The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
CURED OF GAMBLING,
ODDLY, TOO, THE REMEDY ENTAllsO
CONSTANT GAMBLING.

A Scheme by Which a Pair of Con-
Armed Young Games:ers Ceased, Yet
Did Not Cease, and Eventually Ac-
quired Wealth.
This is the story of two confirmed
young gamblers who seemed beyond re-
demption, but who struck a system
whereby they continued and yet ceased
gambling and eventually acquired wealth.
They were pair Of young southerners
from the same town and friends almost
from babyhood. Therefore what one did
the other was almost sure to do. They
made up their minds that they needed to
20 out and see the world and be happy
and that it was not the proper thing to
live on their fathers. They came to New
York to make their own way and to see
things and in order to see them better
became newspaper reporters. Then they
saw things good and bad and Indifferent
and among them were introduced to
thing named wheel"
Unfortunately in the first attempt one
Of them won $500 and the other S20O,
and thereafter they devoted their young
lives and hundreds Of dollars trying to
repeat the run.
When the wheel" proved faithless,
they went to horse racing, which is more
dangerous because it includes not mere
luck, but an element of personal vanity
about ones knowledge Of Sunshine and
Spindrift and weights up and hard and
soft tracks. Poker and the other diver.
sions were added to the list until the
spirit of gambling entered their daily
lives. and they gambled with each other
and threw dice to see who would pay the
weeks board and matched each other to
see who paid for breakfasts.
Things went on splendidly until on pay
days 1t was simply a matter of an hour
to run from the Office to "joint" or
poolroom and to return dead broke ready
and cheerful for another days work.
They owed money, restaurant bills and
money borrowed outright, which they
hoped to pay some day when they mado
a big strike. Meanwhile they made little
strikes, enough to lead them on. In time
they got to the point when their faces no
longer showed whether they had lost or
won. Therefore they were full Hedged
sports" Therefore, also, hard lines were
digging into their faces about their
mouths and eyes, and If their families
down in the land Of sunshine could have
seen them parading arm in arm up Park
row there would have been tears or re-
buffs, according to sex.
As both of the young men had the same
first Christian names 1t is necessary to
call one of them Bill and the other
Billy. Bill and Billy were in for crisis.
The summer and the greater part Of au-
tumn had gone when it dawned on them
that in the name Of decency, If not in the
name of comfort, it was about time to
buy overcoats. They had spent nights
shivering on assignments for the want OF
a proper covering, but on pay days II
seemed folly to invest money in clothing
when there vas a fortune to be made by
the turn Of wheel. AS both men were
pretty good in their line Of business they
made enough each week to buy three or
four new overcoats If they had been able
to let the wheel alone. They realized this
one morning and left the Office together
with their salaries In their pockets. bound
for tailor's shop, and they returned Two
hours later without cent or an oVercoat
and with watches gone.
As they were game to the core they sat
down in their seats in the Office at desks
facing each other and like true sports be-
gan to write the stories Of their assign
ments as If nothing had happened. Pres
emily, without stopping his writing, Bill
remarked:
"Billy, you're fool"
"Just what I was thinking Of you,"
Billy returned, likewise disdaining to halt
in his work.
"Guess we're both it." Bill said as be.
fore. -.
MAYBE, but I know you are" said
Billy, and then for the first time both
put down their pencils.
'I'n tell you, III match You to see who
is the biggest fool; that's about all I've
got left" said Bill. -.
That's all right; I'll bet you flyer II
wanted to I could save more money In
a month than you could at that" the
other said.
"I'I 20 you on that. It's FIVE up that
at the end of the month ! show fatter
bank account than you do"
And that Is all that was said until at
the end Of the month Bill produced q
handbook with $50 in it and Billy one
with S12O credited to him. Therefore
Bill paid Billy the SIS and said:
"I'll go you again on that"
"All right; make it every month II you
like"
"Suits me, my son." said Billy, "but,
look here, sport is sport. I don't think l
ought to have taken that flyer. l bor'
rowed $50 from the governor to add to
the account and swamp you. That leaves
$40 which ] seally saved against your
$50, so here Is your S. back and 50 more
which l owe."
But Bill hesitated; then he said. "Well,
Is this thing meant only for legitimate
saving?"
$50 I supposed"
"Then here Is the $40 back. You see I
was behind and only had $40 In bank.
had everything to gain and nothing to
lose, I figured, so I drew the $4O and
played Esmeralda, even money, and
banked the $780,"
"Then we will call the thing of for
this month, but hereafter it will be i've
month that show fatter account than
you do, and no more funny business
about it."
Neither Bill nor Billy knew what he
was doing that day, or he would not
have done it. but the excitement Of the
chase was on, and that was four years
ago. The last time Bill won with $4,000
to Billy's $4,170, and Billy swore ne
would get the next fver II he had to do
the Isabella act and pawn his jewels.
Some day a pair Of fine girls will get
hold of Bill and Billy and will put on the
finishing touches Of civilization, and
thereafter they will con6ne themselves to