236 THE LOTTERY. 



favourable was witnessed by his partner, with whom 

 it appeared, a constant communication of all good signs 

 took place. During the day I was called upon to wit- 

 ness a large gift on his thumb-nail, and this request 

 was accompanied by a remark, that such appearances 

 never occurred, but certain receipt of something good 

 followed. 



With these thoughts uppermost it is not remarkable 

 that I hinted the circumstance to my wife, and I was 

 not a little amused on hearing that her faith was con- 

 firmed in such matters ; but quite astonished when she 

 said it was her Jirm belief " We should gain a prize." 

 " We, " I rejoined, " and are you one of the company ? " 

 " Yes, " she replied, " f have a small part in two six- 

 teenths. " " Well, then, " said I, " it now only remains 

 for me to hope that you may win. " The day of draw- 

 ing soon arrived, and the eagerness for information was 

 indeed very conspicuous among the ticket-holders. 

 The first news which arrived came through the London 

 newspapers ; but the lucky numbers therein noticed 

 were not those of my friends' tickets. The next news 

 received came in circulars from the contractors, and 

 these, while they cautioned agents against paying prizes 

 until the accredited lists were published, held out the 

 hope that the numbers which the circulars contained 

 might prove erroneous and this hope was powerfully 

 strengthened by the fact, that between one of their 

 tickets and a prize of some thousands there was only a 

 different figure. 



For the accredited list " expectation was on tip-toe, " 

 and before it had subsided the list came, " big with 

 fate, " and like the awards of the Court of Chancery, 

 decicive in j udgment. The numbers of my friends' tickets 

 were all duly registered ; but the blind Goddess, re- 

 gardless of purses, itching hands, gifts, fyc. had thought 

 proper, for this time at least, to withhold all the capital 

 prizes, and to send them, as a stimulus I suppose to 

 future trials of luck, the sixteejith of & Jive-pound, which, 

 when distributed among the many, would give them a 

 dividend of some few pence. 



