The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-11-18
Css


ening to shatter the battery of the philoso-
pher. The very first idea in gaming Is at
war with all the industries of society. Any
trade or occupation that is of use is en-
noblng, The street sweeper advances the
interests Of society by the cleanliness ef-
fected. The cat pays for the fragments it
eats by clearing the house Of vermin. The
fly that takes the sweetness from the dregs
of the cup compensates by purifying the
air and keeping back the pestilence. But
the gambler gives not any thing for that
which he takes. recall that sentence. He
does make a return; but it is disgrace to
the man that he feeces, despair to his
heart, ruin to his business, anguish to his
wife, shame to his children and eternal
wasting away to his soul He pays in
tears, and blood, and agony, and darkness,
and woe
John Borack was sent as mercantile agent
from Bremen to England and this country
After two years his employers mistrusted
that all was not right. He was defaulter
for $S7, 900. 1t was found that he had lost
in Lombard street, London, $50 900; in Full
ton street, New York, $4,000, and in New
Orleans, $1,000 He was imprisoned, but
afterwards escaped, and went into the
gambling profession. He died in a lunatic
asylum. This crime is getting its lever un-
der many a mercantile house in our cities,
and before long down will come the great
establishment, crushing reputation, home
comfort and immortal souls How it diverts
and sinks capital may be inferred from
some authentic statement before US. The
ten gaming houses that once were author
lied in Paris passed through the banks
yearly 325, 100000 francs. Where does all
the money come FRONT The whole world is
robbed. What is most sad, there are no con-
solations for the loss and suffering entailed
by gambling. If men fail in lawful business,
God pities and society comiserates; but
where in the Bible or in society is there any
consolation for the gamblerl From what
tree in the fore st oozes there a balm that
can soothe the gamester's hearts In that
bottle where God keeps the tears Of His
children are there any tears of the gamblerl
Do the winds that come to kiss the faded
cheek Of sickness and to cool the heated
brow of the laborer whisper hope and cheer
to the emaciated victim of the game of haz-
ard! When an honest man is in trouble he
has sympathy. "Poor fellow,n they say
But do gamblers come to weep at the ago
nies Of the gambler2 In Northumberland
was one of the finest estates in England.
Mr.. Porter owned it, and in a year gambled
it all away. Having lost the last acre of
the estate, he came down from the saloon
and got into his carriage, went back, put
up his horses and carriage and town house,
and played. He threw and lost. He started
home, and on a side alley met a friend,
from whom he borrowed ten guineas, went
back to the saloon, and before a great while
had won 100000. He died at last beggar
in st. Giles. How many gamblers felt sor-
ry for Mr.. Porter2 Who consoled him on
the loss Of his estatel What gambler sub
scribed to put stone over the poor mans
gravel Not one.
Furthermore, this sin is the source Of un.
counted dishonesty. The game of hazard
itself is often a cheat How many tricks
and deceptions in the dealing Of the cards.
The opponents hand is often found out by
fraud. Cards are marked so that they may
be designated from the back Expert
gamesters have their accomplices, and one
wink may decide the game. The dice have
been found loaded with platina, so that
dOublets come up every time These dice
are introduced by the gamblers unobserved
by the honest men who have come into the
play, and this accounts for the fact that
ninety-nine out Of one hundred who
gamble, however wealthy when they be-
gan, at the end are found to be poor, mis-
cradle, haggard wretches who would not
be allowed to sit on the doorstep Of the
house that they once owned. Do you call
this game of chance. There is no chance
about it.
But these dishonesties in the carrying on
Of the game are nothing when compared
with the frauds that are committed in order
to get money to go on with the nefarious
work. Gambling, with its needy hand, has
snatched away the widows mite and the
portions of the orphans; has sold the
daughters virtue to get the means to con-
tinue the game; has written the counter
felt signature, emptied the bankers money
vault and welded the assassin's dagger.
There is no depth Of meanness to which it
will not stoop. There is no cruelty at
which it is appalled,. There is no warning
of God that it will not dare. Merciless, un-
appeasable, fierce and wild, it blinds, it
hardeRs, it rends, it blasts, it crushes, it
damns 1t has peopled our prisons and lu-
natic asylums.
A man in London keeping one Of these
gambling houses boasted that he had
ruined nobleman day; but if all the.
saloons Of the land were to speak out, they
might utter a more infamous boast, for
they have destroyed thousand noblemen
year.
Notice also the effects of this crime upon
domestic happiness. 1t has sent its ruth
less plowshare through hundreds Of fam
lies, until the wife sat in rags, and the
daughters were disgraced, and the sons
grew up to the same infamous practices, or
took short cut to destruction across the
murdercr's scaffold.
Home has lost all charms for the gambler.
How tame are the children's caresses and
a wife's devotion to the gambler. How
drearily the fire burns on the domestic
hearth. There must be louder laughter,
and something to win, and something to
lose; and excitement to drive the heart
faster, flip the blood and fire the imagina-
tion. No home, however bright, can keep
back the gamester. The sweet call Of love
bounds back from his iron SOUL and all en-
dearments are consumed in the fire of his
passion. The family Bible will go after all
other treasures are lost, and if his crown
in Heaven were put into his hand he would
cry: "Here goes; one more game, my boys.
On this one throw stake my crown of
Heaven"
An only son went to New Orleans. He
was rich, intellectual and elegant in man-
ners. His parents gave him on his depart
ure from home their last blessing. The
sharpers got hold Of him. They fattered
him. They lured him to the gaming table
and let him win almost every time for a
good while, and patted him on the back and
said: "First-rate player" But fully in
their grasp they fieeced him, and his $4,000
were lost Last of all, he put up his watch
and lost that. Then he began to think Of
his home, and Of his old father and mother,
and wrote thus.
"My Beloved Parents You will doubt