St. Landry democrat., 1882-05-27


the bill. Five games, twenty cents
game just one dollar. Not much for
such sport; and he paid out the money
with a grace, and never once seemed to
feel that he could not afford it.
"Haye a cigar?'' said Tom.
Eyes,
They lighted their cigars and then
sauntered down the hall to watch the
others play.
Albert soon found himself seated over
against a table at which some of his
friends were playing, and close by stood
two gentlemen, strangers to him, one
of whom was explaining to the other the
mysteries of the game.
at is a healthy pastime,' said he
who had been making the explanation;
'and certainly is one which has no evil
tendency
Albert heard the remarks very plain
ly; and he had curiosity to hear what
the other, who seemed unacquainted
with billiards, would say.
Il cannot, of course, assert that any
game which calls for skill and judg-
ment, and which is free from the at
tendant curse of gaming, is of itself an
evil remarked the second gentleman.
"Such things are only evil so far as they
excite and stimulate men beyond the
bounds of healthy recreation
"That result can scarcely follow such
a game" said the first speaker.
But the other shook his head.
"You are wrong here. The result
can follow in two ways: First, it can
lead men away from their business; it
can lead men to spend money who have
not money to spend. Whenever visit
place of this kind 1 am led to reflect
upon a most strange and prominent
weakness of humanity as developed in
our sex. For instance, observe that
young man who is just settling his bill
at the desk. He looks like mechanic,
and l should say from his manner and
from the fact that he feels it his duty to
go home at this hour that he has wife
and children. see by his face that he
is kind-hearted and generous, and |
should Judge that he means to do as near
right as he can. He has been beaten,
and he pays one dollar and forty cents
for the recreation of some two hours
duration. Ii you observe you will see
that he pays it freely, and pockets the
loss with smile. Happy faculty! But
how do you suppose it is in that young
mans home? Suppose his wife had
come to him this morning, and asked
him for dollar to spend for some tri-
fling thing-some household ornament,
or some bit of jewelry to adorn her per-
son-and suppose his little child put in
plea for forty cents to buy a paper and
picture books with, what do you think
he would have answered. OF fifty men
just like him, would not forty and 1iye
men have declared that they had not
the money to spare for any such pur-
pose? And, moreover, they would have
said so, feeling that they were telling
the truth. Am not right?"
upon my word,'' said the man who
understood billiards, "you speak to the
point. know that young man who has
paid his bill, and you have not mis-
Judged him in single particular. And
what is more, I happen to have fact
at hand to illustrate your charge. We
have a club for an excellent literary
paper in our village, and last year that
man was one of our subscribers. This
year he felt obliged to discontinue it. His
wife was very anxious to take it, for it
had become a genial companion in lei
sure moments, but he could not afford it.
The club rate was one dollar and fifty
cents a year"
AYE, and SO it goes" said the other
gentleman. "Well, that mans wife
may be wishing at this very moment that
she had her paper to read, while he is
paying almost its full price for year
for what? And yet how smilingly 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 trifiing
sum of money, and how grudgingly the
mite is handed over when it is given!
What perfect floods of joy that dollar
and forty cents mi ght have poured upon
the children of that unsuccessful billiard
player. All! it is well for such wives
and children 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. Never before had
he such thoughts as now possessed him;
he had never dwelt upon the same
grouping of ideas. That very morning
bis own true, faithful. loving wife had
been sad and heart-sick because he had
harshly and unkindly 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 their
wants amounted to not as much as he
had paid away that evening for billiard
playing.
Albert Landman wanted to be an hon
est husband and father, and the lesson
was not lost upon him. On his way
home he stopped at Mr.. Grants and