Juliet signal., 1847-08-17
THE YOUNG VICTIM:
A SAD STORY OF GAMBLING.
$50 young and get so lost. y

we nave already given one or two IL
lustrations of the sad effects of gambling.
Their publication has, we have reason To-
think not been without salutary effects.
The vice is, generally speaking, practi
ced in secret. and therefore il is. that the
ruin and despair, crime and suicide
which it SO frequently causes--escape
public notice--the surviving relatives
and friends of the victims being anxious
TO draw the veil of Oblivion over the er.
rors and infirmities of the tempted and
the lost We have, however, heard of
another case, which seems to be full of
admonition. 1t bears, too, more particu.
larly upon the error in which so MANY
indulge. that no harm can ensue from
card playing merely for amusement, or
with a trifle only at stake.
A few years since, Mr.. Green, the re.
formed Gambler, took passage on board
steamboat at Louisville, bound for N.
Orleans. A short time after the boat
pushed off, it was discovered that there
was no less than twenty gamblers on
board, and much dissatisfaction was ex.
pressed because SO many had chosen Il
same boat. 1t was 500 n agreed that ten
or fifteen should return ashore at the first
opportunity, and wait for another boat.
Shortly after, this determination was car.
Red into effect, and it was while Mr..
Green was Standing on the hurricane
deck, noticing the landing of a portion of
his old companions, that his attention was
arrested by young man, looking anx-
lously upon the departing gamblers. He
was Pale and agtated, and tear drop
glistened in his eye. His whole appear
ahce was SO remarkable, that even Green
became excited and interested, He
sought the youth and asked him whittier
ne was going? He replied that he knew
not where. and, as if to shun further no.
tice, left the deck and descended into the
cabin. Green still more curious followed
him, and by the expression ofsympathy
hnylly induced him to unbosom himself
He said that his first reply was correct
that he really did not know where he was
going. He was the son of reputable pa.
rents in Boston, and had left that city
few weeks before for the purpose of Wis.
iting Louisville. (which place." he con.
tiuued, '.you perceive we have just pass.
ed" The reasons for this course were
sad ones. He had sister in Louisville,
who had married and moved thither,
while he was a child. The death of that
sisters husband had induced her TO write
for her brother to come on, to protect her
in her widowhood. and assist in settling
up the estate. His parents provided him
with all the necessaries for the Journey,
gave permission to tarry for few days
at new York and Philadelphia, Should he
think proper, aud also gave him about
two hundred dollars in money. All went
smoothly and pleasantly until he arrived
in Philadelphia. Here he took lodgings
at leading hotel, and soon formed an
acquaintance with two young men of gen
teeI exterior, plausible manners, and cap.
tivating address. Accompanied by them
he, during the day visited several of the
leading institutions, and at night accepted
an invitation to play game of hist, the
only game OF cards with which he was
familiar. Several days and evenings were
occupied in similar manner He then
determined to continue his sjourney, which
he did by taking passage in one of the
lines OF Pittsburgh. TN appearing at thu
depot the next morning he was delighted
to lind his two companions. They also
had business west,and they regarded it as
pleasure to have so agreeable com.
panIons Alter eXhausting the ordinary
topics otthe day, the game of whist was
again thought OF and renewed. They
irst played for the cards, then for liquor,
and tiually, for small sums OF money. The
youth became excited. and ere they
reached the iron city, he had lost every
dollar that belonged to him, with the ex-
ception OF a sum Just sufficient to paypas-
sage from Pittsburgh to Louisville. But
again the strangers made their appear
ance on board an Ohio river steamer, and
in the hope of recovering what he had lost
the deluded young man played again, when
his gold watch was the sacrifice. On ar
irving at Cincinnati, he was nearly mad.
He then bethought himself of package
which his mother had cohfided to him for
his sister. He sought for it in his trunk,
found and opened it. 1t contained neck
lace as love-gift, and an unsealed letter.
in which was enclosed bank note ofone
hundred dollars. Stilltempted by the de-
monc ofgambling. and still anxious to re-
gain what he had lost. he returned to his
vile Companions and whist. He played
hour after hour, lost the money, then stalk
ed and lost the necklace. At this point
the horror of his situation was indescrib-
able. Louisville was at hand, but how
could he meet his sister? How could he
explain his folly his infatuation and crime?
H Q had left home with good name. on a
mission of sacred duty, and he was now
a thief and robber. He had mIsem.
ployed funds given under halIowed cir.
cumstances, and lis condition was indeed