The arranging of the class numbers is a matter of fancy, as to what they shall be; their only use being to determine to what particular drawing any particular ticket belongs, in order that a ticket which proves to be a blank may not, at some future drawing, be handed in for a premium, on account of containing some of the numbers then drawn.

[Illustration:  Drawing of Lottery Tickets.]

THE DRAWING.  There are several methods of conducting the drawing; but that which is most commonly used is as follows:—­

There is a hollow wheel, as represented in the plate; then there are seventy-eight small tin tubes, scarcely half an inch in diameter, and about three inches in length; these are for holding the numbers, from one to seventy-eight; each number is on a separate piece of paper, which is rolled up and put into a tube; these tubes, when the numbers have been placed in them, are all put into the wheel, and a person is selected to draw out one at a time from the wheel, which is opened, and cried aloud, for the information of those present who may be interested.  The number is registered, for the future guidance of the lottery-dealer, in determining what he shall pay those who may hold one or more of the numbers so drawn.  After this, the wheel is again turned, so as to mix well the numbers contained in it, and a second is drawn; and the same proceedings are gone over with, until twelve numbers are drawn, and registered in the order in which they are drawn.  Sometimes thirteen will be drawn, it being customary, on many occasions, to draw one number for every six contained in the wheel; but I cannot give this as a universal rule, because I have often found it deviated from.  Sometimes little boys are selected to draw the numbers from the wheel—­to give the impression that every possible step has been taken to render the management as fair as possible; but in this there is also much deception.

Swarms of domestic servants, day labourers, and the most poor and needy persons daily visit these worse than gambling shops, where they risk their little all, and get nothing in return but the delightful anticipation of being rich when the “drawing” takes place.

True it has been the case that prizes have been drawn, and trumpeted forth to the world, as inducements for others to buy.  Having known how some of these prizes have sometimes been obtained, will it be too much to suppose that others are obtained in like manner? that is by the proprietors of lotteries being swindled through the unfaithfulness of their agents.  A case came to my knowledge of a man who drew a capital prize; and the mode of operation, by which it was effected, was as follows:  An agent, who was stationed in a town some distance from the principal establishment, made two confidants, who, doubtless, readily acted with him from hope of gain.  One of these was the post-master of the town, and the other an acquaintance, a patron of the lottery.  The duty of the agent