The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-03-25
THE VICTIMS OF CHANCE.
A TRUTHFUL NARRATIVE.
From the New York Sunday Times.
BY JACK BRACE.

From the New York Sunday Times
There is no infatuatiOn SO fatal to man as the
worship of chance: it paralyZes his energies.
blunts his moral sense, ard destroys his better
nature. leaving him, even where his pursuits
have been successful. totally unfit for the
higher duties and enjoyments of life; but
when disappOintments and reverses have been
his portion, SO degraded and abashed that un-
less the angel of mercy touches his heart with
repentance, and leads him to a new lite, the
fiends themselves might pity him! She among
the deties whom The ancients called Fortuna,
(chance,) was not only most tickle, but most
cruel stripping her devOtees of everything
worth living for. and crushing them, body and
soul, as remorselessly as the Car of Juggernaut
its blinded victims. Yet, as the bleeding and
manged forms of the superstitiOus HindOOs
seem to impress no warning upon their fellow
wOrshipers to deter them from an equally stu
pid immOlatiOn, so neither does precept or ex-
ample prevent mankind from indulgence in
that illuring, but destructive vice, whose pro-
team forms and seductive changes SO often dis
guised its deadly nature. The clergyman who
denounces the gambler with all the elOquence
OF just indignation, will visit and cOuntenance
fair where chance presides over the distribu-
ton OF prizes, thus showing, perhaps, the first
seed of evil in many youthful nature; the
merchant or banker who would instantly dis
charge his clerk if caught at faro table, will
not scruple to invest his own spare capital in
stock jobbing though he is conscious that it
is one of the most desperate species of gam
bling. And SO. the hope of gain. without an
adequate equivalent, which is the special al
lurement of chance worshippers, spreads its
baleful influence over society, leaving the in
nocent and unoffending too often to mourn it's
ravages.
Let me point my remarks by an example,
sadly true in its prominent features. + 1t
is past midnight, and young wife turns rest
hnrn md isl m
ing footstep, wondering what on earth detains
her husband, who had gone out to attend a
political meeting. How the weary and Sleep
less hours drag along, filling her mind with
apprehension and almost with terror. He had
never done SO before; he had always been
punctual to the promised hour; what on earth
could have happened? At length q familiar
step is heard; it pauses at the door; she hears
the night key turn and in few momeuts her
husband comes softly into the room.
"Oh! Edward, where hare you been Sure
ly your meeting has not kept you this late.
You promised to be home before twelve, and
it has now struck three o'clock"
Her tone was eager, it may be, little re-
proachful at any rate it grated rather harshly
upon the husbands ear !; or perhaps conscience
made him more than usually sensitive.
why, Maggie, have you been lying awake
counting the hours. to time me?" said he, al
most unkindly. "You can go to sleep now,
as your TASK ls accOHl pllbueu. suppose
have a right to sup with friend, sitter making
a speech, without coming home to ask permis-
siOn."
Margaret was too much hurt to reply Ne
yer had her husband spoken thus to her be-
fore. With smothered sigh. she turned her
face to the wall For some minutes there was
silence in the room, when the wife, perceiving
that her husband had put up the gas, and was
quite busy, stole a look at him. He was
counting large roll of bank notes. Six
seven hundred and eighty" muttered he.
That's capital"
Then turning around he said, pleasantly:
Come, Maggie, you must forgive my bear.
ishness l did not mean to offend you, and
ought to be proud that you think so much OF
me as to keep awake
am not used to have you disappoint me,
or scold me either" was the reply.
"Well, let us kiss and be friends, then,
Mag. said'he, sitting on the side of the bed.
Only see what good excuse have for
my three hours truancy.
What is it, Edward /"
Why, only seven hundred and eighty dol
,a,s: a;N Enough to pay my note tomorrow: and
g,fs g,sa you hundred dollar shawl besides, re-
Where .y5t did you get it. Edward ?"
wnat catechist you are becom-
Mss9,ie Ms; got 1t honestly, Of course, Miss
wOh, know" said she bripbteninp up.
"Yo9 borrowed it Of one Of yonr no5iticai
friends. am 30 glad YOU can nav rorr note:
Su,;a.. SuH seaii M not think Of spending hundred
dollars 1or shawl-no indeed
.o.;n nSu are poor guesser, Maggie; try
~. !" J, cannot" she, replied; "you must tell