The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-30

drifted into it, as it were sometimes
by mischances in business, sometimes
through the encroachments of half-un-
conscious dissipation; and sometimes from
sheer Incidence, and love of easy and idle
pleasure. A murrain ont The capacity
for real and steady work diminished, or
gone; the means of recuperation squand-
cred; confidence, forfeited and reputation
furnished, what wasleft ? Nothing but the
card table, no longer a magic circle of di-
version and abandonment, but the grimy.
back breaking actuality of a defeated life,
or objective points, or ambitions that are
not vulgar, venal and corrupt, or vic
tories that are not brutal and base.
Yet, of all the vices none is SO easy of
amendment, as none shows SO many illus
trations of reform. In the great cities,
Of gambling; few, who have not either
thrown it off, or brought it under regula-
ton and control. Gaming is largely habit
and habit of association. 1t does not,
like so many other vices, communicate, di-
rectly. any poison to the blood; though, too
often, leading to those that do. In its
origin, it is not without certain manhood
and humor; and, hence, in all ages and
among all classes, it has had an existence.
But at the very best it is open to the gravest
objections.
II is too absorbing, OBTAINING players be-
honorable motives. 1t is too combining.
lacking the pure air and light of day, and
permeated by the feted atmosphere of mid
night aud tobacco, where it does not de-
scend into the notwithstanding fumes of
drink. 1t completely deadens the money
sense, and in fact the sense of all values:
and where carried to the least excess is
moral crime in exacting something for
nothing. will not add that it is provo
cative of great talent for domestic lying,
and an incalculable amount of it, because
it may be doubted whether the loving wife
who listens with moist eyes to the sad story
of the sick friend, is deceived as much and
as often as she pretends to be. Assuredly
not in kentucky; where be sure the
women of two or three generations have
not lived wholly in vain, and where. in
every case, it would be well for the recusant
husband to pay no heed to the counsels of
the Kentucky journalist, of whom tradition
relates that, ON a certain occasion, he o.
served to the friend with whom he was
about to separate at the street corner which
divided their respective homes: II have al
ways made it a rule, Isaac, to go to my wife
and tell her the truth; it is much the best
way, believe me; and SO, as soon ms get in,
l mean to put bold face on it. and frankly
say that the press broke DOWN.
Fictions like these, however ingenious
and maintained, have no power to mislead
such ladies as the astute Bluegrass matron,
who, after allowing her husband to disrobe
in fancied security, and to sit rocking the
cradle on the edge of the bed until nearly
frozen by this cunning attempt at decep-
ton, at last exclaimed: ''Oh, come on to
bed; the baby amt i'll that GRADER
When old Jedia Suggs, the father of the
illustrious Simon, having discovered that
young hopeful playing cards. undertook to
impress the boy with the idea that gam
bling is a waste of time and money, the en-
bryo captain of the Tallapoosa volunteers
asked, with more persistency than depth of
thought: well, whar does the money go,
daddy, that everybody loses?" In spite of
the inability of the elder Mr.. Suggs to an
swer this inquiry. he builded wiser than he
knew and was in the main right in his orig
inal proposition.
The money lost and won at cards is dis
sipated i'll one way and another. They who
win it don't keep it, and, of course, they
who lose it can't. 1t is squandered in every
direction, on what may be described rs col
lateral expenses.
God never intended that money profit
should be made out of any harmless
pastime. which card playing often is, and
would always be but for gambling. The
innocent recreation of the aged and infrm,
II takes on blight and curse with the
introduction of that. the love of which. as
Paul observed TO Timothy, is the root of all
evil. Nor Is the money consideration
essential TO enjoyment. As to the game of
draw poker, which has obtained such vogue
and favor in America on account of its
essentially gambling features, no gentleman
ought 10 play it. though many gentlemen
do. 1t IS distinctly not gentlemans game.
As in stock gambling. which ia still worse.
the advantages inevitably go to sharp
dangerously near downright stealing;