The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1868-10-01
T1FF1N, OHIO, THURSDAY MORNING. OCTOBER /, 1865

NuVu oauu'S'ou uOWu Nn0 nail u
watch others play.
Albert soon found himself seateC
over against table at which somt
Of his friends we're playing. and clos,
by stood two gentlemen, strangers tC
him, one Of whom was explaining tn,
mysteries to the other the mystcrie,
of the game.
at is healthy pastimc, - said h,
who had been making the explana-
ton, "and certainly il is one which
has no evil ten lcncy.
Albert heard the remarks yer,
plainly, aud he had a curiosity to heal
what the other, who seemed unac
quairted with billiards would say.
"I cannot, of course, assert that
any game which calls for skill aud
judgment, and which is free from the
attendant curse of gaming, is of itself
an evil, remarked the second gen
tleman. "Such things are only evil
so fai as they excite and stimulate
men beyond the bounds Of hcalthruI
recreation"
But the other shook his head.
"You are wrong there. The result
can follow in two ways. First, it can
lead acn away from their business;
second, it eau lead men to spend
money, who have not money to spend
You will understand me, l would not
cry down the game of billiards, for il
| understood it | should certainly
try you game now, but whenever /
visit place of this kind | am led ia
reflect upon most strange aud prom
inent weakness of humanity as de
yoloped in our sex. For instance,
observe that young man who is just
settling his bill at the desk. Hc
looks like a mechanic, and | shou
say from his manner, aud from the
fact that he feels it his duty to @
home at this hour, that he has a wife
aud children. see by his face that
he is kind hearted and generous. aud
| should ju lgc that he means to do
about as near right as he can. lie
has been beaten, and he pays Sl,40
for the recreation OF some two hours
duration. If you would observe,
you would see that he pays it freely,
aud pockets the loss with smile
Happy faculty How do you suppose
1t is in that young mans homo p
Suppose his wife had come to him
this morning and askel him for u
dollar to spend for some triiling
thing-somc household ornament, or
some bit Of jcwclry to adorn her per
son. Aud suppose his little child
had put in plea for forty cents to
buy paper aud picture books with
what q. you think he would have
answered. OF f,ty men Just like
him, would not foTty-fve have dc
elared that they bad not money to
spare for any su. h purpose? Anl
moreover, they wouiI have said so
feeling that they were telling the
truth. Am not right?'
Upon my soul RESPONDED the
man who understood billiards, "you
syeak to the point. | kNow that
young man who has paid his bill, and
you have not mistaken him in a
single particular. And, what H.
more, | happen to have fact at hand
to illustrate your charge. We have
a club for au excellent literary pa
per in our village, and last year that
man was one of our subscribers =
This year lac felt obliged to discOn-
tinuc it. Ills wife was very anxions
to take it, for it had become a genial
companion ID leisure momests, bat
he could not afford it. The club
rate was one dollar and 6fty cents a
ysar."
They bud finished at the nearest
table. The two gentlemen moved on
and Albert Landmau arose from his
seat and left the house. Nsver be
iars Lad he such thoughts as now
possessed tim; he had aever dwell
upon the same grouping of ideas
That very morning his own true
faithful, loving wife had been sad
aud keart-slo& because he had harsh
ly and Uakindly met her request for
smsH sum Of money. Aud his
sweet Lizzie had crcpt away to hel
her home almost broken hearted foI
the want of simple toy, such as her
mates nosscsscd. Aud yet the sun
of 10th their wants amounted to not
as much as he had paid away that
evening for billiard playing.
Albert Laudman wanted to be an
honest husband aud father, aud the
lesson was not lost upon him. On
his way home he stopped at Mr.
Grants and purchased the best and
prettiest hoop to be found, with driv
ing stick painted red, white aud blue
and in the morning, when he beheld
his child's delight, aud had received
her grateful, happy kiss, tho question
came to his mind Which was the
best and happiest result, this or the
FIVE games of billiards? The hoop
had cost thirty cents. He could play
two games of billiards less, and be
the absolute gamer of ten ceuts by
the pleasant operation.
A few mornings after this, as AL
bert arose from the breakfast table,
he detected an uneasy, Wistful look
upon his wife's face.
"Kate. what is it?"
"Albert, could you spare me half
dollar this morning ?"
Aud out came the wallet, and the
money was handed over with warm
genial smile.
What tears at that? Was it pos
sible that she bad been so little used
to such scenes on his part that so
simple an act oi loving kindness thus
affected her
How many games of billiards would
be required to secure such satisfac
tion as Albert Landnan carried With
him that morning to tho shvpH
MIRRap ron xorNo xvtxypy