Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-09-10
Played Away His Home.

u sm very sorry to hear that Will
liam jackson intends opening a billiard
saloon here" said one of my neighbors,
as his family rose from the dinner table.
"Why, father" said bright looking
young man, @biiiiarl is is beautiful game,
and think very gentlemanly game;
l shall be glad to have the opportunity
of learning. William will keep very
respectable saloon, and will not allow
the common run "t loaters at bis table"
81 know it is called beautiful game.
and a Gentemanly game, James," said
his father, "but it is very fascinating
game, and, even if no betting or gamb-
ling or drinking is allowed there, hope
you will never learn to play. | eau tell
you sad story, which | know to be
true, showing the danger of first steps
In my native town, one of the quetest
OF our New England villages, a would-be
enterprising young man, who wished to
introduce few city customs among our
people, opened billiard saloon in the
basement of a large store, had good Ia
bles, and intended keeping a very respect
able, quiet place, where the gentleman
" game might be played without fear of
molestati0n.
"a friend of mine, George W,
had great desire to learn the game
He was young lawyer of some ability,
bad most excellent wife and three lit
tie children, and, though, not al all rich,
by constant industry earned very com
Portable support for his family. When
his wife fist learned that the saloon had
.,I l,n Ia l.a
the game. You cannot afford either the
time or the money. George she said I;
'if you have any leisure, do let your fami-
ly have the benefit of it,
"But George paid no heed to his wife's
entreaties: he began by slipping into
the saloon when no Que vas around, aud
would play one or two games day. aud
then quit. Finally, every evening was
speut there, aud, in less than ten years,
that man had played o.oay his home at
eighteen pence u ganae, and yet he nei-
ther drank nor gambed TO excess.
Gone can hardly realize how great the
fascination was TO him, and how easily
he yielded. Business of course dropped
off, at first gradually, for often he could
not be found in his fiice, and his clients
did not care to follow him to the billiard
saloon family expenses of course went
oa, money paying out all the time, and
nothing coming in. by and by, to raise
money, he mortgaged his Office, and then
his law books. This eased the matter
for a while, but he did not take warning;
then his house, the home of his wife and
children, was mortgaged, and finally sold
to pay his debts, lie went on, became
a miserable, worthless fellow, the victim
of billiard saloon, aud, in short time,
he died wretched death, without hope
and without God in this world or the
next
"Will not God require of him, or of
any of us, TO give Him an account of
time and talents and money wasted in
this so called 'geuilemanly game| Do
not many play away their homes, and
play away their own souls and hope of
hereafter, as did my infatuated friend,
George W?
"Falher," said the young man, with
tears in his eyes, II thank yoI fos this
lesson. BY Gods help, will not yield
to this infitualion | will never learn to
play the game of billiards."
american Messenger.