The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1891-03-06

the threadbare coat and his en-
barrassed business. Yet he is on the
road to hell, and no preachers voice
| or startling warning, or wife's entreaty,
can make him stay for a moment his
headlong career. The Internal spell is
on him; giant is aroused within; and
though you bind him with cables, they
would part like thread; and though you
fasten him seven times round with
chains. they would snap like rusted
wi:se: and though you piled up in his
path heaven-high Bibles, tracts and
sermons, and on the top should set the
cross of the Son of God, over them all
the gambler would leap like a roe over
the rocks, on his way to perdition.
| Again, this sin works ruin by killing
| industry. A man used to reaping scores,
or hundreds, or thousands of dollars
from the gaming table will no: oe con-
| tent with slow work. He will say:
"What is the use of trying to make
these fifty dollars in my store when 1
can get five times that in half an hour
down at 'Billy's?'" You never knew
a confirmed gambler who was indus
trious. The men given to this vice
spend their time, not actively en-
ployed in the game, in idleness, or in
toxication, or sleep, or in corrupting
new victims. This has dulled the car
penter's saw, and cut the band of the
factory Wheel sunk the cargo, broken
| the teeth of the farmers harrow and
sent a strange lightning to shatter the
battery of the philosopher. The very
idea in gaming is at war with all the
industries of society.
This crime is getting its lever under
many mercantile house in our great
cities, and before long down will come
the great establishment, crushing
reputation, home, comfort and immor-
| tai souls. How it diverts and sinks
capital may be inferred from some
authentic statement before us. The
| ten gambling houses that once were au-
thorized in Paris passed through the
banks, yearly, three hundred and TWEEN
| ty-five million francs. Where does all
the money come from? The whole
world is robbed What is most sad,
there are no consultations for the loss
and suffering entailed by gaming. If
men fail in lawful business, God
pities and society commiserates;
but where in the Bible or in society is
: there any consolation for the gambler?
/ From what tree of the forest oozes
! there balm that can soothe the game
sters heart? In that bottle where
God keeps the tears of His children, are
there any tears of the gambler? Do
the winds that. come to kiss the faded
cheek of sickness, and to cool the heat
ed brow of the laborer, whisper hope
and cheer to the emaciated victim of
the game of hazard? When an honest
man is in trouble he has sympathy:
Poor fellow!" they say. But do
| gamblers come to weep at the
agonies of the gambler? In Northum-
berland 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 his estate, he came down
| from the saloon and got into his car
riage; went back, put up his horses and
carriage and town house, and played.
| He threw and lost. He started home,
and in side alley met a friend, from
whom he borrowed ten guineas; went
back to the saloon, and before a great
while had won twenty thousand pounds.
He died at last a beggar in ST. Giles
How many gamblers felt sorry for Mr.
| Porter? Who consoled him on the loss
of his estate? What gambler subscribed
to put stone over the poor mans grave?
| Not one!
| Furthermore, this sin is the source of
uncounted dishonesties. The game of
| hazard itself is often a cheat. How
many tricks and receptions in the deal
ing of the cards! The opponents hand
is ofttimes found out by fraud. Cards
are marked SO that they may be des-
1 ignated from the back Expert game
sters have Their accomplices, and one
wink may decide the game. The dice
have been found to be loaded with plat
ing, so that ''doublets" come up every
| time. These dice are introduced by the
sanders unobserved by honest men
who have come into the play; and shis
accounts for the fact that ninety
nine out of a hundred who gam
BILE, however wealthy they began,
at the end are found to be poor,
miserable, ragged wretches, that would
not now be allowed to sit on the door
step of the house they once owned In
gaming house in San Francisco a young
man having just come from the mines
| deposited large sum upon the ace, and
won twenty-five thousand dollars. But
the tide turns. Intense anxiety comes
upon the countenances of all. Slowly
the cards went forth. Every eye is
| fixed. Not a sound is heard until
the ace is revealed favorable to the
| bank. There are shouts of Foul
'Foul!'' but the keepers of the table
produce their pistols and the uproar is
| silenced, and the bank has won ninety
| five thousand dollars. Do you call this
game of chance? There is no chance
about it.
Shall / sketch the history of the
| gambler? Lured by bad company, he
| finds his way into place where honest
men ought never to go. He sits down
to his first game, but only for pastime
and the desire of being thought socia-
bic. The players deal out the cards.
They unconsciously play into Satan's
| hands, which takes all the tricks and
both the players souls for trumps
being sharper at any game. A slight
| stake is put up to add interest to
the play. Game after game is
played Larger stakes and still
larger. They begin to move
nervously on their chairs. Their
brows lower and eyes flash, until now
they who win and they who lose, fred
alike with passion, sit with set jaws
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