The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1848-01-17
Bowling Alleys.

"Oh, for one hour of rest" said an aged
woman. "From morn till morn again, one
dominant sound engulphs all others. Its lar
guage is rumble, rumble, rumble"
"Ihere it is" she exclaimed 'listen, and
you will hear l paused an instant and low
notes, as of distant thunder, fell upon my ear.
What's the NATTER child:" asked the lone
dame, who saw that l trembled with supersti-
tious fear. Don't be alarmed" she contin-
ued, sit is only the nlne- pins"
"Would that it were anything else," I re-
piled, Il could face danger in another shape
There is grandeur in the boiling surge, and
sublimity in the raging elements, beauty, too,
for we know that such is a part of the econo-
my of nature. There is music even in the
tolling bell for it tells of labors ended, and
new life commenced. But those pins and
that sickly glare of light, at MONDAY, melts
me down in sorrow and as from time to time
/ catch glimpses of the excited players, they
appear to me as phantoms which stride through
aannts of vice. 4y--a.. si,.,il'r rssri s1-s..stA
The mere child is there, receiving his first
impressions the beardless youth tries his
skill mature age shows its dexterity; and
the old man boasts of years Gkus spent. A
dollar is slipped from the masters drawer, and
staked the laundress is defrauded, and the
gain brought thither; children are neglected,
and the saving offered as incense; wives are
heart. broken, and their agony distilled into
poisonous drugs.
Some, no doubt, indulge innocently in this
amusement. as an exercise, and to such it may
do good But how many there are who pass
the livelong day in those alleys; how many
who 90 late to their places of business, and
leave them early, and are seldom at home save
bofnro do -broak Soma q
the presumption to think that they can de-
ceive their wives and mothers by alleging a
press of affairs as the reason of their continued
absence. But let them not suppose that such
excuses will long be received as plausible
The eagle eye of affection cannot thus be
cheated. 1t detects the slightest change in
health or morals. The incest ingenuity can
not conceal it any more than lozenges can
screen the habitual drinker. The toul atmos-
phere they breathe taints their persons through
and through, and the leprous spots are ever
visible, crying 'unclean, unclean.'
If the moral sense of our youth cannot be
roused it would seem that the civil authori-
ties should interfere. Gambling, in every
form, stalks in our midst; but bowling alleys
are constant net, shameless and baretaced-
They are sometimes visited by ladies whose
influence is wholesome, insomuch as they
check the turbulent and diminish the amount
of intemperance, yet how much more could
they do by setting their whole strength against
them. Most Of those who frequent these
halls airs bound by endearing ties to those OF
milder mould. Let such use their utmost en-
deavors 10 purge our city of this foul stain
which mar; its pages Let not love blind
them rather let it make them more keen to
track out the slightest imperfection. They
should strive to lure back the falling, and
court companionship in pursuits which de-
mand their highest faculties. Persevering
kindness will do much; but should this fail
there is necessity for positive assertion. The
times demand some such decision. The young
are tempted on all sides, and if those who see
the danger, lift not their hand to save, do they
not become partakers in guilt?
Let, then, brethren and sisters work tor each
others salvation; this is our mission on earth.
Then one will become the complement OF the
other, and both live on: their being as designed
by Him who has made us male and female
Selected ..rYf .-rEH