The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-05-07
CURED OF GAMBLING.
ODDLY, TOO. THE REMEDY ENTAILEo
CONSTANT GAMBLING.

aFmS0 OuuE SameNcrs enseus es
Did Not Cease. and Eventually Ac-
{ CURED Wealth.
This il the story Of two confirmed
young gamblers who seemed beyond re-
demption, but who struck a system
whereby they continued aud 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
70 out and zee 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 500,
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 Ii more
dangerous because it includes not mere
luck, but an element Of personal vanity
about ones knowledge Of Sunshine anil
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
,hn ro
weeks board and matched each other to
see who paid for breakfasts.
Things went on splendidly until on pay
days It 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 Day some day when they made
a big strike. Meanwhile they made little
strikes, enough to lead them on. In time
they rot to the point when their faces no
longer showed whether they had lost or
won. Therefore they were full fedged
sports." Therefore, also. hard lines were
digging into their faces about their
mouths and eyes, and II their families
down In the land Of sunshine could have
seen them paradins arm In arm up Park
row there would have been tears or re-
butts, according to sex.
As both Of the young men had the same
frst Christian names It Ii 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 su'
tumn had gone when It duwncd on them
that in the name Of decency. II not In the
name of comfort, It was about time to
buy oyercoats. They had spent nights
shiyering on assignments for the want OF
4 proper covering. but on pay days II
seemed folly to invest money In clothing
when there cas- q fortune to be made by
the turn Of q wheel. As both men were
pretty good In their line Of business they
made enough each week to buy three or
four new overcoats X 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 q tailor's shop, and they returned two
hours later without cent or an overcoas
and with watches gone.
Az they were game to the core they sat
down in their seats in the Office ut desks
facing each other and like true sports be-
gan to write the stories Of their assign
ments as IL nothing had happened. Pres.
emily. without stopping his writing. biD
remarked:
BILLY, you're q fool"
"Just what I was thinking Of You.
Billy returned. likewise disdaining to halt
In his work.
aGuess 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'u tell you. I'll match you to see VINO
II the biggest fool: that's about all I've
got left" said Bill. .,
THAT'S all right: I'll bet you O liver II
wanted to ! could save more money I'd
q month than you could Mt that" tne
otbA- said.
81. .. 20 you on that. It's Eve up that
at the end Of the month I show q fattef
bank account than You do"
And that is all that was said untii a
the end Of the month Bill produced 9
handbook with $50 In it and Billy one
with S120 credited to him. Therefore
Bill paid Billy the IS and said:
"lIi 60 you again on that"
"An right: make It every month u you
like"
"Suits me, my son." said Billy. but
look here. sport Ii sport. / don't think
ought to have taken that 6ver. l Dor
rowed $50 from the governor to add "a
the account and swamp you. That leaves
$40 which ! Aeally saved against your
coo L.. 4. ,o,. eS becl. and SS more
which I owe"
But Bill hesitated: then he said. wen
Il this thing meant only for legitimate
saving"
$50 supposed"
~Ihen here Ii the SO back. You SO
was behind and only had $40 In bank.
had everything to gain and nothing "a
lose, I figured. 80 I drew the 40 aud
played Esmeralda, even money. AND
banked the $50"
'aThen we will call the thing on fol
this month. but hereafter Il will be hve
month that show O fatter account thas
you do, and no more funny business
about It." :,
Neither Bill nor Billy knew what n
was doing that day. or he would NO,
have done II. but the excitement OF thu
chase was on, and that was four year.
ago. The last time Bill won with $4.Dt
to Billy's $4.170. and Billy swore h'
would get the next fiver II be had to d
the Isabella act and pawn his jewels
Some day q pair of 6ne girls will get
hold of Bill and Billy and will put on tht
finishing touches Of civilization. and
thereafter they win confine themselves q
laying odds oh their wives. which u
leeitimate.-New York Times.
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