Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-02-29
THE LOTTERY MAMA.
One of the AbominatiOns of MOD
eru Society.

One of the AbominatiOns of Mod
.,.-,,t rs ern society.
A new book has just been issued cal IL
ed "The Abomination of Modern Socie-
ty," written by T. Dewitt Talmage. In
one of his chapters-the one devoted to
gambling occurs the following striking
passages in reference to lotteries:
In modern days, in addition to the
other forms of gambling, have come rp
thoroughly organized, and, in sohe
States, legalized, institutions of lotter-
les. There are hundreds of citizens on
the way to ruin through the lottery
system. Some of the finest establish.
ments in town are, by this process, being
demolished, and the whole land feels the
exhaustion of this accumulating evil,
The wheel Of fortune is the Juggernaut
that is crushing out the life of this ma
ton. The records Of the insolvent
court of one city show that, in five
years, two hundred thousand dollars
were lost by dealing in lottery tickets.
All the officers of the celebrated bank
Of the United States. who failed were
found to have expended the money. en-
bezzled for lottery tickets.
i, A man, drew in a lottery $50, 900, sold
his ticket for S42 900, and yet he did not
have enough to pay the charges against
him for lottery tickets. He owed the
brokers $4,000.
An editor writes, "a man who, few
years ago, was blessed with about $2O,-
600 lottery money, yesterday applied to
us for nine-pence to pay for nights
lodging"
A highly respectable gentleman drew
$40, 900 in lottery; bought more tickets
and drew again; bought more and drew
more largely, then rushed down head
long till he was pronounced by the Sc
lectmen of the village vagabond, and
his children were picked up from the
street half starved and almost naked.
A hard-working machinest draws a
thousand dollars; -thenceforth he is dis
gusted with work, opens a rum grocery,
IS utterly debauehed, and people 90
into his store to find him dead, close be-
side his rum cask.
1t would take a pen plucked from the
wing of the destroying angel and dipped
in blood to describe this lottery business.
A man committed suicide in New
York and upon his person was found
card of address, giving a grog-shop as
his boarding-house, three blank lottery
tickets and leaf from Senecas Morals,
containing an apology for selfmurder.
One lottery in London was followed
by the snicide Of fifty persons, who held
uulucky nnmbeTs.rsrg.l.f
There are men now with lottery tickets
in their pockets which, IF they have not
sense enough 10 tear up or throw into
the fire, will be their admission ticket
at the door Of the damned. As the
brazen gates swing open, they will show
their tickets and pass in and pass down,
As the wheel of Fortune turns slowly
around, they will find that the doom Of
those who have. despised God and i'm.
periIed their souls will be their awful
prize. -
God forbid that you, my reader, should
ever take to yourself the lamentatien Of
the Boston clerk, who Ii eight months
had embezzled $4,000 from his en-
ployer, and expended it all in lottery
tickets. II have for the last seven
months gone fast dowu the broad road.
There was q time, and that but few
months since, when / was happy, be-
cause | was free from debt and care.