The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-08-05
THE CHARMS OF GAMBLING.
BY J. II. GREEN.


their first game of cards--bow they were
led from that to a second, and third,
and so on, from game to game, till the
vice of gambling became confirmed
habit, and almost an essential passion of
existence.
Truly, there is fascination and a
charm in gambling which none but devo-
tees of the Cards may appreciate, and
which but few, with tongue or pen, can
adequately portray.
Experienced as ] am, and have been,
in all the ramifcations Of gambling, it
may rightly be inferred that | am able
to speak advisedly concerning its soul
destroying influence on mankind. Yes,
/ have seen father and son--nay, whole
fam|ies--swept to ruin and horror by the
Demon vice, in whose deadly grasp they
had unhappily fallen Men of fine tai
ents and virtues, even moral and upright
individuals in all other respects--profes-
sors also, / am sorry to affirm, Of the re-
ligion of Jesus, have gone down to in
fanny and destruction through the entice-
ments and fascinations of the Gard table.
Methinks | could whisper into the ears
of those who play cards solely for amuse-
ment's sake, tales of woe and terror that
would make the blood run cold and the
heart beat in widest pulsation, from their
mere recital. How much worse would
the scene have been, and the heart
strings torn, by the witnessing of many
a painful scene in the career of an invet-
crate gamblers
/ care not whether man plays for
pastime or profit, from the very first game
he is apt to become enveloped in the fold
of monster more terrible than the hy
dra and when shared, in vain will be
the Topping off of any of its hide0us
heads that serve to snare the hapless vic
tim, MOI the vice should and must be
crushed in its inception, or there can be
no salvation from death and dam
nation here and hereafter. Fearful
thought Would to God that all might
realize the truth of the evil effects aris-
ing from card-playing, in whatever as
pect presented, as source of pastime
merely, or when pursued for emolument.
Fathers, good worthy citizens, would be
spared disgrace and crime, and widows
and children might be saved from pow
erty and woe and the scofings of heart
less world.
| knew a happy and worthy family,
whose subsequent misery and sorrow
arose from the social card table, as a
source of entertainment and amusement
for themselves and friends. This family
consisted of, besides the parents twain,
three sons and daughter, all of whom
gave promise of life of usefulness and
hOnor-the insidious vice of gambling
crept into the beloved family circle, and
brought sorrow and desolation in its wake.
The daughter had reached her thir-
teenth year, and gave developments of
beauteous womanly maturity anon, when
she was seized with consumption, which
painful disease soon left its whitening
power on her fragile frame. Though
rapidly sinking into the grave, she for
some time retained her seat at the card
tables at length, however her malady
increasing, she retired from the fascina-
ting amusement and sought preparations
for death and Immortality. She now re-
quested that cards might no longer be
the pastime of the evening, beneath their
roof, and her father, loving her tenderly,
readily complied with her request, and
the card table was accordingly set aside.
1t was now that, the parent realized the
fascination of the games, and found that
passion for gambling had insensibly be-
come a rooted principle of his breast.
He now sought the gaming table
abroad, and spent his evenings in the
fashionable gambling houses of the place.
He continued as usual to play for pas
time, but becoming wine-bibber, one,
night, while merry in his cups, he was in
duced to hazard, money, not only on this
occasion, but on almost every other even
inc aflerward. Still he persisted in his
reckessness, aud played deeper and deep
er in ruin, till on one Friday evening he
came into a room where several individ-
uals and myself were seated at a game
of cards. He offered to stake five dol
lars on game, and being permitted, his
money was won from him. He then bet
ten dollars, which he also lost. Becom-
ING excited, he continued to bet, and, as
a matter Of course, where all were sharp
ers, he was well supplied with liquor, and
cheated not only Of what funds he had,
but forced to give check for money thus
won from him. He became drunken and
remained with the gamblers during the
night. The following day the check was
cashed, and portion Of the money used
in keeping him intoxicated, so that he
was kept away from his family several
days. Great excitement prevailed on ac-
count Of his absence inTthe community,
Is