Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-02-20
The Games Of children and tho Gambling Of
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As our elderly and middle-aged readers recall
,har childhood, they can remember but few
,ames OF chance or skill that were considered
Iepitimate to the family, and these were such
csmes as Checkers, Fo1 and Geese, and Ttoelue.
mon Morris, played with red and yellow kernels
of cornaon deisgns scratched on the opposite
oiaas of A plain pine board. The various games
~ cards we're generally considered contraband,
I'd banoe had wonderful charms for the boys
Who koenly enjoyed the stolen fruit in back gar
,o,s woodsheds. and hAymows. In the youth
fnl days Of the younger o. our adult readers the
asmei OF Dr. BIsby and the Mansion of Hdppi-
tesi were added to the list recognized by the
Roads Of most families, and we we'll remember
ar doubts concerning the propnety Of repor-
,,ng al home the fact that we had been exceed
ingly fascinated with the game OF Or. Busoy At
tls house OF a playmate, and also our happi.
ness when the game, after becoming little
lnown in the neighborhocd, was introduced to
anr ireside by parents who had the good sense
10 believe in making home pleasant to the young
tters. -, ,.-..- = 1t,
Oames came into general use, and parents be-
SAn TO learn that IL was not beneath their digni-
~ o devote q part Of their evenings to making
home Interesting and attractive to the children.
The word games Is At present used 70 de-
note wide range OF amusements and recrea.
tons adapted to the home circle, such as cha
rades, parlor magic fortunes, wax figures, PAN
tomlmes, etc., as well as games OF chance and
skill PLAYED with various kinds Of cards, or on
boards with dice and men, all Of which we be-
lieye are each year becoming more popular IN
American homes.
But while this is so, we would have q parent
forget for a moment that the line should be
drawn between innocent home amusemente and
what we understand as gambling. Many are un-
able to see where this line is and in what it CON-
pists and while they admit the necessity OF max
ing home the most attractive place to the child
ran, argue that games played at home In OBJ Id
hood tend to gambling In manhood. This is not
ro it is the use OF the game that decides which
side OF the line IL must be placed. That de-
light of every boy, the game OF marbles, is as
innocent az any other childish recreation, and
vet many boys have received their tirst lessons
in gambling when playing marbles for gains,
aud many parents have allowed their SONS count
over the contents OF their marble-bags at night
in their presence who would have held up their
hands in holy horror at game OF Besique a.
round the evening lamp. Here is just the line
We would draw. Never connte nance any game
played for permanent gain. or in which money
Or its equivalent il the object played for.
That this must be the one and only distinction be-
tween innocent recreation and harmful gambling
must be seen from the fact that the simplest re-
creation or amusement of chance or skill may be
used for gambling purposes, and hence no dtvi-
ding line can be drawn between two games un-
less indeed one OF them involves vicious habits
or practices in itself.
But il all games are made simply matters of
amusement, it is not likely that those boys who
stay at hsme in the evening to play them with
their parents and sisters will be attracted in
their manhood by the temptations OF the gaming
table.
On the other hand, a boy who has been en-
cOnraged to be proud Of his constantly increas-
lug bag Of marbles, as the reward Of his
shrewdness and skill in playing, will be apt
keep his purse filed In the same manner, al
though ivory balls and pieces Of card may be
substituted for the marbles. 1t il . matter OF
satisfaction to all vino have given the subject
thought, that innocent games and home amuse-
mcnts are fast becoming prominent feature in
our homes, thereby establishing counter-attrac-
tons to those OF the saloon and hAuuts Of vice
that crowd 80 closely to our doors, not only in
tho larger cities but in every country village in
the land.-" Home and Society )" Scribfier's for
March,