Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-05-03
TIHB II GAMBLERS PLEDGE.

A "Mr. Willard, II you nave a lew
moments leisure this morning, 1
have something of great impor7
tance I wish to communicate -.
The speaker, Edward Martin,
was a man of marked ability, and
Ihad been for some time employed
as a confidential clerk in the house
of Willard & Cos sxssG3 S
"Why, Edward exclaimed Mr..
Willard, "what is the matter p
You have been weeping" B :
/ "Ihaye, and not without cause!'
answered the young..man. "But
l am now prepared for the worst! !!
I expect to lose your confidence,
perhaps, l shall be sent to prison,
and be forever disgraced. But |
cannot die with this weight upon
my conscience. You have been
too kind" 's &C. a,sS S. : ~
Mr.. Willard fixed his gaze upon
Edward, and for some time re-
NAMED silent. At length he ex-
claimed
: "You have not betrayed my con-
fdence? Surelymy Kindness has
not been appreciated 2 a .3ail
ssYes, but oh! | was mad l. i
must have been maniac, or | new
Ter could have robbed one SO good.p
J. seRo5bea !" echoed Mr.. Willard.
aYes," cried Edward, falling on
| his knees before him. ':But oh,
pity me! not for myself, | would
not murmur atsthe sharpest tor
ture, but my mother, it would kill
her, should she learn that her son
wasa gambler and a theft ~, -
"You have become a gambler,
you have robbed me, and asked
me for pityY
''Not for myself, but for that
mother, who like a guardian angel,
watched me in my infant years,
as I grew to manhood, wept, hoped
and prayed" ."7JQ so5 5lW 2
"Edward, indeed your mother
is a noble woman, and ! thought
her son equally SO. / would have
trusted you with my entire fortune,
and it grieves me to learn that
have been deceived. Have you
not always received the utmost
kindness ?" a s.as,s ~
,"Yes, and my crime is doubly
great since it adds the crime OF
ingratitude." @ i
"Why have you betrayed my.
trast?" ys. aasHG egi.a.9g s1I
SIT is the old story, sir. | was
induced to visit gambling saloon.
Ny first visit was but a few days
since. / was persuaded to ven
ture a few dollars, and Iwon. /
played again and again, and | won:
When l returned to- my home, l
was richer by several hundred
dollars. Visions of wealth fitted
through my mind. But when. my
mother prayed that night | wept !!
The gold did not bring me happi-
ness. | resolved never again to-
| aa F.. : tt :
visit such a place" ,s-s
uYou kept your resolution?'
@No. | sought the advice of one
/ deemed my friend. Heridiculed
line for what he termed my qualms
1 of conscience, and advised me to
continue till / amassed sufficient
to establish business for myself
Last night I met this friend, and
by persuasion, 1 was induced to go
again" 49, - -
.You have played but twice p
Then your loss cannot be very
heagy?g \ IS. !. 3.e.1ss 5 /, Z.
II would not consent to play for
some time, but at length my brain
became heated with wine. and as
the picture of affiuence was vividly
drawn--I became mad! / lost the
money I had won the previous
evening. Urged on by some
lfiend,, [ drew a check for all the
means I possessed, and again lost.
II had in my possession two thou
sand dollars belonging to the hrm,
and in hope of winning back my
own i staked this SUM, and lost!
/ madly rushed from the place,
when at every step q voice seemed
ringing in my ears gambler add 40
Ithief!s Preached my home, on;
lhow dark and dreary it appeared,
that once loved home! | could
not listen to my mothers voice; VOC
~ nv ro0Yn. Il WeDG