In 1831, uppercrust Pennsylvanians with good intentions for the little people did the math on the state lottery. See ‘The better sort’ at Retrospect.

“The better sort” is the latest edition of Retrospect, a regular look at the history of Philadelphia's western suburbs. Retrospect appears monthly in Main Line Today.

Coming next month: "Empathy." Slavery was an abstraction until it reached out to Upper Darby and grabbed someone Thomas Garrett knew