National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1868-03-20

The sobbing had ceased, as the
child caught her fathers hand ca
gerly.
Not now, Lizzie-not now, I'll
think of it,
Sobbing again, the child moved
on towards home, dragging the old
hoop after her.
AT one of the stores, Albert Land
man met some of his friends.
Halo, Albert What's upr
Nothing III Particular
what do you say to a game Of
billiards, AlbertP p
Good! I'm in for that
And away went Albert to the
billiard hall, where he had glori-
ous time with his friends. lie liked
billiards; it was a healthy, pretty
game, and the keeper of the hall al
lowed 10 roughscuiis on his premi.
scs.
They had played four games. AL.
bert had won two, and his opponent
had won two.
THAT'S two and two,' cried Tom
Piper. 'What do you say to play
ing them off, Alberto
'All right, go in SAID Albert full
of animation.
So they played the fifth game, and
he who lost was to pay for the five
games. 1t was an exciting contest.
Both made capital runs, but in the
end Albert was beaten by three
points; and with little laugh he
went up to settle the bill. Five
games twenty cents game-.just
one dollar. Not much for such
sport and he paid out the money
with grace, and never once seeming
to feel that he could not afford it.
Have a cigar ? said Tom.
yes
They lighted their cigars. and then
sauntered down the hall to watch
others play.
Albert soon found himself seated
over against a table at which some
of his friends were playing, and
Aclose by stood two gentlemen, stran.
1gers to him, one of whom was ex-
| planning the mysteries of the game.
It's healthy pastime,' said he
who had been making the eXplana.
ton; 'and certainly it is one which
has no evil tendency
Albert heard the remarks very
plainly, and he had a curiosity to
hear what the other, who seemed
unacquainted with billiards, would
say.
Il cannot, of course, assert that
any game which calls for skill and
Judgment, and which is free from
the attendent curse of gaming, is it
self an evil, replied the second gen.
tleman. Such things are only evil
so far as they excite and stimulate
men beyond the bounds of hcalthful
recreation.'
That result can scarcely follow
such a game,' said the first speaker.
You are wrong there. The result
can follow in two ways. First, it
can lead men away from their busi.
ness; second, it can lead men tc
spend money, who have not got
money to spend. You will under
, stand me. | would not cry dowi
the game Of billiards, for if | under
t stood it | should certainly ask tt
try you game now; but whenevei
| visit place Of this kind | am LED
, to reflect upon most strange ant
. prominent weakness as developed
in our sex. For instance, observe
that young man who is just settliD,
his bill at the desk. He looks like
q mechanic, and | should say from
his manner, and from the fact that
he feels it his duty to go home al
this hour, that he has Il wife and
children. see by his face that he
is kind-hearted and generous, and
should lge that he means to d,
about a. near right rs he can. lie
has been beaten, and he pays on,
, dollar and forty cents for the rccre
alton of some two hours duraton.-
If you would observe, you will SCI
that he pays it freely and pocket
t the loss with smile. Happy ficul
!. ty! But how do you suppose it, i
, in that young mans hOme2 Sup
/ pose his wife had come to him thi.
{ morning and asked him for u dolla
4 to spend for some triiliug thing
G some household ornament, or som'
!. bit Of iewclry to adorn her person.
e and suppose his little child had pu
q in u plea for forty cents to buy
n paper picture book with. what d
}. YOU think he wolld have answered
y OF fifty men just like him, would nc
G forty and five have declared the
n had not money to spare for any sue
/. purI ose And moreover, the
n would have said so feeling that the
s we're telling the truth. Am | nc
rightp
s 'Upon my SOUL responded tn
/. man who understood billiards, 'yoj
d speak to the point. | know tha
o young man who has paid his bill
q aud you have not miSiudgcd hIm II
d n single particular. Aud, what Il
r. more, | happen to have Il met q
}. hand to illustrate your charge. we
n have club for an excellent literary
q paper in our village, and last yeal
i that man was one of our subscribers
This wear he felt obliged to discon
- ,inuc it, His wife was very anxionS
: TO take II, for it had become genial
n companion in leisure nomeht'.but ht
J. could not afford II. The club rat,
i was one dol II and tfiy cents u year.
AVE. and so it goes said th,
- othor gentleman. 'Wcll, that man.