The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-12-26
A Lesson to Young Men.

AN tACSC usayS Va ucAdlCdtlOuS anu
breaches of trust, there are two causes
which more than any other lead to
such Offenses, and these two causes, it
is almost deedless to say, are the drink
ing of spirituous liquors to excess and
gambling. The first naturally leads to
the latter, and the latter counts its VIC
Tins by the score among young men.
There is scarcely daily paper we
pick up which does not bear us out in
this assertion, but one case of recent
occurrence demands more than pass
ing notice, and we propose to cali the
special attention of young men occupy
ing responsible positions to it.
A few days ago young man of
highly respectable appearance, whose
name it is not necessary to give here,
stood at the bar of the Court of Gener-
al Sessions, charged with the crime of
robbing his employer. He did not deny
his guilt, but told the story of his
crime, and begged the clemency of the
Court. His story in substance was
that he did not intend to steal the
money, but had only used it to recover
money that he had lost in gambling,
intending to return it when fortune
favored him.
He was graduate from the Western
University, of highly respectable par
entage, and held a position which in
sured for him liberal salary, troops
of friends and the entree to the best So
ciety, but in an evil hour he was led
into gambling. He lost his money, of
course, and, in the vain hope of getting
it back, he was tempted to rob his en-
ployer. The next night he visited the
house again, and lost all his money.
Then it seemed to him that he could
not lose on the third night, and so he
took $40 from the money-drawer and
went third time to the house, think
ing that he would certainly be able to
replace the money in the morning.
This money was lost, and at the end of
the week he had taken 5000 from the
money-drawer.
81 was nearly wild,' he said, "be-
cause only took the money to win
back what took the first time, and all
this time my employer was treating me
SO kindly that ] felt as if I would go
crazy. One night I called at my en-
ployer's house to make q clean breast
of it, but he was not at home, and on
my way back stopped at a gambling
house and won 1925. / felt then that
I could win enough money to pay him
back, and thought that it would be
foolish to make a confession and ruin
myself when could pay the money
back without letting anyone know 1 had
taken it. The next night I won again,
and had within forty or fifty dollars of
what I had taken. The day after l
went to the gambling-house as soon as
l could get away from the store, and
then lost all the money had gained"
This probably is the history Of nine
ty-nine young men out of every hum
bred who are similarly tempted, and as
it is highly probable that this will meet
the eye of some youth who has taken
the first downward step in the same d.
rection. We appeal to him by his own
self-respect, by the love of his relatives
and friends, by all his hopes of the
future, to stop ut once before it is too
late. If he has already taken the first
step let him go to his employer with
out delay, make full confession, and
throw himself ON that employers
mercy. Should he stitle the voice of
conscience and listen to the siren voice
of the tempter, nothing is moro certain
than that he will eventually become the
inmate of a felon's cell-despised by
his friends and condemned forever aft
or to herd with felons.
Money won at gambling brings with
it no blessing under any circumstances.
No professional gambler ever yet died
rich, while the same exerti0n to ac-
cumulate money by such means used
in any honest direction would insure
at least q comfortable living, and the
love and respect of all good men. Let
young men lay this lesson seriously to
heart, and be ever ready to exc1aim
when temptation assails them: sect
hahind me- Satanr,-M Y KeeILM