Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-06-01
34lisccl cllQncolls.
Gambling Four Scenes
SCENE FIRST.

A gcntcc collee.honse, whose huma
screen conceals line of Gireuadicr Bottle.
and hides respectable blushcS from impcrli
ncnt eyes, There is qnct little roor
opening out Of the bar, aud here sit fou
invial yonlhs. The fourth is a reluctan
hand, he does not love drink nor approx
the game. He anticipates and fears tn,
the results of both. W Why is he here? II,
isa whole-souIed fellow, and is afraid tc
seem ashamed of any fashionable gaetv
He will sip his wine on the Importantly o
friend newly come to town, and is Toe
polite to spoil that friends pleasures BY
refusing a part in the game. They sit
shuttle, deal the night wears on, the clock
telling no tale of passing hours, the prudent
liqnor irn;l has made il safely dumb. The
night is getting cold lis dark air grows
fresher: the east is gray; the drinking and
gaming and high-F;rious laughter are over
:.a,: :the youths vending a.homcw.sd u hat
says concience? Ne matter what it saws:
they did not hear, and we will not What.
ever was said, it was very shortly answered
thus: i" This has not been gambling, all
were gente,Aen; there WAS no cheating,
simp!ya convval meeting. No stakes, ex.
cept the bills incident to the entertainment.
II any body hIames Young man for
little innocent exhileratiOn ON u special occa.
sion, he is a supersitious old higot, let him
croak." Such a garniShrd name is made
the text to Justify the whole round of gam.
bling. Let US then look ut
SCENE SECOND.
In room so silent that there is no sound
except the sl'riIl cock growing the morning,
the forgotten canules burning dimly over the
long and lengi!rcncd wick, sit four men.
Carved marble could not be more motion
less, save their hands. Pale, watchfnl though |
wcary-thrir eyes pierce the cards, or fur
lively read each others faces. Hours have
passed over them thus. st length they
rise without words; some with satisfaction
that only makes their faces brightly haggard
scrspe off the piles Of mancy others, dark
snllen, silent, fierce, move slowly away from
their lost moncy.-1>he darkest and iicrcest
Of the four is the young friend who first sat
down to make out the game. He will never
sit down so innoccntly again. What SAYS
he to his conscience now! 81 have Il right
to gamble ! have /; right to be damned
too, II choose whose business is :"
SCENE THIRD.
Years have passed. He has seen his
youth ruined, at the first exposIula,ion ,ben
with only silent rrrrc;. the consrntinr +,
take part Of the spnis he had himself decoy-
ed, dupcd and stripped them without mercy,
Go with me into that d;lapidated bousr NOT !
fur from landing at New Orleans. Look
into that dirty room. Around a broken ,
table, sitting upon boxes, or rickcty chairs :
see filthy crew dealing cards, smourhed !.
with tobacco, grease and liquor. One has -
a private face, Furnished and burnt with -
brandy, lock OF grizzly, matted hair half "
covering his villain eyes, which glare out :,
like Il wild beasts from a thickct Close :,
by him wheezes Whitehead dropsical =
wretch vcrmin, covered and >tcnchu. A r
sconndre Spaniard and a IurIy negro Che :,
olies of the FOUR complete the group. :
they nave spcctators-drnuken sailors and :, =
,sng, thievimg drinking women, who should J., -
lavc died. Here, hour draws on hour. :"
sometimes with brutal laughter, sometimes :,
With threat and oat! and uproar The last =, e.
ew stolen dollars lost, temper too, each =