"Thank you for your friendly intention," said Herbert, "but I am
afraid there are a good many more blanks than prizes. If there were
not, it wouldn't pay the lottery men to carry on the business."

This was common sense, and I cannot forbear at this point to press
it upon the attention of my young reader. Of all schemes of gaining
wealth, about the most foolish is spending money for lottery
tickets. It has been estimated by a sagacious writer that there is
about as much likelihood of drawing a large prize in a lottery as of
being struck by lightning and that, let us hope, is very small.

"I guess I won't go any farther," said Eben, abruptly, having become
convinced that Herbert could not be prevailed upon to lend him
money.

"Good-night, then," said Herbert "Good-night."

"Well, mother, I'm out of work," said Herbert, as he entered the
little sitting room, and threw down his week's wages. Our young hero
was of a cheerful temperament but he looked and felt sober when he
said this.

"But for the Grahams we should have a comfortable living," the boy
proceeded. "First, the father took away the post office from you,
and now the son has robbed me of my place."

"Don't be discouraged, Herbert," said his mother. "God will find us
a way out of our troubles."

Herbert had been trained to have a reverence for religion, and had