Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, December 14, 1911, Page 6

THE BEMIDII DAILY PIONEER Rise and Fall of a Tfemendous Gamble In England. STARTED UNDER QUEEN BESS The First One Was “Without Any Blancks, Contayning Good Prices, as Wel of Redy Money as of Plate and ‘Certaine Sorts of Marchaundizes.” Though it is certain that the custom ||| of holding lotteries was practiced in Huropean countries as far back as the middle of the fifteenth century, it séems that this particular idea was unknown in England until more than 100 years later. The lottery, in fact, appears to have been included among those many other important things, both good and bad, that were intro- duced to public notice during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, it belng her maj- esty’s express command that this ready means for “raising the wind” on’ behalf of the state finances was sdopted. The first English lottery 1ust have taken a good deal of arranging, owing, o doubt, to the fac that the people of that day required a certain amount of education in this form of gambling, for although the idea was first brought forward in the year 1556 (in Mary’s reign), the actual drawing did not take place until three years later. One of the original bills of Queen Elizabeth’s lottery has fortunately been preserved, printed in black letter and measuring five feet in length and one and one-half feet wide. It begins by announcing “A very rich Lotterie Generall, without any blancks, con- tayning a number of good prices (sic), as wel of redy money as of plate and certaine sorts of marchaundizes, hav- ing ben valued and priced by the com- maundement of the Queene’s most ex- cellent majestie, by men expert and skilful,” and goes on to say that “the same lotterie is erected by her majes- ties order to the intent that such com- imoditie as may chaunce to arise there- of, after the charges borne, may be converted towardes the reparation -of the havens and strength of the Realme and toward such other publique. good workes.” There were something like 30.000 prizes in this gigantic venture, @f which the first was of the value of £5.000, while the entrance fee was ~only “two shillings and six pens.” James L. lent his *speciall favoure” te a lottery whose object was “the | present plantation of English colonies in Virginia,” the prizes consisting of £5,000 in money, “besides rewardes of casualitie,” the tickets being drawn “ie a new built house at the west end of Paul's the 29th of June, 1612.” This lottery does not, however, appear to have been very popular, although ‘we are assured by the historian that it was “plainely carried and honestly performed,” for owing to the want of “filling uppe the number of lots there were taken out and throwne away threescore thousand blanckes without | abating any one prize,” certainly a very generous proceeding on the part of the promoters. The lucky man on this ®ccasion was Thomas Sharpliffe, “a Taylor of London,” who won the first prize of “'foure thousand Crownes in fayre plate, which was sent to his house in a very stately mannper.” | ‘Though to some extent poorly patron- ized, this lottery appears to have evoked a good deal of interest among the important personages of the day, | for we are told that “during the whole tyme of the drawing there were al- vwaies present diuers worshipfull Kuoights and Esquires, accompanied with sundry graue discreet Citizens.” As time went on lotteries for every conceivable purpose were held in Lon- «don and other important towns, with the inevitable result that trouble con- stantly arose between the promoters and those of the ticket holders who | appened to be unlucky or thought | zthey bad been unfairly treated, as no i doubt many of them were. We find, | therefore, that periodical orders were issued for the suppression of this form -of gambling. though the law does not | seem to have had any great effect. | At last, bhowever, any one proposing to hold a lottery was obliged to send ! in a petition to the king. and in Charles 1L’s reign we find mention of { several such applications. One of | these was for “the ransom of English slaves in Tunis, Algiers or the Turkish zalleys or for any other charitable use,” the promoter making it a bar- ! gain that after he had paid in a third of the profits he should reserve the rest for his own expenses and *“the re- pair of his fortunes, ruined by loyal- ty Lottery offices for the sale of tickets swere established all over the country as time went on, but none was more famous than the agency of one Bish, who flourished at the beginning of the nineteenth century. This enterprising individual, whose chief offices were in Cornhill apd at Charing Cross, must have made a considerable fortune out of the much safer business of selling tickets than taking them. But his prosperous career, as also that of his fellows, came to an abrupt end when the lottery act was passed in 1823, by which it was provided that after the drawing of the state lottery for that year there were to be no more of them.—London Globe. Pa’s Weakness. Little Nell—You’ve got a good papa, “Willie. Willie—Pa ain’t so bad, but I wish he wasn’t so much in love witk snamma. Why, he believes everything she says about me.” A word spoken, an army of charlots STATE LOTTERIES, T Cravats that are different 25¢ fo $1.00 Mufflers and silk Neckscarfs 25¢ to $3.00 House Coats suitable and comfort- able $3.00 o $10.00 Bath Robes and Lounging Robes $5.00 to $8.50 Fine Hosiery cotton, lisle or silk 10¢ to $1.00 Men’s Gloves Fashion’s latest shades - $1.00 to $2.50 Handkerchiefs a magnificent line 5¢ to $1.00 Sweater Coats all color combinations $1.00 fo $5.00 Dress Shirts handsome new de- signs 50¢ to $3.00 sannot overtake it. Stylish Hats make acceptable gifts $1.00 o $4.00 HOLIDAY GIFTS OF SPECIAL MERIT FOR MEN AND BOYS. above everything else are the practical The things that men apprecfate gifts of things of everyday use--=things that the recipient would buy for himself. And then, too, you raise his opinion of you just another bit higher when you pre- sent him with something practical and sensible---something he would buy for himself. Every time he wears the SCARF, the SHIRT, or the CRAVAT or HOUSECOAT or the BATH ROBE, or the HOSE, or the SUSPEND- ERS, or the GLOVES which YOU GAVE HIM, he THINKS OF YOU. Everytime some friend speaks a word of admiration for the gift you made him, it brings a happy recollection of YOU. Every time he sees the ornamental, perhaps, but un- useful gift of someone else, he unconsciously RE- MEMBERS YOU for your PRACTICAL, USEFUL and SENSIBLE gift of SOMETHING TO WEAR. So, when you select a present for ‘“him,” remember, MEN ARE PRACTICAL. They cherish the memory of a PRACTICAL, USEFUL gift, but soon forget the opposite kind. And make YOUR GIFT TO “HIM” something he wjll really LIKE BETTER than all the other presents he receives-==let it be SOMETHING HE CAN WEAR. And don’t lose sight of the fact that most men in- stinctively know that anything which bears this store’s label is absolutely RIGHT IN STYLE and DE- PENDABLE IN QUALITY. We box all Christmas goods properly. GILL BROTHERS| | The Style Store For Men| o [ oY el IS oA (4 T o « t s 2 » o L [ & &y