The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-11-19
For the Ottumwa Courier
Sketches Of Gamblers.
ny J. II. GREEN.
NO. /.
The instability of the Gamblers Wealth

The Instability of the Gamblers Wealth.
In almost every sinful profession of life in
which man may enter, there may be shade
of CHARGE for general prosperity Bat We
find in gambling vice standing alone, separa.
ted and free from exceptions, unless the vic
tim was in his Lature constituted calous.
hearted villain. They may acquire wealth BY
stratagein, and hoard it up. But where one
Of this class Of gamblers has come under my
knowledge, have known thousands. while
resi- ling in the city of New York, tn live and
Gle in the most abiect poverty. Not day
passed by without cases of this kind coming
to my knowledge. lneed go no Further than
Broadway any day 10 prove the truth of this
assertions; and, were it necessary. one hundred
living victims could be brought forward as
shatteIeh living monuments, moving abont a;
though they were thus placed to the pass
ers by to BEWARE lest the sordid gambler
should gather them within the power of his
fata' f.ngs.
Reader, pass up Broadway, and ify you wish
TO see those man forsaken monuments here
spoken Of, look upon the corners of Barchiy
street, Park Place, Warren and Chambers
streets, and you can generally have your desire
gratifed. And why look in this par, of the
city? Because it is nesrthe Halls of istice.
and in full view Of that clock whose hands
point out the hour to more than one dozen
gambling bells in which these wandering un-
fortunates have been rnned by The connivance
of city officials. There they hive been feas-
ted and made glad-there they have been drug
ged and made sorrowful. In those splendid
rooms yet remain the more fortunate of their
former companions, ard thus they are bound.
as by spell, to these hells which have been
the cause of misery so great, that language is
not capable of depicting it.
AS an illustration, we will call your atten-
ton to the at:eEuated form of man poorly
clad, who stands shiveripg with cold upon
these corners. gazing with idotic stare upon
all who pass by hnt-He was gambler once,
successful one, too, and sported his diamond
pin and gold headed walking stick. But for
tunes wheel rolled so fast, that he was unable
t. keep pace with it, and he was thrown out
side of the screen. ... .. ......
None Of his former companions now know
him. Yet the same place where he and they
once met 10 peer under the bonnet of every
female that passed, is now occupied by him
He is small, and of light complexion; ard
when not found standing upon those corners
he may be seen promenading Broadway, smok.
ing cigar. He poorly clad, having worn
the same snit of cloths for some two years.
His name is McLusky, believe he is native
Of Virginia where he now has a wife and seve-
raj lovely children, to whom he was once a
kind husband and ap affectonate father. This
case 10 a painful one, aud only illustrates the
folly and wicke inesf of evil doors of every
kind, but particular so of gamblers. If the
gambler is unsuccessful. his wicke dness e.
mind and feeling of self degradation are more
than it is il his power to stan! without the
aid Of artificial stimnlant TO drown sorrow; and
when those die out, he is. il possible. in more
desperate state. Whep the fires of intemppr-
ance and the excitement of the gaming table
hurn within man, he will soon be consumed.
And if, on the other hand, he is successful,
his mental condition is scarcely if any. better
unless he has schooled himself into that state
of brutal insensibiiity spoken OFF the preceed-
ing part of this chapter; and he is even then,
dor, constantly tortured with those pangs of
remorse which ever harrow up the bosoms OF
those who riot in i'll gotten gain.
And besides, young man, remember there is
no wealth so precarious as that Of the gambler
To-day his Golfers are filled, and he is sur
rounded with fawning flatterers, and he fond
Iy blesses himself that ehis mountain stands
strong''--that fortune will always smile propi-
tioasly upon him. To morrow he--like poor
McLusky--f that his riches have sstaken
to themselves wings" and flown away, and
now none are so poor as to do him reverence
This is true picture of the instability of the
gamblers wealth. But let us trace him lit.
tie further, for small is the space allotted him
beyond this stage. What claim can he have
upon the charities OF Christian community:
for they are the ones he must look Ia fol
succor. Behold him now. so low that Grim,
can sink him no lower! He asks no mercy fo
ne feels consciousness within, that he de
serves none--that his day of grace is passe,
by-that an eternity of bondage awaits him
and all the comfort now left him he must gath
er ON the craggy road which is Just borderin!
upon the twilight of eternity.
And when he is dead, who has he left, ont
side of broken-hearted mother, or deserte,
wife and forsaken children. that will shed on
kind tear over his grave? Where is that fren,
who introduced him to the first gamblin
house? Where are those jovial wine bbbers
They, too. may have proceeded him. Bat i
they yet live, they live not to write anv prais
es to be inscribed as an epitaph upon his tom
stone, for he is a sordit and polluted gambler
But when he is summoned by death TO pa
] this last tribute of sin, who vii. stand by bir
TO dampen his parched lips or wipe from hi
brow the cold, clammy dew-drops of death
| Where is the mother that bore him? Wher
| is the kind brother, or sister, or that wife b
had pledged TO support through life, and con,
| fort in death? Alas they, too by his vice!
have been shut out Of his society, and ca
know nor serve him no more forever! Sue
is the Gamblers life, his death, and the lisa
bility of his wealth.