The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1868-06-30

however, is not the end usually pro-
posed in card playing. Cards are only /
the machinery which submits to the |
laws of chance, and may result in fill |
ing my pocket and emptying yours
Card playing is not sufficiently inter-
esting in itself without adding to it |
the zest of winning or losing any thing |
but the game. Cards are the most easy |
and most common game in use for gam
bling, and when q stake is once played
for, no game can satisfy withouta stake,
and when this step is taken with the
card player, and it is by no means an
unusual occurrence, the mind becomes
diseased and unfit for the duties of life.
The person reads but little, improves
his mind but little. He thinks of
nothing else-cares only for this. AS
his passion for play increases, he grows
unsteady and neglects his work ii
destroys his industry, il corrupts his
taste, destroys all domestic habits and
affections.
Card playing should he regarded with
the adherence which is associated with
II by all persons who feel an interest
in the young. know that persons say
that dancing and card playing may be
perfectly innocent this | do not ques-
ton. But when we speak of these
amusements we speak of them as they
exist, as generally practiced with the
accidents incident TO them and with
these conditions they are immoral in
themselves-thcy have immoral tend
| encies. Follow those children through
| life that are allowed to engage in these
amusements at home under the paren-
| tai roof. Children are inclined to think
that what is taught them at home, that
| receives the sanction of parents, is right,
and that which is right ut home is right
away from home. Let parents encour-
age dancing and card playing at home,
throw around them all the restric-
tions you please, teach them TO avoid
excess, to avoid gambling, and the
children will think these amusements
right. The son brought up in this way
reaches years of majority. With his
fathers blessing and his mothers tears
he leaves home and embarks for life
| and independence he goes To n city, is
employed rs clerk i'm one of the hun
dreds of establishments that employ
clerkhire. He soon makes the ac-
quaintance of young men of like en-
ployment with himself, and after the
days labor is finished, they meet for
mirth and social enjoyment-perhaps
for an oyster supper Cards are intro
duced. Do you play? says one. o yes,
I have been taught that from my youth.
And they play. After time one pro-
poses to play game to see who shall
pay the expenses incident to the even
ing's entertainment. The young man
hcsitates. He is generous is too polite
to spoil his friends pleasure by refusing
part in the game; but, says he, new
er mean to gamble. / will do this just
to give interest to the game. Next n
few nuts or n bottle of wine is staked (;
at last, Il half dime in actual money
Al Ia.
terest to the game. Thus the inceptve
step is taken. The imperceptive line
that separates what is called innocent
card playing and gambling is past
Whoever wishes to do anything with
the young man, if gradually led, can do
ii now. Gain eXcites him, losses eX-
cite him mols. Gambling seen seems
Il different thing from gambling painted
by christian father, and by this mis-
take of the parent in allowing card
playing at home, the trainingan coun-
sci for many years may he destroyed III
Il night. The truth is, we are safe from
only then, but single step separates
innocent pleasures and guilty ndul-
yence. We must keep our eyes on q
boundary that we will never pass, and
that boundary must be: never indulge
in any amusements that may tend tC
, corrupting influences.
am willing to admit that there may
. he christians who have reached matur,
years whose moral characters are form
, ed and fixed; persons beyond the Sc
= duction gamblng,to whom theinter
o est of a game of cards may be an limo
n cent amusement. And have no doub
= that there may be persons of exemplary
:, piety, who, with friends that have me
Hal
- around the card table in a manner [,
\ give no offense to themselves or Others
y except the example set before the younl
and those weaker brothers whose char
:, acters are not thus formed and firm
o And although card playing may no
. result In any corrupting influences upol
:, themselves, yet think it is their dut
I. TO adopt the rule laid down by tn
% Apostle Paul and should say, "Where
10 fore If card playing make my brothe
y TO offend, if ii tends in any way to col
10 rupt the morals of the weak or tn
a young, they should abstain from thi
10 amusement.
Ia Take the young lady-the daughte
re that has been allowed to engage
dancing at home, and throw aroun
., her and the dance all the restrictio
~ and restraints you please, there will
w. her beyond, outside of those restraint
!, But why do wosay the daughter whe
NJ" we speak of dancing? All! here is Il
-, secrot. Tho danoo to DO enjoyod at a
III or even indulged in, must be execute
TX by men and women together. Tn
O. characteristic belongs TO the dance
C, distinction from every other form
nd popular amusements. Allother anus
or ments may be enjoyed by young me
lee. without the benefit of ladies, and |
81 ladies without the presence of youl
Ill men. And if dancing would be pa
on ticipated in by the sexes separate,
"a might be innocent and proper. But
the tdance you must take the acc
n dents incident to it, and with the
" conditions it is an amusement immor
lie in itself. The dance mingles the sex
ne in such closeness of personal contact
iS, is nowhere outside of the dance toler
te' ted for moment in respectable societ
les Ii is n system of means contrived wi
OF great ingenuity to excite the instinC
Is of the sexes.
If ii is an innocent amusement wi
OF do not the young men and the YOU
an ladies wish to indulge in the dance Sc
OF arately.
ec- A Montreal paper tells good story
ec- the Catholic archbishop of that See.
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