The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1891-03-05


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 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 not be con-
tent with slow work. He will say:
''What is the use of trying to make
these fifty dollars in my store when l
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 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 a 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 u.s. The
| ten gambling houses that once were au-
thorized in Paris passed through the
| banks, yearly, three hundred and TWEEN
| ty-fve 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?
It
there a balm that can soothe the game
ster'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 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 follow" 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 friend, from
whom he borrowed ten guineas; 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 gamblers felt sorry for Mr..
|
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-
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
gamblers unobserved by honest men
who have come into the play; and this
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 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
a game of chance? There is no chance
about it.
Shall 1 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-
BILE. 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-he
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 laws