The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-08-12
They lighted their cigars, and then saun-

They lighted their cigars, and then saun-
tered down the hall to watch others play.
Albert coon found himse eeatt d over
against table at which some of bis friends
were playing, and close by stood two gen.
tlemen, strangers to him, one of whom
was explaining to the other the mysteries
of the game.
1t is healthy pastime, said he, who had
been making the explanation and certain
ly s one which has no evil tendency.
Albert heard the remarks very plainly,
and he had curiosity to hear what the
other would say.
cannot, of course, assert that any game
which calls for skill and Judgment, and
which is free from the attendant curse of
gaming, is of itself an evil remarked the
second gentleman.
But the other shook his head.
You are wrong here. The result can
follow in two ways First, it can lead men
to spend money who have not any money
to sperd. You will understand me, for in
stance, by observing that young man who
is just settling his bill at the desk. He
looks like mechanic, and l should say
from his manner, that he has wife and
children. ] see by his face that he is kind
hearted and generous. He has been bea-
ten, and he pays one dollar and forty cents
for the recreation of some two hours du-
ration. If you observe you will see that
he pays it freely, an1 pockets the loss with
smile. Happy faculty.! But how do you
suppose 1t is in the young mans homer
Suppose his wife had come to him this
morning and asked him for dollar to spend
for some tfifiing thing; some household Or
naments, or some bit of jewelry TO adorn
her person-and suppose his little child had
put in plea for forty cents to buy pa
per and picture books with. What do you
think he would have answered Of fifty
men just like him, would not forty and five
have declared that they had not money to
spare for any such purpose And, more
over, they would have said 80, feeling
that they were telling the truth. Am /
not right?
Upon my soul, responded the man who
understood billiards. You speak to the
point. know that young man who has
paid his bill, and you have not misjudged
him in singular particular.
Aye, end so it goes, said the other gen.
tleman. Well, that mans wife may be
wishing at this very moment that she had
q magazine to read, while he is paying al
most its full price for a year-for whatr
And yet how smiingly he does it, All
those poor sympathizing wives How many
clouds often darken upon them from the
brows of their'husbands when they ask for
trifling sums of money and how grudgiDg-
ly the mite is handed over when it is Civ
en- Alb it is well for such wives and chill
dren that they do not know where the
money all goes.
They had finished at the nearest table.
The two gentlemen moved on, and Albert
Landman arose from his seat and left the
house. That very morning his own true,
faithful, loving wife had been sad and
heart-sick because he had harshly and I'M
kindly met her request for small sum of
money. And his sweet Lizzie had crept
away to her home almost broken-hearted
for the want of simple toy, such as her
mates possessed. And yet the sum of both
he had paid away that evening for billiard
playing
Albert Landman wanted TO be an hon.
ored husband and father and the lesson
was not LOST npon him On his way home
he stopped at Mr.. Grants and purchased
the best and prettiest hoop to be found with
driving stick painted red, white and blue,
and in the morning, when he beheld his
childs delight, aud had received her CRATE
full, happy kiss, the question came to his
mind Which was the best and happiest
result, TINS or the HVe games OF DllllarQs
The hoop had cost thirty cents. He could
play two games of billiards less and be the
absolute gamer of ten cents by the pleas
SAINT operation.
A few mornings after this, as Albert
rose from the breakfast table, he detected
an uneasy, wistful look upon his wife's
face.
Kate, what is il!
Albert, could you spare me half dollar
this morning?
And out came the wallet, and the money
was handed over with a warm, genial
smile.
What Tears at that? Was it possible
she had been go little used to such scenes
on his part that SO simple an act of loving
kindness thus affected her.
| How many games of billiards would be
| required to secure such satisfaction as AL
bert Landman carried with him that morn
| ing to the shop.
| A very simple lesson, is it not But how
many may gain lasting profit by giving
heed to the lesson.