The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-05-17
{. THUR ,MAY17 lM6
Where Gamblers Are Made.

Gospel Messenger.
At Il mass meeting in the Second
Presbyterian Church of this city
tPOrtSmouth, Ohio .on n recent Sab .
bath afternoon, i'll the presence of
over two hundred men, a converted
gambler and eX-saloon keeper made
the following statement, which has
created a profound impression, and
| herewith transmit it to your paper
that it may do good in n wider
sphere:
Il have been in the saloon business
with a gambling room attached, for
the last four years, and claim to
know something about what l am
now going to tell YOU. | do not be-
lieve that the gambling, den is near
SO dangerous, nor does it do any
thing like the same amount of harm,
as the social card party in the home.
| give this as my reason: In the
gambling room the windows are
closed tight, the curtains are pulled
down; everything is conducted secret
~ for fear OF detection, and none but
gamblers, as II rule, enter there.
While in the parlOr all have access to
the game, children are permitted to
watch it. young people are invited to
partake i'll it. 1t is made attractive
and alluring by giving prizes, serving
refreshments and adding high social
enioyments. For my part, never
could see the difference between play
idg for piece ofsilver moulded in the
shape of money and silver nodded in
the shape of "A cup or thimble. The
principle is the same, and whenever
property changes hands over the luck
of cards, no matter how small is the
value of the prize believe it is gamb-
ling.
"Perhaps you have never thought
Of it, but where do all the gamblers
come from? They are not taught in
the gambling dens. A 'greener' un-
less he is IL fool, never enters II gamb-
ling hell, because he knows he will be
tieeced ont of everything he possesses
in less than fifteen minutes He has
learned somewhere else before he sets
foot inside OF such Il place. When he
has played i'll the parlor.in the social
game OF the home, and has become
proficient enough to win prizes
among his friends, then the next step
with him is to seek out the gambling
| room, for he has learned and counts
upon his efficiency to hold his own.
! The saloon men and gamblers chuckle
and smile when they read in the pa
pers OF the parlor games given by the
ladies, for they know that after II
while those same men will become
patrons of their business. say, then
the parlor game is the college where
| gamblers are made and educated. IN
the name OF God, men, stop this bus
mess i'll your homes Burn up your
deck and wash your hands.
''The other day | overheard two
ladies talking on the street. One said
1 am going to have n card party ,ant
am going to the store to bug u pack
of cards. Which are the best kind tC
get? The other replied: Get th'
Angel Card. 1t has an angel on th'
back
''Think, said he, "of dragging th'
pure angels of Heaven into this infer
nal business.
After he had taken his seat anothe
converted ex-gambler, who led TIN
men $ meeting i'll the Second Presby
terian Church the following Sabbath
arose and said: Il endorse every wore
which the brother before me has jus
uttered. | was Il gambler. | learned
to play cards, not in the saloon, no
i'll my own home, but in the homes q
my young friends, who invited me t.
play with them and taught me how.