Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-05-29

that In half an hour down at oihJ OF tOu
never knew a confirmed gambler VINO was
industrious, The men given 10 t9ls Vice o
spend their time not actively engaged III the
game ia idleness, or intoxicatlon, or sleep,
or in cGrrupting new victims. This SIN mas
dn!Ied the capenter's saw and cut the Dand
OF ths fastory wheel, sunk the cargo, broken
the teeth of the farmers harrow and sent
strange lightning to shatter the battery OF
the philosopher. The very first idea III
gaming is at war with all the industries
of society Any trade or occupation that
is of use is ennobling. The street sweeper
advances the interests OF society Dy the
cleanliness effected. The cat pays ;or the
fragments it eats by cleaning the house OF
vermiD. The fly that takes the sweetness
from the dre2s of the cup compensates Dy
purifying the air and keeping back the
pestilence But the gambler gives not any
thing for that which he takes: recall that
sentence. He does make return, but It IS
disgrace to the man he fieeces, despair TO HIS
heart, ruin to his business, anguish 70 MS
wife. shame to his children and eternal vast
ing away to his soul. He pays In tears, and
blood, and agony, and darkness, and woe.
What dull work is plowlng to the farmer
when in the village saloon In one night
he makes and loses the value Oh sum.
mer harvest Who will want to sell
tape, and measure nankeenj and cut gar
nients, and weigh sugars, when III nignt 3
game he makes and loses, and makes again
and loses again. profits OF season. John
Borack was sent as mercantile agent from
Bremen to England and this country. After
two wears his employers mistrusted that all
was not right. He was a defaulter Tor SoI,-
900. 1t was found that he had lost in Lom-
bard street, London. $4,000; in Fulton
street, New York; $4,000, and in New Or
leans $50 0. He was imprisoned, out alter
ward escaped and went into the gamplin9
profession. He died In lunatic asylum.
| This crime is getting its lever under many
mercantile house in our cities and before
| long down will come the great establish
| ment, crushing reputation, nome comlort
| and immortal souls.
The whole world lsrobbed. What is most
| sad. there are no consultations for the loss
and suffering entailed by gaming. II men
fail in lawful business, God pities aud
| society commiserates, but where in the Bible
| or society is there any consolation for the
| gambler? From what tree Of the forest oozes
| there a 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 sickness and to cool the
| heated 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 fellows
| they say. But do gamblers come to weep at
the agonies of the gambler In Northum-
| berland was one of the finest estates in Eng
| land. Mr.. Porter owned it and gambled it
| 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
nlayed. He threw and lost. He started for
home and on a side alley met friend, from
whom he borrowed ten guineas He went
back to the saloon, and before great while
had won e. 900. He died at last beSgar
| in st. Giles. How many gamblers felt sorry
| for Mr. Porter Who consoled him on the
| loss of his estate7 What gambler subscribed
TO nut stone over the poor mans grayeF
No one. Furthermore, this sin Is the
source Of uncounted dishonesty. me
oame OF hazard itself Is often cheat. HOW
MANY tricks and receptions In the dealing OF
the cards. The opponents hand is ofttlmes
| found out by fraud. Cards are marked 80
that they may be designated from the back.
Expert gamesters have their accompl!ceS
and one wink may decide the game: me
dice have been found loaded with platlna,
so that doublets come up every time. IheSe
diea are introduced by the gamblers unOb-
into the play, and this accounts for the fact
| that ninety-nine out Of hundred who gam
bic. however wealthy when they began, ut
the end are found to be poor, miserable, nag
gard wretches. that would not now be al
lowed to sit on the doorstep OF the house
| that they once owned
Ina gaming house in San Francisco
young man having just come from the mines
deposited a large sum upon the ace and won
| $22, 900 But the tide turns. Intense
| anxiety comes upon the countenances OF all.
| Slowly the cards went forth. Every eye IS
fixed. Nota 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 up
roar is silenced. and tho bank has won $685.
600. Do you call this game OF chance3
There is no chance about 1t. But these
dlshonesties in the carrying on of the
game are nothing when compared
with the frauds that are committed
in order to get money to go on with the ne
farious work. Gambling, with its needy
hand, has snatched away the widows mite
and the portion of the orphans; has sold the
daughters virtue to get the means to con-
tinue the game, has written the counterfeit's
signature, emptied the bankers money vault
and welded the assassin's dagger. There Is
no depth of meanness to which 1t will not
stoop. There is no cruelty at which it Is ap-
palIed. There is no warning of God that 1t
will not dare. Merciless, unappeasaolee,
nercer and wilder, 1t blinds, it hardens, 1t
rends, it blasts, 1t brushes, it damns. Have
nothing to do with gamblers, whether they
gamble on large scale or small scale.
Cast out these men from your company
Do not be intimate with them. Always be
polite. There is no demand that you ever
sacrifice politeness. young man accosted
a Christian Quaker with, "Old chap, how did
YOU make all your money!" Tho Quaker
replied, SPY dealing in an article that thou
mayst deal in If thou wilt-civility." AL
WAYS be courteous, but at tho same time
firm. Say no as ii you meant it. Have it
understood in store aud shop and street that
YOU will not stand in the companionship OF
the skephc, the idler, the pleasure seeker,
the gambler
Rather than enter the companionship OF
such accept the invitation to a better feast.
The promises of God are the fruits. The
harps of heaven are the music. Clusters
from the vineyards of God have been pressed
into tankards. The sons and daughters OF
the Lord Almighty are the guests. While
standing at the banquet 10 ill the cups, and
divide the clusters, and command the harps,
and welcome the guests, is daughter OF