The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-03-01
Dhs Games s,f -GLaiEtE4,esA -a1acI iike..
Gambling of Men.

| AS cur elderly and middle-aged readers recall
their childhood, they can remember but few games
of chance or skill that were considered Legitimate
! to the family and these were such games as
| Checkers, E0T and Geese and IaceLUe-Men Morris,
played with red and yellow kernels of corn on
designs scratched on the opposite side Of plain
pine board. The various games of cards were
generally considered contraband, and hence had
wonderful charms for the boys who keenly enjoy
ed the stolen fruit in back garrets, wood-sheds,
and hag-inows In the youthful days of the
younger of oar adult readers the games of DR..
BusIu and the Hansion Of Happiness were added
to the list recognized by the heads of most fami-
lies, and we we'll remember our doubts concern
ing the propriety of reporting at home the fact
that we had been exceedingly fascinated with the
game of DR.. BtSby at the house of playmate,
and also our happiness when the game after be-
coming a little known in the neighborhood, was
introduced TO our freside by parents who had
the good sense to believe in making hone pleas
ant TO the youngsters.
From these simple beginnings a lew other
games came into general use and parents began
to learn that it was not beneath their dignity to
devote part Of their cvening3to making home
interesting and attractive to the children.
The word "games' is at present used 10 denots
wide range of amusements and recreations
adapted to the home circle, such as charades par
lor magic, fortunes, wax figures, pantomimes,
etc as we'll as games of chance and skill played
with various kinds of cards, or on boards with
dice and men, all of which we believe are each
year becoming more popular in American homes.
But while this is so, we would not have pa
rent forget for a moment that the line should be
drawn between innocent home amusements and
what we understand as gambling. Many are
unable to see where this line is and in what it
consists, and while they admit the necessity of
making home the most attractive place to the
children, argue that games played al home in
childhood tend to gambling in manhood. This
is not so it is the use Of the game that decides
which side of the line it must be placed. That
delight Of every boy, the game of marbles, is as
innocent as any other childish recreation, and yet
many boys have received their first lessons in
gambling when playing marbles for guns, and
many parents have allowed their sons to count
over the contents Of their marblebags at night in
their presence, who would have held up their
hands in holy horror at a game of Besigue around
the evening lamp. Here is just the line we would
draw. Never counteuance any game played for
a permanent gain, or in which money or its
equivalent is the object played for.
That this must be the one and only distinction
between innocent recreation and harmful gam
bling must be seen from the factthat the simplest
recreation or amusement of chance or skill may
used Tor rAtuu-rr
less, indeed, one of them involves Vicious haDlis
or practices in itself
But if all games are made simply matters OF
amusement, it is not likely that those boys who
stay at home in the evening to play them win
their parents and sisters will be attracted In their
manhood by the temptations of the gaming tables.
On the other hand, boy who has been en-
couraged to be proud Of his constantly
bag of marbles, as the reward of his sbrewdness
and skill in playing, will be apt enough to con-
slider it legitimate in after years to keep bis purse
filled in the same manner, although ivory balls
and pieces Of card may be substituted for the
marbles. 1t is a matter of satisfaction 10 all who
have given the subject thought, that innocent
games and home amusements are fast becoming
a prominent feature in our homes, thereby estab-
fishing counter-attractons to those of the saloons
and haunts of vice that crowd so closely to our
doors, not only in the larger cities but in every
country village in the land -Scribner' for March.