Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-05-08

game which calls for skill and iudg,
1 ment, and which is free from the atten
i dant curse Of gaining, is Of itself al
/ evil, remarked the second gentlemen
I ''Sueh things are only evil so far as they
i excite and stimulate men beyond the
/ bounds Of heattfuI recreatiou.0
That result can scarcely follow such
a game said the first speaker.
But the other shook his head
You are wrong there The result
/ can follow in two ways. First, IL can
lead men away from their business
second it can lead men TO spend money,
who have not money to spend. You
VIII understand me. / would not CRY
down the game Of billiards, for IL I'M
derstooa Il should certainly try you
a game now; but whenever I visit q
place Of this kind 7 am Iei TO reflect M
on most strange aud prominent weak
ness Of humanity as developed in our
sex For instance, observe that youn 3
man who is lust settling his bill at the
desk. he looks like mechanic. and i
shCuid say from his manner. and from
the fSet that be feels ID his duty to re
home as this hour, that lie has q wife
and children. i see by his face that he
is kfndhearted and generous, and I
should judge that he means Co do abou &
as near right as he cam. BE has been
ueaGen anaA he pays &A 40 for the reGEea-
tiOn of sonle two hours duration. If
you would observe, you would see that
he pays II freely, and pockets the loss
with smile. HAPPY faculty But
how dc Y0u suppose It'd is in that young
mans homef Suppose his wife had
come 58 him this 1a6rniuE uud asked
him for q dollar 20 spend f5r some tri=
ding thing some household ornanent,
or some hkfs of JeWelrV to adDrn her per-
sou-and suppose his little child had
put in a plea for forty cents to buy a
paper and picture books with, what do
you think he would have answered
Of fifty men just like him, would uo3
forty and five have declared that they
had not money to spare Tor any such
purpose? And moreover, they would
have said so feeling that they were tel
ling the truth. Am I not right"
ttUpOn my soul, !" responded the man
who understood billiards, 'tyOu speak
to the point. know that young man
who has paid his bill, and you have
misjudged him in a single particular.
And, what IS more, happen to have
a fact at hand to illustrate your charge.
We have club for an excellent litera-
ry paper in our village, and last year
that man was one of our subscribers.
This year he felt obliged to discontinue
it. His wife was very anxious to take
tG, for 1t had become genial cOmpau-
ion in leisure moments, but he could
not afford it. The club rate was one
dollar and fifty cents.
They had finished at the nearest ia
bic. The two gentlemen moved on,
and Albert Laudman arose from his
seat and left the house. Never before
had he such thoughts as now possessed
him he had never dWelt upon the
same grouping Of ideas. That very
morning his own true, faithful, loving
wife had been sad and heart-sick be-
her request for small sum OF money.
And his sweet Lizzie had cEept away to
her home almost broken hearted for the
want of simple toy, such as her mates
possessed. And yet the sum of both
their wants amounted TO not as much
as he bad paid away that evening for
billiard playing.
Albert Landman wanted to be an
honest husband and father, and the les
son was not lost upon him, On ms way
home he stopped at Mr.. Grants and
purchased the best and prettiest hoop
70 be found, with driving stick painted
red, white and blue, aud IN the morn
ing when he bsheld his ChiId's delight,
and had received her grateful, happy
kiss, the question came to his mind :
Which was the best and happiest result, /
ibis or the i've games Of billiards He
sould play two games of billiards less /
and be the absolute gamer of ten cents
by the pleasant operation.
A few mornings after this, as Albert /
arose from the breakfast table, he detec- /
ed an uneasy, wistfuI look poa his /
Wife's face.
ffKate, what is 2"
tsAlbert, could you spare me halfdol |
ar this morning ~
And out came the wallet, and the /
money handed over with a warm gem
al smile.
What tears at that? Was it possi- |
Die that she had been SO little used 70 /
such scenes on his part that so simple /
an act of loving kindness thus affected /
1er?
How many games of billiards would |
be required 10 secure such satisfaction /
IS Albert Laudman carried with him /
hat morning to the shop?