of our regular meeting nights, and I asked if they would consent to this
raffle if I would engage that the winner of the picture should not be
laughed at by any other member.

"How will you guarantee that?" asked Mr. Buckby.

"I will put the matter in the hands of the Association," I answered.
"If, after the raffle is over, a majority of the members shall decide
that any of us have reason to laugh at the winner of this painting, I
will refund all the money paid for tickets."

There was something in this proposition which aroused the curiosity of
my fellow-firemen; and when the meeting was called to order, a
resolution was adopted that we would have the raffle, and that the
management of it should be placed in my hands, subject to the conditions
mentioned above. There were a good many surmises as to what I was going
to do to keep the people from laughing at the prize-winner, the general
opinion being that I intended to have the picture altered so that it
would be like an ordinary landscape, and not reversible. But the affair
was something novel, and promised to put the much-needed money into our
treasury; and several gentlemen assured me that they would make it their
business to see that every member took a ticket, one generous man
promising, in the interests of the Association, to present them to such
of the few members as might decline to buy them for themselves. This
offer was made in consequence of my insistance that every one of us
should have a chance in the raffle.

The next morning I went to the art-factory and told the proprietor that
I would take the lot of reversibles he had on hand, if he would include
the one already purchased, and receive ninety-seven dollars and a half