The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-06-30
Beginning and End of a Gambler.
DY REV. II. w. DEECUER.

Scene .frSt.-A gcntecl coffee house.
whose human screen cUncealS line Of Gre.
nader bottles, and hides respectable blush.
eS from impairment eyeS.-Thcre is 4 quiet
little room opening out Of the bar, and here
sit iOur. jovial youths. The cards are out,
the wines are in. The fourth is n reluctant
hand he does not love the drink, nor app
prove the game. lie anticipates and fears
the result Of both. Why is he here? lie is
a whole souled fellow. and he is afraid 10
seem ashamed Of any fashionable gaycty.
lie will sip his wine on the importantly Of a
friend newly come to town. aud he is too
polite to spoil that friends pleasure bv refu-
sing part III the game. They sit, shuttle.
deal the night wears on, the clock telling
no tales of passing hours, the prudent friend
having made it safely dumb. The night is
getting cold its dark air grows lrcsher ::
the east is gray; the gaming and drinking.
and hilarious laughter are over. and the
youths vending homcward. What saws
conscience; No matter what it SAYS Ccy
did not hear, and we will not hear. " nat
ever was said, twas very shortly answer
ed, thus; "IhiS has not been gambling all
were gentlemen; there was no cheating,
simply cornwall meeting. No stakes, eX.
ccpt the bills incident to the entertainment.
| II anybody blanes young man for little
innocent eXhiliration on a special occasion,
he is a superstitous old bgot let him croak y
Such a garnisned game is made the text TO
justify the whole round Of gambling. Let
us then look at.
Scene Second In the room so silent that
there is no sound except the shril cocl,
Growing in the morning, the forgotten can
dies burn dlmly over the long and lcngthen.
ed wick, sat four men. Carved marble
could not lie more motiOnlesS, save Their
hands. Pale, watchlul, though weary,
their ekeS pierce the cards, or iurivCly read
each others faces. Hours have passed o.
yer them thus. At length they rise withou,
words; some with satisfaction that make,
their faces brightly haggard, sc,ape of In,
piles of money; others, dark, sulen, silent
fierce, move slowly away from their LOST
money. The darkest ami fcrcest of the
four, is that young friend who first sat down
to make ont game. He will never s
down so innocently again. What SAYS he
to his conscience now ? ! have right t.
gamble; have a right to be damned to, i
| choose whose business is IL"
Scene 1hird. Years have passed on. II,
has seen youth ruined, at first with exposuI
lation. then with only silent regret. thel
+ consuming TO take part Of the spoi!s he ha,
; himself decoyed, dupcd, aud stripped then
without mercy. Go with me into tina, d.
hpidatcd house not far from the landing a
New Orleans. Look into that dirty room
Around broken table, sitting upon boxes
kegs, or ricke,y chairs, see filthy crew
, dealing cards smouchcd with tobacco. grcaS,
and liquor. One has a pirate face. burni,h
ed and burnt with brandy, lock of griz7l,
, hair half covering his villain eyes, whici
glare out like wild beasts from thicket
Close by him whoezcs a white faced drop
steal wretch. vermin. colored, s,enchful !
. scoundrel Spaniard, and hurley negro
(thc jollics, ofthe four complete the ground