The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-02-25

nle,' ana mounJifo hhnt gig, huu "
hind that ''horsc.' riding to perdition.
There is always, one kind OF sign on the
door" ExchanEe;r most appropriate
title for the door, for there, In that
room, man exchanges health, peace,
and Heaven, for loss of health, loss Of
home, loss OF family, loss of immortal
soul. Exchange sure enough and in
finite enough.
Men wishing TO gamble will find
places Just suited to their capacity. not
only In the underground oyster cellar,
or at the table back Of the curtain, GOV.
cred with greasy cards, or In the steam
boat smoking cabin, where the bloated
wretch with rings in his ears instead OF
his nose deals the pack, and winks In
the unsuspecting traveler-providing
free drinks all around-but in gilded
parlors and amid gorgeous surround
ings.
A young man, having suddenly heired
a large property, sits at the hazard
table, and takes up in dice box the
estate won by fathers lifetime sweat,
and shakes 1t, and tosses II away. In
temperance soon stigmatizes its victim,
kicking him out, slavering fool, into
the ditch, or sending him, with the
drunkard's hiccough. staggering up the
street where his family lives. But
gambling does not in that way expose
its victims. The gambler may be eaten
up by the gamblers passion, yet
you only discover It by the greed
in his eyes, the hardness OF his
features, the nervous restlessness,
the threadbare coat and his embar-
rassed 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
wire; and though you piled up in his
path heaven-high Bibl IS, tracts, and SER
mons 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 not be con-
tent with slow work. lie will say,
"What is the use of trying to make
these $50 in my store when can get five
times that in half an hour down at
"Billy's?" You never knew a confirmed
gambler who was industrious The
men given to this vice spend their time,
not actively employed in the game, in
idleness, or intoxication, or sleep, or
in corrupting new victims. This sin
has dulled the carpenters saw and cut
the band Of the factory wheel, sunk
the cargo, broken the teeth of the far
mer's harrow, and sent strange light
ming to shatter the battery Of the phil
osopher. The very first idea in gaming
is at war with all the industries Of So
ciety.
This crime is getting It's lever under
many a mercantile house in our great
cities, and before long down will come
the great establishment, crushing repu-
tation, home, comfort, and immortal
souls. How II divets and sinks capital
may be inferred from some authentic
statement before us. The ten gaming
houses that once were authorized in
Paris passed through the banks, yearly,
three hundred and twenty-five millions
of francs. Where does all the money
come from? The whole world is robbed!
What is most sad, there are no con-
solations for the loss and suffer-
ing entailed by gaming. II men fail
in lawful business, God pities and
society commiserates; but where in the
Bible or in society is there any con-
ISOLATION for the gambler? From what
tree OF the forest oozes there balm
that can soothe the gamester's 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 sick
ness, and to cool the heated brow Of the
laborer, whisper hope and cheer to the
emaciated victim of the game Of hazard2
When an honest man Is In trouble,
he has sympathy. poor fellowr' they
say. But do gamblers come TO weep
at the agonies of the gambler? In
Northumberland was one Of the finest
estates In England. Mr.. Porter owned
II and in a year gambled II 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 In side alley met a
friend from whom he borrowed ten
Ruineas; went back TO the saloon and
before great while had won twenty
thousand pounds He died at last, a
beggar In st. Giles. How many gam
-blers felt sorry for Mr.. Porter? Who
consoled him on the loss OF his estate7
What gambler subscribed 10 put q stone
over the poor mans grave? Not one!
Furthermore, this sin is the source Of
uncounted dishonesties. The game OF
hazard itself Is often q cheat. How
many tricks and deceptions In the deal.
ing Of the cards! The opponents hand
is oftimes found out by fraud. Cards
are marked so that they may be desig-
mated from the back. Expert gamesters
have their accomplices and are wink
may decide the game. The dice have
been found loaded with platina, 80 that
"doublets" CONS up every time. These
dice are introduced by the gamblers un-
observed by honest men who have come
into the play; and this accounts for the