American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-08-03
THE GAMESTER.

| lfTom he second edition Of Deaths Dotngs."j
Loud how'd the winter storm--athwart the sky
Rnsh'd the big ciouds,-the midnight gale WAS high;
Ore, the proud city sprang ,h' avenging flash,
And tower and temple trembed to the crash
VI the great thunder peal Again the light
Swift tore the dark veil from the brow OF night
And, ere the far chased darkness, closing round
As the fame VANISHED, fell still more profound;
Again the near-heard tempes, wild and dread,
Spake IN voice that might awake the dead
Yet while the lightning burn'd-the thunder roar'd--
And even virtue trembled-and adoped--
Alone was heard within the Gamester's hell,
The Gamesters' cause.-the oath-the frantic yei
Fx'd to one spot. intense, the burning eye
Marx d not the hash-saw but the changeful die
Aud, deaf To heavens high peal, one demon vice
Possessed their souls-trumphant avarcei
Loud how'd the winter storm nigh wore away
Too slow, and thousands watchd, and wisd for day:
And there was poor, lonely, lovely thing,
Who sat and shudder'd as the Wild gales wing
Rush'd by-all mournfully Her children silent
As the poor mourner gaz'd-and sighed-and wept!
Why sits that anguish on her faded brow'
Why droops her eyer Al, Flors, wis re art thou
Flown are thy hours of dear domestic bliss
The fond enbrace-the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BLESSED, tranquil hours 10 love and virtue given,
Delicious joys that made thy home heaven!
Flown-and for ever ;-love-fame-vrtu
For lucre-for the sordid thirst of gold;
The craving, burning wish, that will not rest;
The vulture passion Of the human breast
he thirst for that which-granted or denied
Still leaves-s,ill eaves-the soul unsatisfied;
Just as the wave Of Tantalus flows by,
Cheating the lip. and mockng the fond eye!
Yet oft array'd in all their genuine truth,
Rose the sweet visions of his early youth:
More brght-more beautiful hose visions rise,
AS cares increase regretful eyes!
Aud when the storms OF life nfuriae roll,
Unnerve the arm, and shake tn impassive soul,
Then Memory, always garrulous, will tell,
The glowing story OF our youth too well;
Aud scenes will rise upon the pensive view,
Which memory's pencil will portray too true!
Thus when Repentance warn'd his aching breast,
tie turn'd him, fearful 10 those scenes best
And fresh they came-a dear, departed throng,
Of joys that arung the heart; by contrast strong;
Lost loved delights, that forced the frequent SIGH,
And child the lfe-blood while they charmd the eye
Could he forget when first--O thrilling hour
lie wood his Julia in her native bower!
Forget the tender walk-the gate-the cot
The impasson'd vow-ah could they be forgot'
Sweet noons-sweet eves--vhen all-below-aboves
Wss rapture-and the hours were wing'i by love
But chief one dear remembrance-one more bright
Than all, though CHERISHED, rushed upon his sight
The morn that, blushng in her virgin charms,
Gave the wrong'd Julia 10 his eager arms
Ar. wrong'd-for though remorse full deeply stang
HIS bosom, 10 the damn!ng vice he chung;
And she, poor victim, had not power to stay
The wanderer on his wild and desperate way;--
While round her, ever, sterny-fercely-s
Views of the fiture-glo omy -dark-and deepi
Prophetic chances! he has left again
| Ills sacred home, to seek the gamester's den!
| All, aptly ierm'd hell, for oft Despair
And Suicide, twin brothers, revel there!
! Awake, infa'uatc youth, for Death is nigh.
Guides the dread card and shakes the fatefu die
Awake, ere yet the monster lay thee low,
All that thou lowest perish in that blow!
The strong emptation-frmly -nobly-
| e--chiIdren-wte-may yet he thine return
To virtue, and be happy but, 'tis Ger
| Stripp'd of his all--he may return no more
Ruind he stands-,he tempter plies his part
As the head reels, and sinks the bursting hear!
With fell despair his glazing eye-bas roll,
| And all the demon fires his maddend soul;
The bullet speeds--upon the blood-stan'd floor
He lies--and Play has one pale victim more
| N. T. c