The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-08-05

full anxiety in regard to his fate. Twas seat
ed at table playing with him on Sunday
evening, the third day since he entered
the gamblers den, when his family ply
sician entered and inquired of the unfor-
tunate and inebriated man, if be knew
where he was, and if he would not re-
turn to his stricken daughter and dis
tressed family
"Yes, yes, Doctor, III be there pres
emily; go and say that l will soon be
with them"
The physician left, but the poor man
continued the game and speedily forgot
his promise About half an hour passed
in this way, when female rushed into
the room, and threw her arms around the
neck of the gamblers victim-it was his
wife.
"Great God My husband! what are
you doing here r.
Beloved-my wife what seek you,
and why come to this place y said the
man, bending his head and reeking with
shame.
"Oh, my dear husband, come home
instantly-our poor child is dying! Her
only prayer for two days has been your
welfare. Come, dear husband, now =
Our daughter may not live till our re-
turn"
The wife, husband and physician i'm
mediately left the place.
A short time again elapsed, when that
deluded man returned, and composedly
resumed his seat again at the table. /
incidently inquired of him how he had
left his daughter.
"Oh, God remind me not of that,
sir. She is dead, and died while | was
seated here at cards | could not re-
main; the tempter drove me back l
could not stay and see my child cold
and lifeless corpse"
While he raved and wept, his wife ap
peared the second time, and dragged him
from that pandemonium to his now hap
less home.
-Four years after this affecting circum-
stance, while l was sojourning in the
same city, lecturing on gambling, l re-
ceived a visit from that unfortunate man.
His appearance before me recalled to my
mind at once the painful incident just de-
tailed, and | inquired what were his feel
ings when he visited home and found his
daughter corpse.
40, sir, l left your table thinking it
was but ruse to bring me home; but |
cannot tell the horror that filled my soul,
when / realized that my child was dead.
| clasped her lifeless form in my arms
and implored her to speak. if but one
word, that might know that / had not
lost her favor. There came no response.
| cast the dead body from me, and rushed
out wild and frantic, yet vOiceless my
self, determined on self-destruction. |
felt that / was her murderer, and the ter
rible thought drove me mad. Scarcely
knowing what | did, but impelled by the
foul fend, / found myself in the street,
fastening away to the wharf, with pur-
pose of fearful consequence-but strange
to say, that bright lamp, at the door OF
the gambling house, diverted me from a
watery grave, and turned my feet into
the den itself, where l sat abstractedly,
have no doubt, for ! knew nothing un-
til your inquiry about my dead child re-
stored me to consciousness. Providence
instructed me in an awful lesson, and
from that to the present, | have never al
lowed cards in my house, nor played any
myself abroad, nor touched the intoxica-
ting bowl; and God help me, never
SHALL"
This incident is sufficient to show the
consequence of indulging in card playing
and gambling. We could sincerely wish
that it might lead every one to serious
reflection, and induce return to the
paths of rectitude and honor, ere that ter
rible desolation follow which most GER
tainly attends, as we know full well, the
course of the gambler and drunkard.