The Van Buren press., 1860-09-28
a'ggiatella,lv..

pie, there are always bad and foolish peo-
PIE among them. 1t was so at Bridgeport,
where the State Fair was held recently.
Outside the grounds, behind or within tents
or booths, were many who gapbled, and
led others to do SO. Now it is a very sim
pie thing to gamble, simple, and often
1T appears SO fair that many u boy is led to
| take the first step before he knows it.
1here was behind one of these OYSTER
stands circle of men and boys +; on the
ground sat poor, dissipated, degraded man
poorly clothed and looking sick aud weak.
| he held IN his hand several iron rings, and
before him was Il board with large nails
driven into it which stood upright.
/ "A clear-faced, bright eyed, handsome lit
tie fellow stepped up to him. He was lust
such boy as was prompt at day-school,
and always had his lesson at Sabbath school.
He showed this i'll his face as he e-stepped up
to the man and said:
:" WHAT'S that for %
!" Give me cent. and you may pitch one
OF these rings, and if it catches over nail,
III give You sac cents
That seemed fair enough so the bow
handed him cent and took the ring. He
stepped back to stake, tossed the ring, and
it caught on one of the nails
i'll you take six rings to pitch again
or six cents ?"
"Six &C uts,' was the answer; and two
three cent pieces were put into his hand,
and he stepped off well satisfied with what
he had done, and probably not having an
idea that he had done wrong.
n gentleman standing near had watched
him, and now, before he had time to look
about and rejoim his companions, laid his
hand ON his shoulder.
My lad. that is your first lesson in gam
bling
Gambling, sir ?'
-" You stakcd your penny, and won six,
did you not?''
Yes, l did"
1ou did not earn them; they were not
given you; you ,com tbem, just as gamb-
lers win money. YoL have taken the first
step in the path /; that man has gone through
it, and you can see the end Now | advise
you to so and give his six cents back, and
ask him fer your penny, and then stand
square with the world again.
lie had hung his head down, but raised
it quickly. and his bright, open look as he
sail, ''l'll do it, will not ne forgotten
lie ran back and soon emerged from the
ring, looking happier than ever. Hetouch-
ed his cap, and bowed pleasantly, as he ran
away to join his comrads. That was an
honest boy.-Sketch Book.
hAlLHoADs.-Push them along, keep
them moving. There can be no sensible ar
gument advanced that railroads do not and
have not increased the wealth, happiness
and comfort Of communities. They are
the great arteries that feed the strength and
body of the American people. They arc
the poor mans friend. BY their means of
transportation he can go hither and thther
on mere triiie. 1t is by them that the
prosperity and success Of this country has
been so wonderfully and maryclouslY ad
vanccd.
We wish that they traversed every sec
ton of our State. Men talk about the tax
es, talk about the dollar for dollar talk
about the cost. Years ago, when the Spring
denny was invented the cry was, it will
ruin the common laborcr's interest, it will
injurc his prospects for livelihood. Has
1t been been so? No such thing. Instead
of this it has increased employment. SO
with railroads, they have and do increase
business. Many of the districts OF our
State are not penetrated end blessed with
railroads-we only wish they were-but
| thank God, we have the consolation of
Knowing that such will eventually be the
case.
Yes, railroads will be bnilt all over the
State, we don't care what opposition AS
one race passes away, a more intelligent
one will follow, which can appreciate what
is desirable, and who will wonder how ig-
norant their forefathers were, how narrow
| sighted, how selfish, how lost to every cen
sideration of all that is great, noble and
magnificent. We ask what noble under
standings, what grand enterprises were ever
commenced without opposition ALI grand
works either of science or art have ever
suffered persecution. Calico said that the
earth reyolved around the sun. 1t was
disputed, and he was prosecuted. Never
fheless the earth revolyed anu does revolve
People say-some people--that the Blue
Ridge Railroad cant be built. We say
that it cansbe built. SO on with the Blue
Ridge Railroad, on with railroads in gene
raj they are the conductors of wealth, the
promoters of prosperity, population and
Advancement. On with Railroads As
ooCtiC S"id, WIN iSSoiA w iNuoW iC'tSc,
"more light" we say, more Railroads.
New5erry, { S. C., Rising .Sun.
A DESIRABLE DlsEAsE-Thc pious John
f, Newton closes a letter to friend in the fol-
lowing truly obstructive language You
kindly inquire after my health myself and
family are, under divine favor. perfectly
well yet healthy as l am. labor under
growing disorder, for which there is TO cure
i mean old age. am not sorry that it
is a mortal disease. from which no one re-
covers for Who would live always in such
world as this. who has Scriptural hope
of an inheritance in world Of light ?
am now in my seventy y-second year. and
seem to have lived long enough for myself !;
/ have known something OF the evils of
life. and haveOd a large share of the good.
| know what the world can do, and what it
can not do it can neither take away that
peace of good which passeth all understan-
ing; it cannot soothe wounded con
science, nor enable us to meet death with