, 1872-02-15

child's grief touched him) perhaps we
will have a new hoop sometime"
Mayn't have it now? Mr.. Grant
has just one left-oh such pretty one !"
The sobbing had ceased, and the child
caught her fathers hand eagerly.
"Not now. Lizzie-not now, I will
think Of it,
Sobbing again, the child moved to-
ward home, dragging the hoop from the
flour barrel after her.
At one of the stores, Albert Landman
met some of his friends!
"Hello, Albert What's up 2"
Nothing in particular.
"What do you say to a game of bill
lizards, Albert 90
And away went Albert to the billiard
hall, where he had a glorious time with
his friends. He liked billiards; it was
healthy pretty game, and the keeper
of the hall allowed no rough scuffs on
the premises.
They had played four games. Albert
had won two, and his opponent had al
SO won two.
"That's two and two," cried Tom
Piper; "what do you say to playing
them off, Albert %
"All right, go in," said Albert, full of
animation.
So they played the fifth game, and he
who lost was to pay for the whole five
games. 1t was an exciting contest.
Both made capital runs, but in ihe end
Albert was beaten three points; and with
little laugh went up to settle the bill.
Five games twenty cents game-just
one dollar. Not much for such sport !;
he drew ont the money with grace, and
never once seemed to feel that he could
not afford it. ...--
Have cigar Tom?" ..-,a.
"Yes."
They lighted their cigars, and then
sauntered down the hall to watch others
play. sl4- -,..tr.- 70 u
Albert soon found himself seated over
against table on which some of his
friends were playing, and close by stood
two gentlemen, strangers to him, one of
whom was explaining to the other the
mysteries of the game. --.
"It is ahealthy pastime, said he who
had been making the explanation, "and
certainly it is one which has no evil ten
dency."
Albert heard the remarks very plainly
and he had curiosity to hear what the
other would say.
81 cannot, of course, assert that any
game which calls for skill and judgment.
and which is free from the attendants of
gaming, is of itself an evil" said the
second gentleman, such things are only
evil so far as they stimulate man beyond
the bounds of healthy recreation"
"That result can scarcely follow such
a game, said the first.
But the other shook his head.
"You are wrong here. The result
can follow in two ways: First, it eau lead
men away from business; 1t can lead
men to spend money, who cannot spare
it. You will understand me. do not
cry down the game of billiards, for if 1
understood it I should certainly try you
one now; but whenever 1 visit place
of this kind I am led to reflect most
strange and prominent weakness of hu-
manity as developed in our sex. For
instance, observe that young man who
is just settling his bill at the desk. He
looks like mechanic, and should say
from his manner, and from the fact that
he felt it his duty to go home at this
hour, that he has a wife and children
see by his face that he is kind-hearted
and generous, and should judge that
he means to do as near right as he can.
He has been beaten. and pays one dol
lar and forty cents for the recreation of
some two hours duration. You will see
he pays itfreely. Happy faculty! But
how do you suppose it is in the young
mans house ? Suppose his wife has
come to him this morning for dollar
to spend for some trifiing thing; some
household ornaments or some bit of
jewelry to adorn her person; and sup
pose his little child had put i'll q plea for
forty cents to buy paper and picture
book with, what do you suppose he
would have answered Out of fifty
men just like him, would not forty and
five have declared that they had not
money to spare for such a purpose :?
And moreover they would have said SO
feeling that they were telling the truth.
Am not right ?"
"Upon my soul," replied the man
who understood billiards, "you speak
to the point. I know that young man
who has just paid his hill, and you are
not misjudging him a single particle.
And what is more, I happen to have q
fact at hand to illustrate your charge.
We have club for an excellent literary
paper in our village. and last year that
man was one of its subscribers, THIS