The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1914-06-25
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TIE CROSS AND THE DICE BOX.

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THE CROSS AND THE DICE BOX.
Text when they had crucified him
they parted his garment among them.
casting lots. Matt. xvii, IS
The death of Jesus was the greatest
tragedy of human history. 1t was the
crUwning crime of centuries. About
the cross was little group of disci-
pies. a sad remnant of the little band
that had followed him for three years,
How helpless against the Syrian sky
hung the qnivering form of the man
they loved. There was also the crowd
gazing with strange fascination. And
there was the Roman guard. stoiid.
impressive. untouched. Graduates IT
the battlefield. Il little suffering. more
or less. mattered nothing to them. The
clothes of the dying man belonged to
the guard. The seamless robe could
not be divided. A braZen helmet is
taken from Il soldiers head. the ready
dice shaken. The uptnrned numbers
decide the destiny of the garment. The
air is thick with curses and siluddering
with dying gr0ans. The earth is shiv-.
ering with sympathy. and the dice are
rafting. Gambling is at it's worst
over the garment of the worlds dying
Redeemer. At it's best the throw Of
the dice wronged no man. Christ was
now through with the garment. Gam
bling is not always so considerate. 1t
usually wrongs both living and dying
Knights of the green cloth at the last
sit in'' with death and lose the big
gest stake of all
The Devils Broth.
The essence of gambling is getting
something without giving IN equiva-
lent. Often done respectfully. some who
would not eat the devils meat would
drink his broth. Take our English
cousins. Horatin Nelson. the victor Of
Trafalgar. had II brother. who had Il
nephew. who had Il son. who is the
present Lord Nelson. who has received
S25.OOo Il year for sixty-seven years.
$2,1CO.0OO: For what: Because he
had a father. who had an uncle. who
had a brother. named HOratio Nelson
Here is Yankee case that makes
votes for socialism: Old Great grand
father Se-and-sO made Il fortune by
industry and shrewdness as mer-
chAnt. which was victory over raw
conditions in new world. He bought
up farm after farm in the immediate
outskirts Of a growing city. and. letting
the city grow up around his land. he
, refused to sell it or improve it. He
rented it 10 people who had to have it,
They built ON it. At the end of their
leases he took both land and buildings
and relet for greatly increased rent
ais. and so on nd in6nitum. all down
through the generations. Today one
Of Ills descendants lives like prince
in London. having turned in disgust
from this low bred country. unfortu-
nately his natives land OF course he
wasa't responsible for that untoward
feature; 1t was the accident of birth
The DEVILS Meat.
Get princely revenue. you are to be
congratulated. Get something for moth,
ing at faro. and you are a low down
gambler. not tit for people like the
privileged class to associate with. In
our town the police are threatening
.'fireside gamblers" Who are they:
Women at whose bones card clubs
meet several times week. They al
ways play for stakes. The hostess
gets a rakeoff. Recently one woman
had to threaten another with arrest
for tilching her diamond ring. Domes
tic discord has followed these reveal
| tons. Husbands have wondered al
| sharp increase in household expenses
| Others have wondered ut the generos
| lty of before unknown "aunts' who
have been sending wiley nice sums
afterward blown in at fashionable res
taurants. Even in homes where gam
bling is discountenancel there is fire.
quently seen Il mysterious transfer OF
money ut the end of the game without
| protest from the hostess is it any
wonder their sons bet at the football
games and their nephews in the base
ball pool ut the corner cigar store? Is
it any wonder that the chief of police
of any city will tell you that there is
always forgery. theft. embezzlement
poverty. prison or suicide in wake oi
| gambling families? Gambling is the
witchcraft of crime Sensuality leaves
physical recoil. drink ut certain
points produces nausea and loathing
drugs produce insensibility, but tn,
gambling fever never cools.
The Game Of Chance.
Beware Of the gambling spirit No
tice how advertisers appea! to it, Reat
the free" ads. in the cheap newspa
per or magazine At the door of !:
San Francisco gambling joint heard /:
victim say. "You can't beat the gambler
ut his own game!" Surely not. That.
Ills business How could he own hi
place If his patrons won? Game o
chance? No. Stree. The odds are al
against you. Gambling is Il business
Cards are stacked. dice are loaded
wheels manipulated Yes they let til,
"greenie" win mt first. and the victim
once in awhile. because that's thei
bait. The winner comes back mex
night or next week. and the house get
it back and some more Don't bet o
| gamble Every game should be playet
/ for sports sake Even if you win
is Il sc,lrvy way to make II dollar 70,
get the other fellows money for moth
ing. He may not he able TO afford il
1t belongs to his wife and children I
may mean prison for him some day
! II Ion1,. ro,y In r., I,0A ,r