Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-07-11

ambition getteth into Jail mt our ex-
pense Teach thyself moderation, and
thou shalt imbibe wisdom
When 1 had finished my remarks, a
man of scrambled appearance ap-
preached me and shook my hand and
said:
Stranger may take 1t that thou art
pilgrim traveln from afar?"
"You kim says l.
"And that your object is to make the
world better, while at the same time
you are doin leetle bizness on the
outsider"
"1'hat's me-"
"Waal, don't believe in 1t. Bein
full Of virtue, integrity and truth don't
pay 2 cents on the dollar. It's wicked
ness that makes big dividends and
helps a feller to hev good times, and
kin prove it. The game of poker is
sinful amt itT'
ALAS. 1t is, though 1t enticetb"
'If you'll come over to my cabin and
hev few games with me- I'll knock
your integrity bizness into cooked
hat"
l was in the town OF Weepin Willer
as n shinin example of morality, but
yit this thought occurred TO me:
Integrity should never miss a
chance to deal blow at vice"
And also:
1.-THE first step toward reformin
feller man is to bankrupt him."
And likewise:
"He who scoffs at virtue should be
restrained"
Hevln thought these thoughts,
made up my mind that | was the in
strument chosen to put the old man
on his back, and after feedin my hoss
and lookin to see If my bottled grass
hopper was safe fined him in his
cabin. He had the keerds before him
and 800 at his right hand, and thar
was look of triumph on his face.
And yit that he might not give me a
too sudden shock he puts on balmy
look and says:
"He who kin shed tears with his fell
Ter man kin make the world better"
And, not to be outdone in polteness
by the bpdheadcd old reprobate,
worked up smile and replied
"And he who reacheth the human
heart through words of sympathy
lifteth up the fallen"
"Yes, that's all right" says he, "hut
how about this game? Hev you any
cash?"
~ hev," says as pulled out a wad
which would hev bin n weepin Of de-
fense ag'ln an elephant.
Then git down here, and we'll be-
gin, aud II | don't prove 10 you that
vice rides Oh horseback and drinks
champagne while Write goes on foot
and looks fur duck ponds. then my
name amt what my mother called me-"
II was with n determination 10 up
hold the cause Of morality aud keep
spotloss the rcputaShun Of integrity
that | sot down and cut fur deal aod
got It, When we hNd hlled our hands,
we put on looks OF humility, and he
sighed n ieetle as lie said
"He who sceketh truth flndeIh only
stone at the end OF his journey"
No, TO be ouidone in any pint, bet
$40 on my hand ana obsarved;
The wicked tlee when no man pur-
sue, and thar is no rest fun them"
fIe threw down his keerds, and we
had another deal This time he won
his money bnck. For half an hour We
toycd with each other and made ready
fur battle, and then the climax came.
| saw him slyly manipulate three ncqs,
and thar was a smile ON his face as he
picked up his keerds. Providence had,
however given me four queens that l
might champion the cause of integrl-
~, and | was not afraid. He saw me
and raised, and | saw him and batter
ed his tiggers, and thar came minute
when we had our all on the board.
Then he called and we showed our
hands, and he was scooped man.
"Vice may win dollar here and
thar" says l as scoops In the pot,
-but It takes integrity to pull mans
leg out seven feet long"
With that he sucked In his breath
ana jumped fur me, and / was rolled
over, but as we mingled together | got
him by the nock, and four minutes lat
er he was whipped man, and integrl-
ty was agin the victor | licked him
some more, that the lesson might sink
deeper into his soul, and then arose
| and went back to my outfit and put the
Doodle In safe spot and humbly re
marked to myself.
Let thy weeplns be integrity and