The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1873-12-26

NN VtVFtirth cttt90 w W.T. 'ttNA
friends who were recently before His
Honor for unlawful gaming, little sio.
nv this week. aud here II is-ccried front
the San Francisco Chronicle.
Once upon time there came TO Po-
! kerville a genius OF the stripe common.
} ~ known as the reformed gambler.
Now. s the "okerviilians had no
other amusements than playing pokef
or seven mp, when II became generally
known that an individual was cottiina
that way whose avowed purpose was
the demolition OF those popular insii-
iutions, and consequently The desiruc-
ton of the town, through the annihilas
ton of the very industry upon which
It's existence depended, there arose u
great excitement aud preparations were
made TO give him warm reception.
A meeting was held. nj which the people
attended In mass, aud the prospect for
the new light Of reform was anything
but encouraging.
Notwithstanding all ihis--or, per.
haps. because ihereof--ihe hall which
had been engaged for the lecture was
crow ded with an oxpectaht throng, WHO
had gone there for The purpose OF rob.
bling the exponent OF uGsavofy truths.
Among the assembled wisdom was
the head deacon of pokervile, who new
or PLAYED cards except for fun. (wlth n
nominal siake) Just la make IL interest
ing, YOU know aud who han snch Il
} deep rooted antipathy for card PLAYING
in general that lIe never had COM
junction against Skinning amy OF EN-
when IL d6 so happen that he was in
duccd to take a hand.
The speaker stepped upon the ros;
trum punc,nal 10 :he tfiOihcn', dressed
; IN an ordinary suit OF prpper.aGd-sait
mixture, with short stubby hair aud Il
very red uose.
In proceeding to his lecture ho threw
down upon the table pack Of ordinary
4 iDut,v, s.,,., rss.s,,s,,..-. -.
sleeves aud spi, on his hauds, at which
: demonstration curiosity so far got the
! better Of Indignation that the murmiIr;
ing and scraping of feet su5sided, AMI
the lecturer Knew. by the general Gran.
ing of nccks aud the hrmness with
which each listener ccpched In his teeth
his individual 'chaw' Of tobacco, that
| up u GDt ttU WhtiC flN NRHNNN WIZ 3
The proceedings were opcnd by prar
by tho deacon. aud 10 hear The 'atiiensV
aud o Lords' which gurgled from the
; slomachs Of tho listeners. ono would
! have supposed a prayer.mecting was IN
progress; but thi. is the way they nj
ways did in Pokervile.
J The lecturer went right into the bow
, els of his subject. lie traced the ori.
} gin ,or cards back 10 the father of sin, aud
said The irst victims Of the pasteboard
} was Esau, who gambled on his patrlm0.
ny at the game OF ouchre aud who was
so dead broke In consequence TINT ho
was glad 10 accept Of free lunch ut
: the hands of the victor. He was down
on cards Of all kinds, as q general prin-
I cple. aud he hrd aScortained that tho
new tangled postal cards were ouly de-
vised MS an iutrumcnt OF warfare in tbs
hands OF duns; he was down on thom,
too.
But first he wished to explain to his
audience the means by which so many
care skirnoa ani nf iiinir little pilefi
: aud was willing 10 bet that ihore wasn't
any man in the room that he couldn't
beat, no matter what the odds might lbs
, against him ,.t
There was u general crowding for.
ward toward the rostrum, aud pretty
soon tho table was heapcd with tho mo.
( Iney OF the betiers. Trick after trick
{ was then explained but somehow, al.
. ihongh everybody saw IT, no money
2 was seen TO return 10 the pockets OF
s those who ventnrod 10. On seeing tho
E. cash disappearing at the end OF each
. fresh experiment. they would scratch
= their heads. as if in some pcrplexiiv. aud
. then 90 over TO hold a conference witls
: the deacon.
The hour Of his departure having at
| last arrived, the great rcformor took up
, his hat. stuffed his lecture into his
! pocket, aud was aboutio leave, when the
(, dcaron rose to his feet and requested
! the Indulgence Of The lecturer, as he had
: "A few words 20 offer
r Although most OF the folks here
}, present, he said, appear 10 consider
. they've got their moneys worth, ain't
0 quite satisfied mysclf aud, though i'ni
D dead act against gamblin, | wonldnt
I mind entering Into n trial OF skin with
7 my friend here, aud If Im beat IL may
s be concluded that the knights Of the
r pasieboard are done in Fokerville.'
Y The grca, reformcr being ready 20 ac-
= commoinir, tho two Sat down nj oppo.
! site ends OF the iable, the crowd gather.
Y cd round, aud for some moments moth
! ING was to be heard but tho thumping
: Of the dcacon's fist aud the scratching
o sound OF his Gngc:s as hc raked In tho
@ cash.
!, The great rcrorner bcgaa 10 look sick
I. ", and when he got mp again 10 leave u
: was observed that his features did not
$ wear the same pleasant smile which hal
j oversprcad them at tho early stage OF
. the evening.
i Now. deacon, said ono OF Tho origl-
y nal sufferers, there's about twenty OF us
: In for II. aud guess you may as well
!, divide up
0 In that case said tho deacon, fho
4 force of this great moral lcsson would
Il he utterly lost. The Lord givctb, aud
the Lord inkch away Lot rs pray.
Since then IL Ia dangerous for a green.
o horn 10 pass though Pokcrvillo.
,