Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-05-21

death of your body, mind and soul any
one who has in him tho gambling spirit.
Mon who want to gamble will find places
just suited to their capacity, not only in
the underground oyster cellar, or at the
table back of tho curtain, covered with
greasy cards, or in the steamboat smoking
cabin where the bloatod wretch with rings
in his cars deals out his pack and winks at
tho unsuspecting travoler--proyiding free
drinks all around-but In gilded parlors
and amid gorgeous surroundings.
Avoid Unhealthy s,imuiants.
This sin works ruin first by unhealth-
full stimulants. Excitement is ploasurabo
Under every sky and in every age men
havo sought it. The Chinaman gets 1t by
smoking his opium, tho Persian by chew
ing hasheesh, the trappor in n buffalo hunt
tho sailor in a squat, the inobriato in tho
bottle and the avarioious at tho gaming
table. We must at limos have excitement
A thousand voices In our nature demand
It. 1t is right. 1t Is hoalthful. 1t is inspir-
ing. 1t is desire God given. But any.
thing that first gratiflos this appetite and
hurls it back in q terrific reaction Is de-
plorablo and wicked. Look out for tho ag-
tation that, like rough musician, in
bringing out tho tune plays SO hard ho
breaks down tho instrument. God mover
made man strong enough to endure tho
wear and tear of gambling excitement.
No wonder II, after having failed In the
game. men have begun to sweep off mag
mary gold from the sido of the table. Tho
man was sharp enough when hO started
at tho game, but n maniac ut the close. at
every gaming table sit on ono side, &C.
stasy, enthusiasm, romanCc-tho frenzy
of joy; on tho Other sdo, 1orCcnCss,
rage, tumult Tho professional gamestcr
schools himself into apparent quietness.
The keepers of gambling rooms are gcn-
orally fat, rolickng and obese, but thor
ough and professional gamblers, in nine
cases out Of ton, nro pale, thin, whcczy,
tremulous and exhausted.
A young man having suddenly Inherited
large property sits at tho hazard tables
and takes up in u dice box the estate won
by fathers lifetime sweat and shakes it
and losses 1t away. lntcmpcranco soon
stigma,iIcs its yictim--kicking him out,
a slavcring fool, into tho ditch, or sending
him, with tho drunkard's hiccough, stag
gcring up the street where his family lives
But gambling docs not In that way expose
its victims. Tho gambler may be eaton up
by the gamblers passion, yet you only dis
cover 1t 10y the greed in his eyes, the hard
ness of bis features, tho nervous restless
moss, tho throadbare coat and his enbir-
rasscG business. Vet he is on tho road to
holl, and no preachers voice. or startling
warning, or wifo's entrenty, can make
him stay for moment his headlong ca.
rocr. The Internal spell is on him; giant
Is aroused within, and though you may
bind him with cables they would part like
thread, and though you fasten him sevUn
times round with chains they would snap
like rustod wire, and though you piled up
in his path heaven high Bibles, tracts and
sermons and ON the top should sot tho
cross of the Son Of God, over them all the
gambler would leap lil-p roo over the
rocks on his way to perdlticn.
Tho Gambler Gains Pcrditiop.
A man used to rcnping scores or hun
drcds of dollars from the gaming table
will not be- content with slow work. He
will say, what is the use of my trying to
make these $50 in my store when can get
five timos that in half an hour down at
Billy'sg" You never know confirmed
gambler who was Industrious. Tho men
given to this vice spend their time, not
actively engaged In tho game, in idloncss
or intoxication or sleep or in corrupting
now victims. This sin has dulled the car
penter's saw and cut the band of the fnc-
tory wheel, sunk the cargo, broken the
| tooth of tho farmers harrow and sent a
strange lightning to shattor tho battery Of
| the philosopher. The very first idea in
gaming Is at war with ali the industries
OF society. Any trade or occupation that
| Is of use is ennobling. The street sweeper
| advances tho interests of society by the
| cleanliness effected. The cat pays for the
fragments 1t eats by cleaning the house Of
yermin. The fly that takes the sweetness
| from the dregs of the cup componsatcs by
purifying the air and keeping back the
pestlonce. But the gambler gives not
Rnything for that which he takes. l recall
| that sentence. He docs make n return,
but it is disgrace to the man he lceces,
despair to his heart, ruin to his business,
anguish to his wife, shame to his children
pnd eternal wasting away TO bis soul. He
/ pays in tears and blood and agony and
| darkness ami WOO. What duh work Is
blowing TO the farmer when In the village
saloon in one night ho makes and loses tho
value of Il summer harvest! Who will
want to sell tape and measure nanEoen
and cut garments and weigh sugars when
in n nights game he makes and loses and
makes again and loses ngaiE tho profits of
season. John Borack was sent as mer
camille agent from Bremen to England and
this oountry. Aftor two years his employ
ers mistrusted that all was not right. lie
| was defaulter for SS7, 000 1t was found
that he had lost in Lombard street, Lon
don, $4,000; in Fulton street, New York,
$40, 600, and in New Orleans $4,000. He
was imprisoned, but Afterwards escaped and
went into the gambling profession. He
died in lunatic asylum. This crime IL
getting its lever under many mercantile
house in our cities, and before long down
will como the great establishment crush
ing reputation, home comfort and immor'
tai souls.
Tho whole world Is robbed! What Il
most sad, there are no consultations for
the loss and suffering entailcd by gaming.
II men fail In lawful business, God pities
and society commisorates, but whore, IN
the Biblo or society, Is there any consola-
ton for the gambler? From what treo OF
tho forest oozcs there balm that can
soothe the Pamester's heart? In that bottle
whore God keeps the tears of his children
are there any tears of tho gambler? Do the
winds that come to kiss tho faded cheek
of sickness and to cool the heated brow OF
the laborer whisper hope and cheer to the
cmaoiated victim Of tho gamo of hazards
When an honest man is in trouble, he has
sympathy. Poor fellow" they say. But
do gamblers como to weep at the agonie:
Of tho gambler? In Northumberland wa!
one Of the finest estates in England. Mr.
Porter owned it, ani In year gambled II
all away. Having lost the last aero of thu
estate, ho camo down from tho saloon ant
got into his carriage, went back, put vi
his horses and carriage and town hous'