness,
intemperance, and finally to gambling. Frequently,
in his sober moments, he formed
the resolution to break from their society,
but no sooner did he encounter them than
reason, judgment, principle, all took flight
and he became a ready victim to their vicious
and designing arts. His conduct before
and after drinking, illustrates in a
strong manner the folly and degrading effects
of intoxicating drinks. Alas, that `men will
put an enemy into their mouths to steal
away their brains!'

One morning, Donald got up very late,
with a headache, and a parched and feverish
palate.

`Donald, dear, you look ill this morning,'
said his young wife, laying her hand upon
his soft temples.

`And can't a man be a little ill without
such a fuss being made about it,' he said,
testily, throwing aside her hand. The tears
came into Sarah's eyes, for Donald had never
spoken sharply to her before.

He went out to look after his farm, but
felt disinclined to exert himself. He leaned
upon a gate aud began bitterly to reflect
upon what he had done the day before.

`Yes, I have disgraced myself, and lost
my self-respect. Instead of returning directly
home and spending my few leisure
moments with Sarah and the child, I preferred
lounging in the market; and then
this low drunken fellow persuades me to go
into a drinking cellar with him. I wouldn't
have been seen with him by any respectable
person, but—but—' and Donald could
not conceal from himself that his love of
money had been the temptation that drew
him after gain. `If I had drank nothing now,
I should not condemn myself so much—for it
was business I had with him. But that I
should drink, and not once, but twice! And
then I don't know hardly what I did—I
have some remembrance of riding in a

coach, and I do recollect distinctly purchasing
this lottery ticket, and foolishly paying
sixteen dollars for it.' And he took from
his pocket book the ticket and looked at it
with a melancholy air. `Sixteen dollars
thrown away! What a fool I have made of
myself! If I had been sober, I should no
sooner have gone into a lottery office than
into a gambling house. And then to purchase
a ticket, too. To throw a stake for
chance. Ah, Donald Fay, I would not believe
yesterday morn you would have done
all this. Truly, if any man had said to me
then, `Donald, before sunrise to-morrow,
you will have cronied with Jim Talbot, gone
arm in arm with him down into Burling's cellar,
drank with him, got drunk with him, rode
in a hackney coach with him, bought a lottery
ticket, and paid sixteen hard earned
dollars for it,' I would have knocked him
over! And yet it is all true; oh, Donald
Fay!' And Donald placed his hand on his
brow and groaned aloud. `And what would
poor Sarah say, if she knew all? She would
despise me; and I spoke cross to her; that
is the top-stone of my madness! Oh, that
I should have spoken a cross word to the
young wife of my bosom, the mother of my
little girl! Oh, Donald Fay, Donald Fay,
what bitter repentance has an idle moment
cost thee!'

`Nay, dear Donald,' said his wife's soft
voice close to his ear, while her arm fondly
encircled his neck: `do not grieve, Donald.
Now I know all, for I have listened as I
came near you, and know all you have done.
You have been tempted and have fallen!
But God will forgive; and think not of
speaking sharp to me! I don't mind it. I
knew something had gone wrong with you,
and I anxiously followed you as you went
out looking so ill at case, and when I saw
you lean over the gate so miserably, I came
to bring you into the house and nurse you.
Never mind it now, Donald, dear! Let the
yesterday's folly be buried with the yesterday!
Come, do not grieve so! You will
break my heart if you do! Nay, nay, dear
husband.' It is a fearful thing to see a
strong man sob. And this true wife and
woman, pressed his head to her bosom, on
which he lay for several minutes, sobbing
like a child.

His spirit was broken by her forgiveness
and tender sympathy, which he felt he did
not deserve: he was humbled too, with
shame at his fault, and could have sunk on
his knees before her, and before his
God! At length he became calmer, and her
few but healing words, soon brought a smile
to his face.

`Ah, Sarah dearest, you are indeed a
help-mate to me! I felt so wretched at
what I had done, that I feel, if you had met
me with reproaches and harsh reproofs I
should have fled to the cup for relief from
my remorse. But you acted like an angel.
You have acted like a wife. God bless you:'
and the humbled, grateful, penitent husband
clasped his noble wife to his swelling heart.
Donald now went about the duties of his
farm with a light and cheerful spirit, while
Sarah returned to the house to enjoy in the
recesses of her own bosom, the generous
joy that follows noble conduct. Sweet wives!
ye that love to upbraid a husband's faults and
rail at his lapses, and weaknesses, adding
bitterness to the cup, his silent conscience
has already sufficiently drugged, and by your
coldness, or silence, or reproofs, or tearful
and angry upbraidings, convert penitence
into despair, and increase the evil you foolishly
hope by this treatment to cure, take
pattern by the sensible and loving wife of
Donald Fay. Think not it is noble and spirited
to resent! When man wrongs another,
he is met with resentment; but when he
wrongs his wife, he should be met with forgiveness.
This is feminine, this is generous,
this is the temper that will liken you indeed,
to that similitude with angels, which you so
love to have said of you. Every true wife
—I mean the still young and lovely in the
husband's eyes—holds in her own hands the
magic wand of domestic peace and happiness.
I say the young and lovely, because
it is then, before beauty wanes and the power
of the eye and voice and smile is gone,

that she must gain that sweet control over
his heart which is to last, and bind him to
her for life! Few women who neglect it till
their peculiar youthful fascinations are in
the wane, will be likely then to succeed if
they attempt it; therefore I have said that
every young wife may rule her husband, if
she will, by sweetness, gentleness, affection,
forbearance, and forgiveness,—laying on
these the golden foundation of the beautiful
temple, in which Domestic Love delights to
dwell!

So much for our poet, who writes like an
honest old English husband who hath learned
his wisdom herein by experience.

That evening, Donald sat in his door with
Sarah affectionately seated beside him. He
thought she never looked so lovely, and was
sure that he had never loved her so dearly.

`Sarah,' he said smiling, yet blushing
with ingenuous shame, `I find on looking in
my pocket-book, I have not told you all the
evils that resulted from my idle moment yesterday.
I find I have in some way lost a
twenty dollar bill. I can form no idea how
it is gone? But a man who drinks must expect
to pay for his folly.'

`Never mind it,Donald; you will never
lose any more in that way, and we will work
a little harder and try to make it up.'

`But I don't mind that so much as that I
should be guilty of buying a lottery ticket,
besides the risk of losing sixteen dollars
more. I am heartily ashamed of myself. I
have a good mind to destroy the ticket and
think no more of it, for I did a wicked thing
to purchase it.'

`It would be better to remove the evil
from sight, and thought, Donald,' said Sarah,
quietly, and looking pleased at this suggestion
coming from him.

Donald took the ticket from his pocket-book,
and looked at it with the resolution to
destroy it. But his eye was arrested by the
deceitful and alluirng figures of thousands of
dollars, and by the tempting promises to the
adventurous spirit that covered its face. Sarah
saw that his love for money was tampering
with it, and that he might yet keep it;
she therefore playfully snatched it, saying,

`Come, Donald, I will tear it up myself,
and then it will go into oblivion with every
thing of that unlucky yesterday.'

`No, stay a minute, Sarah,' he said, withholding
it; `it will be no harm to look at it.
It says the highest prize is $100,000, and
that the drawing takes place on the 27th;
that is next Saturday. Suppose we don't
tear it up, but wait till after Saturday.
There is no knowing what it may bring
us; and as it's bought, destroying it wont
give me back the sixteen dollars I so foolishly
paid for it.'

`No, Donald, do not keep it. Your resolution
to destroy it was a virtuous one.
You wont be happy while you have it on
hand, but always be thinking about it, do,
dear Donald!'

`But it may be the means of making us
both rich; who knows? I don't think it
would be wise to throw it away till we
know the result.'

`But you was so sorry you bought it,'
said Sarah, gently.

`So I am. But to tear it in pieces wont
make me any sorrier, wife. I am resolved
to keep it till after Saturday, and then if there
is no prize, I'll throw it away and never
think of lotteries again.'

His wife saw that it was of no use to
urge him farther, and was silent; though
her face was sad as if she instinctively
foresaw the evil that would come of keeping
it.

All the week, Donald, sure enough, was
thinking every leisure moment about his
ticket: and when at work on his farm visions
of wealth would fill his imagination, and
he would pause over, his plough or spade
and idly give rein to his fancies. When
the day approached on which the drawing
was to take place, he became restless and
anxious; Friday afternoon he left the field
early, and came to the house and walked
about uneasy and in a feverish state of mind
until bed-time. Sarah saw the change in
his conduct, and her heart told her the
cause of it. She sighed, and trusted that
the next day would forever put an end to
this unhappy disposition, and that the smile
would once more gladden his cheerful brow
as before his temptation by honest Jamie
Talbot. That night he scarcely closed his
eyes; and rising early he made his milk-man
stay at home and fodder the cattle,
while he went himself to town with the
wagon. After he had hurriedly seryed his
customers, he put up his horse at a stall
near the market, and hastened towards the
lottery office. He looked warily round
before entering lest any of his customers,
or persons who knew him, and whose opinion
he respected, should see him go in,
and then slipped in as well as he could for
a crowd that thronged the door. He here
learned that the drawing took place in another
part of the city, that as soon as it closed,
which would be about three o'clock, the
fate of his ticket would be immediately
made known on his application where he
now was. It was now ten o'clock, and
there were five hours yet for him to wait.
He left the office, and reflected what he
should do with the time in the interval, his
heart heavy with the increasing weight of
his conscience.

Slowly he walked along Nassau street
towards the park, reflecting upon the state
of mind the possession and retention of the
lottery ticket had produced. He felt he had
been guilty of a great evil in keeping it, and
almost wished he had destroyed it. He could
not but confess he had spent a very nervous
and unhappy week thinking about the drawing,
and his conscience now loudly reproved
him for spending a whole day in idleness till
the fate of his ticket should be known. All
these reflections filled his thoughts and weighed
down his mind till he became hateful to
himself—yet he would not destroy the cause
of all his guilty misery, which he still held in
his pocket-book. He readily assented to all
the open and stern admonitions and reproaches
of his conscience in relation to his conduct,
but had not resolution enough to be guided
or influenced by them: weakly and deluded,
he yielded himself up to the current into
which he had launched,, without making an
effort, though conscious of the dangers, to
save himself from the probable shipwreck of
his peace of mind, perhaps of his little fortune
and of his character. So deluded is man
when he once gives the rein to criminal
indulgence—the reproofs of his better nature,
instead of correcting him, irritate and increase
the evil it is their province to lessen.

Donald felt so unhappy that he could have
wished any society to help him to beguile the
time, and relieve him from his thoughts. As
he walked along in this mood of mind, he
entered the park; and as he lifted his eyes to
the City Hall clock to see how slowly lagged
the hour, he beheld at a distance in one of
the walks the figure of Jim Talbot. Jamie
had also recognized him, and remembering
the abstraction of the twenty dollar note,
began to feel the fears of suspicion coming
over him, and turning his back was shuffling
off with his shape so altered by an ingenious
twist of his body and a stooping of the shoulders
and a bowing in of the legs, that when
Donald's eyes first beheld him, he hesitated
in deciding whether it were Jamie or no. He
was, however, too familiar with Jamie's longworn
habiliments, and the peculiar angles
and cock in his hat to be wholly at fault. A
closer inspection assured him of his identity.
His first emotion was that of pleasure; for he
felt wearied of his own reflections, tired of
himself, and any company was relief! Alas!
how had Donald Fay fallen! He, therefore,
quickened his pace after Jim, who as he was

making off was looking at him beneath his
arm. The natural thought that occurred to
him on now beholding Donald start after him,
was that he was about to charge him with the
theft of the note; he, therefore, incontinently
set off at a round pace, listening to hear the
cry in his ear of `stop thief!' Donald, seeing
him run, increased his speed of foot, and Jim
ran the harder; his rags flying, his hands
holding his trowsers up, and his feet slipping
from his old shoes at every third step. Donald,
however, was clean shod and had
suspenders to hold up his trowsers, thus he
had that great advantage of using the hands
in running, as well as being light heeled, and
of a most vigorous constitution. Poor Jamie
was overtaken by him at the south gate with
his hand on the latch ready to open it.

`What in the nature, man, set you getting
up sich a running,' said Donald, grasping him
firmly by the arm; `is it this way ye treat a
friend, Jamie?' he asked, reproaching him.

Jim saw at a glance that all was right, and
he had no more to fear from Donald on account
of his theft of the bank note, which
he was now satisfied he had not missed, or
having missed, supposed he had lost it out of
his pocket-book. It was, therefore, with an
open brow and a heart relieved of much
solicitude for the safety of his precious person,
which, as he fled he imagined tenanting
one of the cells in the Tombs, that he replied,
while he grasped Donald warmly by
the hand:

`Oh, Donald, man, is it you I heard running
behind me? I am glad you spoke—for
you see I should have missed you—for I
was, you see—going—where in the devil
was I going?—Oh, to see if that ticket you
bought had been drawn a prize! Yes, I
was going there, Donald! You see I don't
forget my friends.' And here Jim gave his
friend another hearty shake of the hand.
`Where are you going, Donald?'

`Why, I came over with my milk-cart,
and as I had a little time to spare, I thought
I would just stop till the drawing was over.
I have no way to pass it, and so seeing you,
thought I'd call you!'

Donald colored as he answered, for he
knew he had lied when he said he had no
time to spare—the best part of a whole day,
too—when he knew his farm and family required
every hour he had resolved to waste
in the city, waiting for the result of the
drawing morning. Thus falsehood was
added to the other vices of which his few
idle moments in the market house were the
prolific parent. The first indulgence in sin
is like the first step down a flight of stairs
descending mid-way into a fathomless abyss,
with all fearful dizzy space below! It is
useless, however, to make reflections here
for the reader; for no one can fail to see all
that we could point out with but little reflection
on his own part. We will, therefore,
give our pen more closely to the incident
and action of the story, leaving it to convey
its own moral.

`You are just the man, then, for my morning,'
said Jim, enthusiastically clapping his
hand on his empty pocket, for not a `red
cent' had Jim remaining of his twenty dollars;
`come with me, I will show you a way
to pass it. How long afore the drawing?'

`Three o'clock—four hours and a half,'
answered Donald, looking at the clock.

`Good—come on, boy. You are a good
fellow, Donald! In five hours you'll be a
rich fellow. Good; let us go.'

`But where?' asked Donald, a little
ashamed of his company, yet glad to get it
to fly from self-upbraidings.

`Come with me, I'll show you where;'
was the satisfactory reply of Jamie, as he
passed his arm under Donald's, and pulled
him along in the direction of Centre street.

Donald gave himself up to his guidance,
and under his care at length reached the
market. On the way he had been met by
two or three respectable persons of the city,
and by one of his neighbors a wealthy lawyer,
who, each of them all stared first at
Jim, and then cast an inquiring look at him.
He felt excessively ashamed, but his avarice
lay deep in his heart, and so he drove the
idea of what they would think from his
mind.

`Come, Donald,' said Jim, with a patronizing
air, `come, man, as I have taken you
under my care, you must do as I say. Let
us go in here!'

`That is a drinking place,' said Donald,
holding back.

`Well, it wont bite! Let us go in and
take something, and then I'll show you what
I have got to show you. Come along, and
don't be bashful. You'll be as rich as Jack
Astor to-morrow, and then you wont look
at folks like me. So I'll have as much of
you to-day as I can get.'

Donald was flattered by the allusion to his
anticipated riches, and suffered Jim, who, it
appears, was a perfect devil for temptations,
to conduct him up two or three wooden steps,
into a long narrow room with a bar on one
side, a table covered with dominoes on
another, and a black, dirty, torn billiard
table visible in a room. There were but
two or three persons in the bar, and these
were drinking and talking in a loud tone
about bets and cock-fighting. Donald's
purer nature revolted at their presence, but
Jamie would give him no time for reflection.
He took him up to the bar and ordered
drinks, and prevailed upon him to take brandy
and water; and as Donald's mind was in
an uneasy and wounded state he was the
more readily tempted to take something to
drown his reflections and raise his spirits.
How much better it would have been for
him to have used the power he still held in
his possession, by tearing up the fatal ticket
which had been the instrument of all this
evil. But, though the idea flashed instantly
upon his mind, his avaricious hopes conquered,
and so he preferred his misery with
prospective and criminal wealth to happiness
and his present independence. Therefore,
unwilling to restore his mind by this
sacrifice, he preferred drowning his self-reproaches
in the intoxicating cup. To what
a fearful brink had he now approached!

After drinking, he felt lively and cheerful,
for false elevation of spirits is the temporary
bait which the Demon of intemperance holds
out to the unhappy victim who seeks peace
of mind in the goblet he proffers to all mankind.

`You havn't paid for the drinks, sir,' said
the bar-keeper to Donald, without even
glancing at Jim, who had called for them,
but whom experience told him not to look to.
Jim, however, heard, and found it convenient
to be at the other end of the room looking
very attentively at a crack in the plaster.
Donald, without hesitation, paid down the
money, when Jim suddenly recollected to
pay for the drinks himself, and came forward
with both hands diligently searching for
nothing in pockets that were not!

`Oh, Simpkin, I'll settle for the drinks,
now;' and Jim, in his energy, made a dive
into his breeches so deep, that he drove his
hand clear through a hole in the knee.

`The gentleman has paid,' said Mr. Simpkin,
with a smile, seeing Jim draw back the
unlucky hand as quick as lightning.

`Oh, ah, Donald,' said Jim; you are a too
good fellow—too generous. It was my
treat, and you ought to have let me paid.
Never mind, you shall not pay next time,
unless you ask me to drink, which in course
you will do, seein' I axed you now; but the
next time after that I'm whipped if I don't
pay. Come, let us go. Are the boys at it
in back, Simp?'

`Yes, Jim,' answered Mr. Simpkins, briefly,
at the same time rinsing the sugar out of
the bottom of a tumbler.

`Where do you go, now, Jamie,' inquired
Donald, as his friend dragged him through
the billiard-room.

`Just in here. I know you like a good
fowl. All farmers do; and I've seen cocks
of first rate breed at your place.'

`Yes, that is true—I keep a good lot of
fowls, Jim; it makes the poultry better to
have trained birds.'

`I knew you thought so. I have got some
birds to show you, Donald! If, when you
see 'em, you don't thank me for taking you
there, then I'll never do a friend a good service
again.- Come; don't you hear the
shouts. This way, and across the yard.
That is the building.'

`Where are you taking me?' asked Donald,
as Jim led him through the billiard-room,
and down a flight of steps into a back lot, on
the other side of which was a small rough
shed of boards, on the top of which was
stuck a pole, with a game-cock cut of a
shingle, and gilt on the summit. From this
rude building came loud and mingled shouts,
cries, clapping, yells, whistles, and curses,
in hellish confusion! No wonder Donald
stopped, and demanded where Jim was taking
him?

`Never mind,' replied Jim; if you don't
like it now, you will when you get inside.
Come on; they are at it bravely, I know by
the shouts!' and Jim hauled him in a dark
doorway and along a boarded passage, at the
end of which stood a short, fat, blackleg
looking man, to whom Jim advancing before
Donald, said a word, glancing over his
shoulder at his friend.

`Well, go in; I'll take care he pays for
both when he comes out,' said the man,
winking; `if he is a pigeon, you're lucky
to have him for your friend.'

`He is a moral man, you know—wouldn't
pay for me, nor go in himself, you know,
Bill, if he knew it was a cock-pit—but all
will be strait, you know! Come, Donald;
don't stumble over that loose board! Here
we are. Come in and let this gentleman
shut the door behind you;' and Jim, partly
by pulling, partly by coaxing, drew Donald
into a scene such as he had never conceived
as existing. He had entered a sort of low
circular room, surrounded on all sides by
benches, tier above tier, crowded with people
of the lowest, roughest, and most vicious
class; these seats surrounded a small
fenced ring on the earth, about twelve feet
in diameter, in which two game-cocks were
pitted against each other, and upon whom
all eyes were fixed. The fight had been already
long, for they were bleeding and staggering
from weakness, and could hardly
keep up the sport for the spectators, who
cheered them on with loud cries. Each
cock was attended by its keeper, who stood
by it in the pit to set it on, encourage it and
see fair play. These men were nearly
stripped and wore handkerchiefs tied about
their heads, and looked as eager and absorbed
in the combat as if it were engagement
between armies of men. The spectators
were leaning over the sides of the pit in
every possible attitude, expressive of eagerness
and interest, and altogether Donald
thought that he had got into a place of
amusement in hell, rather than on earth.

`There they go at it!' shouted Jim. `Look,
Donald! aint they beauties? See the bets
go around! I bet on the red cock! Wasn't
that a good stroke? He handles his spur
as well as a soldier his sword! Do you bet,
Donald?' he added, as they crowded into
seats.

`No—what is all this, Jamie?' asked he,
bewildered, and not half himself with the
noise, the sight, and the effect of the brandy
he had drank.

`A cock-fight! See that red chap! how
he drives it into the other! Which will you
bet on?'

`I wont bet, I never bet, Jamie.'

`Because you never was at a cock-fight,
afore. You must bet now, man! Every
body bets! See the money fly! See the
stakes! Here's a gentleman'll bet with
you,' he added, addressing a crony of his,
and tipping him the wink; `I say, Mister,
take this gentleman's bet, and,' he added
in a low tone of voice—`and I'll go you halves,
Jerry, if you win.'

`And if I lose?' asked the other, cautiously.

`I'll see you don't have to pay—my friend
—green—plenty of pewter—methodist sort
or so—you,' and Jim winked profoundly at
each dash in his words.

`Oh,ay, I take,' said the gentleman, laying
his fore-finger sagaciously against one
side of his nose; and then addressing Donald,
he said, bluntly,

`You offered to bet.'

`No, I didn't sir,' answered Donald, with
surprise.

`Your friend said so.'

`Yes, I told the gentleman so, Donald,'

said Jim, in a low voice; `it wont do to refuse
him now.'

`I can't bet—besides, I haven't watched
the cocks.'

`If that's all, these will soon be drawn off,'
said the man, and we'll have a pair of fresh
cocks in the pit. There, the grey cock has
got his breakfast settled! Hurrah for little
bob red!'

`Hurrah, hurrah!' rung in a hundred victorious
voices through the room, while the
losers mingled oaths loud and deep, as they
saw their cock fall over dead on his back,
pierced by the steel spur of his adversary,
which penetrated the bleeding breast like a
needle. The victor cock was immediately
caught up, and carried out by his keeper,
to have his wounds washed, while the owner
of the dead bird hung over him cursing in a
manner fearful to hear.

`Clear the ring! Throw out that carrion!'
cried the spectators, in a momently increasing
uproar, and at length the defeated cock-fighter
took up his slain cock, and left the
arena. An attendant now lightly passed a
fine rake over the surface of the pit, and
soon after, amid the acclamations of the
multitude, two other cocks were brought in
by their keepers, who entered the area,
each with his bird on his arm, and after holding
them up to the view of the crowd, prepared
them for the combat, by fastening on
their steel spurs, or gaffs. There seemed
now to be the most eager and exciting
interest felt by every one present in the
approaching fight between the cocks, as they
were large, well made, full eyed, and
carried themselves with bold and courageous
looks. Donald, himself could not
help catching the contagion, and feeling an
interest in the novel scene. He was, as
Jim had intimated, a great lover of fine
cocks, and had paid some attention to breeding
them, but without any other end than
the improvement of his barn-yard stock.
He now thought he had never seen two such
noble birds, and although he wished himself
away from such a place and company,
he thought that now he was there, he might
as well interest himself in what was passing;
and he thought as he must while away
the time till three o'clock, in some way, he
might as well do it there as any where. So
he looked on, and began to take a deeper
interest in the animating scene. At length
the game-cocks were ready, numerous bets
were made, and the birds set down upon
the ground. It required no effort on the
part of either cock-fighter to set them fighting.
No sooner did they feel themselves
free, than true to their instinctive hostility
and warlike spirit, they engaged each other
with a deadly fierceness that would been
terrific in human combatants.

`Now your bet,' said Jim's friend, laying
his hand on the arm of Donald, who was
leaning over the heads of those in front of
him, eagerly watching the fight.

`I'd rather not bet, sir,' he said, though
not very decidedly. `See! the black cock,
is the best bird!'

`I'll bet a five on the speckled cock,
said the man, decidedly.

`I'll see the sport awhile, first,' answered
Donald, too deeply absorbed in the combat
to turn around.

`There was a good stroke. The speckled
cock will be beaten.'

`A five the speckled cock beats,' said the
man, promptly, and fluttering a bank note
before Donald's eyes.

`No, the black cock has the true mettle!
See how boldly he carries himself.'

`D—n the black cock,' said the man,
coarsely, `he is a coward—see him run
back!'

`To gather force,' answered Donald,
warmly; `see how he has knocked the other
over and over.'

`I'll bet you for all that, the black cock
you brag so on, is whipped.'

`Done—I bet,' cried Donald, in the intense
eagerness of the spot, and fully entering
into the spirit of the sport and place.

`Plank the money, Donald,' said Jim, who
had anxiously watched this progress
events so interesting to himself personally;
`I'll be holder; where's your pocket-book!

Donald put down the money in Jim's
open palm—Jim's gentleman placed his upon
it and Jim's digits clasped over it with a
significant emphasis. At length the combat
terminated, and Donald won.

`Never mind, take up the stake,' said the
loser coolly, as Donald turned round to remove
the deposits from Jim's grasp. `Double
the stakes, and I'll bet you on the next
cock.' Donald elated by the scene, and by
his triumph, instantly placed a ten dollar
bill down, forgetting to take up the five, for
he was a little under the influence of the
brandy he had drank, and Jim was not one
likely to remind him of it. The cocks appeared,
were pitted, fought, and Donald lost!
Angry at his loss, he rose and left the cock-pit
in spite of all Jim could say or do to detain
him; this worthy, however, had made
seven dollars and a half by this operation,
and had secured it, save the fifty cents, after
settling with his croney, safely in a receptacle
in his garmente, known or suspected
only by himself.

At the door, Donald was stopped by the
keeper, who was about to demand half a
dollar for admittance for him and Jim, when
the latter, who saw Donald was vexed at
his loss, prevented him, by thrusting the
half dollar he had reserved for this purpose,
into his hand; for Jim was too wise to run
the risk of losing so valuable a friend as
Donald, by having his annoyance increased
by the demand of a paltry four shillings. So
Donald left the cock-pit, and returned to the
bar-room—a gambler!

Irritated at his losses, angry at himself
for being tempted to bet, self-condemned for
idleness, overwhelmed with a flood of self-reproaches,
and goaded by a stinging conscience,
he walked deliberately up to the
bar and asked in a loud tone for brandy. It
was placed before him, and he poured out
and drank a large quantity to drown his reflections.
He then threw down a shilling,
and was walking out, when Jim caught him
by the arm to detain him for some purpose
of his own; but Donald rudely thrust him
aside, and run into the street, for he had
reason and reflection enough left to know
who had been the main instrument of his
guilt and misery. Jim, finding this mood
not so congenial to his feelings as he could
have wished, did not follow him, but turned
back to amuse himself in the cock-pit.

Donald walked rapidly along the streets,
he scarcely knew whither, and at length
found himself at the slips. Walking had
excited his blood, and the brandy his brain,
while his reflections on his departure from
the path of rectitude maddened him; it
seemed to himself that he had sacrificed in
one short week, reputation, peace of mind,
life, body and soul! He loathed himself—
he detested the life which his folly had
made so miserable—he felt weary of himself.
He advanced along the wharf, and stood on
the farther verge of it, looking into the deep
water as it surged against the pier-head.

`Yes' he said to himself, `I will live no
longer! I am ashamed to meet Sarah—
ashamed to confront myself—I will live no
longer. God forgive me—but I cannot—
cannot endure this weight upon my heart!'

He struck his breast violently, pressed his
throbbing forehead in his clasped hands,
and plunged madly into the flood. This act,
however was not unwitnessed, for some
painters, slung on a stage over the side of a
vessel near by, which they were painting,
saw the plunge, and instantly put off in a
skiff tied to a raft beneath them, to his rescue.
Donald, now become a suicide, rose to
the surface, and the love of life, of his family,
of the blue skies and fair green earth
with all its pleasant sounds and sights,
rushed back upon his soul; and he struggled
with the death he had courted.

He was soon taken from the water by the
painters, placed on the pier, and after some
rudely given advice to keep away from water,
was left to his own reflections. The
bath sobered him in a degree, and had the
effect to calm his mind, and enable him to
judge and act with reason. Ashamed of his
conduct, he moved away, and taking a position
on some steps where the sun shone
warmly upon him, he remained there till his

clothes were dried, and he had come to the
resolution to return home after the lottery
was over, and confess all he had done, to
his wife, and seek, by repentance, the forgiveness
of that Being whom he had offended.
How much better it would have been
for him to have destroyed that fatal ticket,
and departed at once to his peaceful and
virtuous home! But avarice ruled still,
and he hoped that he might yet draw a
prize!

It was now nearly three o'clock, and rising
from the steps, he took his way to the
lottery office. When he arrived there, he
saw that it was surrounded by a crowd of
low people, the interest, anxiety and hope,
doubts, fears and evil passions strongly
marked on their countenances. He felt
ashamed of being seen among them at such a
place, but love of money—his hope of being
rich, held ascendency over moral feeling.
The director of the lottery was announcing
the drawings. He saw every ear open,
every eye set, as the numbers drawn were
read off. He saw the hopes of many
around him crushed, silent expectation
changed for curses, and anxious inquiries for
the fate of a ticket turned into execrations
upon the director! he saw, too, in striking
contrast, but affording no better moral
picture, the insane joy and boundless ecstacy
of three or four who had drawn small
prizes, and witnessed their capering, their
silly laughter, their affectionate huggings of
those nearest them, their unmeaning shouts,
and their wild impatience to get possession
of their money. `God,' says a Persian sage,
`gave man sobuiety, chastity and charity; but
the devil would give something,too,and counterfeiting
these divine bestowments, gave to
man, avarice, lust, and the love of wine.'
Donald could not but acknowledge that avarice
was at least the gift of Satan, as he
witnessed the scene which it produced before
his eyes.

At length he heard the announcement of
his own number! He was all feverish attention!
He gave utterance to a cry of joy—
he had drawn a prize of five hundred dol
lars! Better, far better, for thee, Donald,
if thou hadst drawn a blank!

After the crowd had withdrawn, he entered
the office, and received the money
down, the lottery vender retaining fifteen
per cent.

`Come, sir, now you can afford to buy
another ticket,' said the man, as Donald
was placing the money in his pocket-book;
you have a prize, and may draw
a larger one. You have luck on your side
the first time, and it'll follow you awhile.
Come, sir, here is a package of quarters.
You owe it to us to try again, sir.'

Donald was tempted, for the second
temptation is easier than the first, and in the
face of all his bitter remembrances of the
follies his first ticket had led him into, he
purchased the package, and left the office.
But that package contained to him all congregated
guilt, suffering and misery packed
together. He hastened home, and communicated
his good fortune to Sarah. She
did not look happy, for she feared he would
henceforth love lotteries rather than work.
Her fears were sound and too truly realized.
The money Donald had drawn, he
did not lay out in improving his farm or adding
to his stock, but he purchased a gold
watch, handsome clothes, and a saddle-horse.
At length the next drawing took
place, and his package proved to be blanks.
He was easily induced to try again, and a
second time drew a prize of fifty dollars.
Thus Donald went on from month to month,
till he spent more time at the lottery office
than at home, and till he had got confirmed
habits of idleness, drinking and dissipation.
In the course of the ensuing year, he found
himself in debt, for he had neglected his
farm for this quicker `road to wealth,'
which was proving his road to ruin. At
length he became too intemperate to work,
was compelled to sell his stock, then give
up his farm, and take a low house in Jersey
City. Two years after the purchase of his
first ticket, he was the habitual frequenter of
the lowest tippling shops, and the boon companion
of Jim Talbot and his cronies; like

Jim, his clothes were ragged, his eyes red,
his face bloated, his constitution broken.
Every five dollars he could obtain from
the pawn broker, he spent on fractions of
lottery tickets, but never did Donald draw a
third prize. Finally, his wife, who silently
pined in grief, died of a broken heart and
broken hopes; the child was taken and
adopted by a charitable lady; and Donald
had no home but the street or some old railroad
car about the depot, that he would
crawl into. At length, the web of his fate
was woven. One morning a few weeks
ago, the following paragraph appeared in
the morning papers.

`Shocking Accident.—We are sorry to
learn that as the line from Philadelphia was
coming in late yesterday evening, having
been detained five hours near Trenton, by
an accident to the engine, a drunken man
who lay across the track was run over before
the engineer could stop the locomotive,
and his head was severed from his body as
if it had been done by a butcher's cleaver.
It was a horrid sight. His name, we learn,
was Donald Fay. The coroner's inquest
was, that, “he came to his death through
intemperance.”'

Thus died Donald Fay, the victim, as the
coroner's jury should have rendered it, of a
lottery ticket, which one moment's idleness,
acting upon a naturally avaricious mind,
tempted him to purchase.