Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-10-23

ana not as n true Investment are frozen
out. does such Wall street gambling
Dnild one freight car or span one river
with new bridge or erect one new
depot or upholster one Pullman sieop-
or? The Purltans used 10 call pack
OF cards the devils prayer book" Did
you ever hear OF the devils prayer
book" teaching the gamester how he
could be a producer aud not de-
stroycr2 No. my friends. no. no, no.
Anything but that. The gambling
habit never created one farthing for
the welfare of any community.
Thus, my brother. / congratulate you
IL yen have never been n gambler or
i'm league with gamblers. | congratu-
late you IL YOU ere one OF those men
unwilling 10 be a parasite. q vampire
or absorbent of other mems industries. /
congratulate you. even though you may
never have aiDassed the illegitimate
fortune OF a Baron Blanc. whose inter-
national gambling crimes have created
Monte Carlo or OF Benazet or a
Devaux. who used to run the gambling
casinos OF q Spa. an Aix.la- Chapelle or
Baden Baden before the German par
lament I'm 1872 babe them BECOME. or
the illegitimate fortunes Of the evil
owners Of Louisiana lottery. who.
year after year 6agrontly bribed a
state Legislature until at last the out.
ragged Christian people OF that COM
monwealth. with the aid Of the United
States postmaster general. rose I'm their
might and destroyed this accursed and
debaucbing infamy. Never have any
dealings in any way with defiant gam
bling.
The gambling passion not only robs
men OF their fortunes. but demoralizee
their minds. II units its victims for
the common duties OF ordinary life. 1t
overstimulates the brain and the Inn
agipation until after awhile work.
honest hard. practical work-has for
the gamblers diseased mind the same
kind of repulson that glass Of rich
dairy milk has for the infiamed throat
OF chronic drunkard or the sight of
clear. cool stream Of water for the
bloodshot eye OF mad dog whose
tongue and mouth are covered with
the white foam of fatal hydrophobia.
A Voluntary Slave.
The healthfui desire for work and the
gamblers passion do net nest in the
same heart. They belong not 10 the
same brood Of children. They are new
er Dourished by the same mother
When the young man fresh from "A
Christian home first hears the rattle of
Il dice box and Is led into the sanctum
sanctorum OF the baccarat scance all
his noblest sensibilities are intensely
shocked. But as his astonished eyes
see great piles OF coin and grcenbacks
being passed across the table after
awhile fascination drives away fear.
Then the warnings and restraints OF
rebuking conscience are shaken of
with such questions as these: What II
the use ef my working hard every day
or the week except Sunday and only re-
ceiving SO or $40 on poy night when
might enrn ten times that sum I'm
quiet game? What IS the use OF carry
Ing bundles and being ordered abo,t
by the heads OF the different business
departments when by getting sure tips
can i've a life of fun and excitement
at the races? What Is the use OF NV
being n white slave when ! can win
my financial emancipat ton by little
Intelligent investment in lottery or pol.
icyF | might draw there lucky prize
ana live on Easy street the rest OF my
life. Somebody must win every time.
Why cannot be that somebody 2" So
the gamblers cupidlty begins to work.
The young mans brain becomes befud-
died. He shirks his daily tasks. Asa
poor. diseased. mental Incompetent who
Is striving to solve the impossible math-
cmatical problem OF perpetual motion
he tries TO work out n system OF '.how |
10 break the bank" He studies ''chance
books" He hunts up his guiding star
or the star which shone brightest on
the night upon which he wns born.
1hen nj last with all reasoning powers |
gone and blinded to all the duties OF |
ordinary life. the crazed enthusiast will |
haunt the gaming table as he once
gladly sought his study desk or the |
storeroom counter.
Young men. I solemniy appeal to |
you. Some Of you have already heard |
the sound Of the clicking roulette |
wheel. Are you going to throw your |
lie away at the altar OF chance? Are |
you going to unit yourselves for the |
duties OF life by the gamblers craze? |
l assure you that without bravely and |
faithfully fulfilling the ordinary daily |
tasks you will never succeed in any |
thing. The evil demon called Fortuna
Will besgar you and enslave you. II
you frequent her shrine you will sac.
rince your liberty as surely as did that
free negro upon the Mississippi steam
boat before the war. He first wagered
his money and lost. Then at last be
placed his papers Of freedom upon
the center OF the table and gamblcd
his black skin back Into the Alabama
cotton fields and into the Louisiana
rice swamps. -.I
Why Playing Cards Are Tabooea.
charge upon this gambling mania
a direct robbery OF the Christian
world In that by besoiling legitimate
recreations with its foul touch IL has
made II impossible for decent men to
enjoy certain heaithful relaxations. II
Is gradually stealing from us the priv
iieee OF enjoying outdoor sports and
indoor games by identifying them with
betting and speculation. Whenever
the leprous hand OF the gambler "a
placed upon game that sport must be
Forever eschewed by the good and the
pure.
On account OF the gambler the
christian church has been compelled to
send forth Its cdict Of excsmmunioa-
hon upon the deck OF cards. 1t is com
PEELED to declare that every one of tho
kings ana queens and Jacks Of SPADES
ana diamonds and clubs and hearts u
knave because cards have become
puoiiciy recognized as the gamblers
loois. as the trowel rs the mason's tool.
Ali consecrated Christian people should
look upon pack of-card "a did John
fhihp Quin. the reforned gambler,
"hen IN public meeting he once sst1,
AND now, after all these years OF >x-
'erience and acquaintance with all tie
professional gamblers In this countyy.
can truly say the parlor card table ia
Ill