the
treasury on these most questionable enterprises. The lottery is
patronized by high and low, the best mercantile houses devoting a
regular sum monthly to the purchase of tickets on behalf of their
firms. One individual of this class told the writer that no drawing
had taken place within the last ten years at Havana in which the firm
of which he was a member had not been interested to the extent of at
least one doubloon, that is, one whole ticket. The mode usually is,
however, to purchase several fractional parts of tickets, so as to
multiply the chances. On being asked what was the result of the ten
years of speculation in this line, the reply was that the books of the
firm would show, as it was entered therein like any other line of
purchases. Curious to find an authentic instance as an example, the
matter was followed up until the result was found. It seemed that this
house had averaged about four hundred dollars per annum expended for
lottery tickets, that is, four thousand dollars in the last ten years.
On the credit side they had received in prizes about nineteen hundred
dollars, making a loss of twenty-one hundred dollars. "But then,"
remarked our informant, "we may get a big prize one of these
days,--who knows?"

The lottery here proves to be as great a curse as it does in Italy,
where its demoralizing effects are more apparent. The poorer classes,
even including the slaves and free negroes, are regular purchasers,
and occasionally a prize is realized among them, which stimulates to
increased ventures. A few years since, some slaves upon a plantation
near Alquizar purchased a single ticket, clubbing together in order to
raise the money. These Africans drew a prize of forty thousand
dollars, which sum was honestly paid to them, and they purchased their
freedom at once, dividing a very pretty amount for each as a capital
to begin business on his own account.

"And pray what became of those liberated men?" we asked of our
informant. "Singular to say I can tell you," he answered. "Others felt
the same interest you express, and they have been followed in their
subsequent career. There were sixteen of the party, who realized equal
portions of the prize. They were valuable slaves, and paid an average
of fifteen hundred dollars each for their free papers. This left them
a thousand dollars each. Two returned to Africa. Four joined the
insurgents at Santiago, in 1870, and were probably shot. The remainder
drank thems