Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-10-19

downs two cigars. three, halfa dollar So
the boy who invests may possibly knock
over the head once, and be induced to try
his prize, and so commence on habit
which is costly. filthy and harmful. The
pool wheel" and sweat cloth and dice, "
are purely gambling devices with no test
OF skill or dexterity to gid them. Yet we
saw these at Montpelier, Bethel and Brad
ford. At the latter place we saw two
bright little fellows take their first lesson
1--WE are sure) in gambling and, happily
for them, their first investment was a loss.
A man had sta d with ball hung by a
string from cross stick above, and conf
Cal piece standing below. The game is to
pull back the ball. let it go and have it
pass by the cone. and knock it over on its
return. The "sport" also had a small
chain, Joined at the ends so it was whole
This he would lay down doubled, coil one
end of the bIght, and with his thumbs and
fore fingers draw out the coils into some
thing of the shape of seats cradle" If
you pay quarter for a chance, and put
down your finger in the space which
catches the loop when it is drawn away
You get dollar. One sees him coil it, and
it looks simple and certain. These boys
came up while we stood there, and thought
they saw how the priced quarter could
easily be turned to the coveted dollar, put
down the money and it was gone, luckily
for them, and it was pitiful to see the looks
OF establishment and dismay which spread
over each ones face as the chain was
ger Friend Richards, we are in perfect
accord in feeling on this matter 50 far.
These things should be banished from the
grounds.
But how far is it wise to pursue the policy
of keeping our children from the know
ledge of such ihingsP We can hardly ex-
pect they will pass through the world
without meeting such things sooner or
later. 'and years nor experience are shields
from temptation, coming in novel guse
Now if we had had boy, and with us at
the fair. we should have had him see
these things in our company. We would
say to him, These people don't pay the
managers of the fair twenty five dollars to
put up their games here just for the fun Of
the thing and pay fifty cents for five fol-
your benefit. just watch with me few
moments and see how many times he pays
fifty cents" 'What poor throws they
makep | think could do better than that
says the boy. Yes my son, but the
chances are all against you; the balls are
loaded on one side, and the better throwe
y, u are, the less likely you are to hit tn,
head " We come TO the pool wheel Nov
that looks fair; he rolls the wheel, and i:
ii not as likely to stop on the color | pu
my money ono' My son, he pay NV,
hundred dollars for the privilege of rolling
that wheel here this fllr; he must max,
that much before he is even with his ex
pansps, and your chances of winning ar,
proportiontlly small"
With the ball and cone, the thing seems
simple, and to be Il test of skill and whit,
we are looking, "A young chap with
whisky bio tied face has excellent success
and knocks over the cone and rakes in the
money till the proprietor buys him off fo
Il dollar from playing any more. 81 ha
must be a fair game, and skill wins
My son, wait and see and in course o
fifteen minutes buck comes the whisky
bloat with another young fellow who hat
probably seen him play. w. B. put!
down dollar for ten chances The pro
plietor swears at him, tells him he shan
play, he bought him off, etc. But w B
say> this fellow takes ten chances and
pllv for him" "Oh that s it, well 90 on, ;
So WHISKY bIoat plays and evidently well
but the cone stands. The boy c,nno
understand how it fell so readily then AM
stands so steadfast now. My son do yot
see that little convex piece held by
screw, apparently for the cone to stant
on that screw is connected with a ltve
under the table, which the owner can touci
with his foot and throw 1t over at any tim,
he peases when the bail touches the con,
and whisky bloat is his partner, and rope
in fools whose money they divided. I'm,
chain has no end, and Of course there is
chance to catch the loopP" "But he cal
lay the snare so if you put a finger dow
in each field at once, they would none o
: them catch the loop, and onlyS the dup
and his money are caught"
Now, friend Richards, as old maids al
. ways think theylhave the best ideas as t.
, how children should be brought up, we
without hoy, think we would teach hin
: something of the folly of pttronizing sucl
I. thing, and by such knowledge leave HIN
: more proof against temptation towar
u them than to meet them later in life, ignc
= rant of their receptions, and the possibili
i. of gain by patronizing. We may b
n wrong. it is so hard to tell always whic
t is the wiser and be ter way. But W
= entirely agree with you that fair groun
are no places for them, and all men shout
5 Join in demanding their exclusion
We are obliged to you for your reply t
II our question, and trust you will not thin
your letter has lost force or point from OF
delay in printing it.
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