Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-07-21
A SPORTS REMORsE.
The Nature of the Average ArticI,

The Nature of the Average Article.
Abou Ben Adhem, in an unpleasant
frame of mind one morning, was ap.
preached by long-nosed, sad looking
man, who propounded to him the query:
"What is remorseW
To which Abou replied, The humili-
ating sense Of an abject failure"
What exclaimed the seeker after
truth; is there no such thing as sorrow
and regret for wrong doing2
Frequently, my aged infant, ire
quently. There are minds so suscepti-
Bile to proper impressions, so spiritual
lied, if l may use the expression, as to
feel pang or two after they have done
wrong thing, but they are net common.
Listen to my own experience. A great
many years ago, in Persia, | made the
Acquaintance of a party of men who
met frequently to indulge in a game
played with cards, which, | presume,
you know nothing of here, called, in
Persia, 6rah-poquier. 1t is a curious
game. The cards are dealt one at a
time, till each has five-then those who
have taken, put on the center of the
table coin, such ss has been determined
upon--say kopeck; then they are
allowed to throw up as many
cards as they choose, taking from
the pack an equal number; then the
man who sits next to the dealer on the
left remarks: II am the aged one,
impoverish me;" and the betting begins.
1t is a curious game, and huctuating
one-each player being kept in pleas
ant state of uncertainty as to what the
others have, till they come to what they
call showdown
Well, l learned this game, and played
it with unvaryipg success for some days,
winning, on an average four to five
dirhems at sitting. AS gathered in
my spoils | saw nothing wrong in the
game. 1t seemed to me most desirable
and in all respects gentlemanly game.
1 am sorry" / said to myself for
Hafiz, the bellows mender, and for Ma
dir, the seller of shawls, but Allah
knows | risk my substance on the cards
as do they, and had they my luck they
would have my money. Be chesm, it is
highly moral game, and had | hun
dred children l would teach it to them.
What is there wrong in it? 1t is my
money which / risk; it is their money
which they risk. There is no trickery
or cheating in this game, for the cards
are fairly dealt, and we make wagers on
our judgment or our luck. So does the
merchant who buys the wheat of Khur-
distan, believing that the crop will be
short, and that it will 60 up. So does
the merchant who sells the corn of Koh-
mul, believing that the crop will be
heavy and the price will 60 down. What
is this but gambling2 If they play with
wheat and corn, why should not Hafz
and | play with cards2 And then it
strengthens the mind-it develops the
Judgment, quickens the reasoning
powers and broadens, widens and
strengthens the mental man. 1t is
noble game and great pursuit."
Thus reasoned l, joyously.
had no remorse, nor did it occur to
me that it was gambling.
But one night it so happened that had
a certainty on Hafx. ] had three cards
alike in my hand-that is to say, three
aces-and when the cards were helped,
as the phrase is, l took another. Haiz
drew one card to the four that he held,
and the betting began. Now four aces
is a strong hand. there being but one that
can beat it, namely, straite-plush.
wagered kopeck to help Hafiz on to
his ruin. How gloated over those four
acesl / saw nothing wrong il those
four aces, nor in making oct Of Ha6z
the bellows mender, all that he should
make by his trade for year. He saw
my modest kopeck and said he would
wager dirhem in addition. Exulting
in the strength Of my four aces, gladly
put up the dirhem, and remarked that
such was my faith in my hand that |
would impoverish him to the extent of
ten dirhems more. Ha6z, on whose
head light curses, saw the ten dirhems
and boosted me boosted is a Persian
phrase) one hundred dirhems | made
sure that the four aces were not an opti-
cal delusion, and went him one thousand
dirhems, which he saw, and came back
at me FIVE thousand dirhems, which feel
ing that it would be cruel to utterly ruin
him, l called without further gymnas-
tics.
Smilingly laid down my four aces