THE

LOTTERY.

JOHN BROWN was servant in the family of a respectable merchant in this city. He had lived there for several years; and from his regular honesty, sobriety, and diligence, possessed the confidence and affection of his master. While in that family, he married a fellow-servant, a young woman, whose name was Mary Coates, and they lived for more than seven

years very happily together. They had one child living, a fine little boy about six years old, whom they maintained at a school, kept some miles from town by Mary's father. This was thought better than putting him to school in London, as he was under an affectionate relation, and less exposed to the company of wicked children. John and his wife got leave from time to time to visit their child, and were always able to take him one little article or other of clothes, as well as a small present to the grandfather.

Thus comfortable were John and Mary; and had John been religious, like his wife, they would have had a fair prospect of continuing so. He, like many others, thought religion an unnecessary thing for a man who made it a rule to be sober, and honest, and diligent, and kind. Besides the other very important considerations against which he shut his heart, he did not reflect, that without religion his good

conduct with his family and his master stood on no solid foundation.

One unfortunate day, as he was going on a message, he received a handbill from a man standing at the door of a Lottery-Office.

This hand-bill set forth many wonders, and invited all who had a mind to be rich in a hurry, to seize the lucky hour of adventuring in the wheel of fortune: shewing them how many thousand dollars they would be

sure to get for one! Casting his eye over the advertisement, the thought struck him that he would try his fortune. "Why may not I get a prize as well as another ?" said he to himself; "and if I get the twenty thousand dollar prize, or even one of the ten thousands, I shall be as great a man as my master." It was a woful moment for poor John, when this imagination fastened on his mind. Full of the notion of getting rich, John returned home, and appeared all day unusually thoughtful. At night, as he was not used to conceal any thing from his wife, he told her his intentions.

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Molly," said he, "we have just got our wages, and the drawing begins tomorrow; suppose we try our fortune in the Lottery!" "Not with my consent?" she replied: "I think we are