Year: 1867

4
room where he had glorious time with
his friends He liked billiards 1t was
healthy, pretty game and the keeper
OF the place allowed no nonsense upon
the premises.


They had played four games. Albert
had won two, and his opponent had also
won two.


'That's two and two," cried Tom Pi-
per.


What dye say to one more 2"


"Al rlght-go on" replied Albert,
full of animation


So they played the fifth game, and he
who lost was to pay for the five games
1t was an exciting contest; both made
capital strokes but in the end Albert
was beaten by three points; and, with a
light laugh, be went up to sottle the bill.
Five games-twenty five cents game
dollar and quarter. Not much that
for such sport; and he paid the money
with good grace, never once seeming to
feel that he couldn't afford it.


"Have cigar ?" said Tom.
eyes"


They lighted their cigars, and then
sauntered to another room to watch other
players.


By,and by, Albert found himself seat
ed over against table at which some of
his friends were playing and close by
him stood two gentlemen-both strangers
to him-one of whom was explaining to
the other the mysteries of the game.


"It is healthy pastime," +" said he who
had been making the explanation, "and
certainly it is one which can have no evil
tendency"


Albert heard the remarks very plainly,
and he had curiosity to hear what the
other, who seemed unacquainted with bill
lizards, would say.


81 cannot, of course, assert that any
game which calls for skill and judgment,
and which is free from the attendant
curse of gaming, is of itself an evil" re-
marked the second gentleman. "Such
things are only evils in so far as they ex-
cite and stimulate men beyond the bounds
of healthful recreation"


"That result can hardly follow such
game" said the first speaker.


But the other shook his head.


"You are wrong there. The result
can follow in two ways. First, it can lead
men away from their business and Sc
cond, it can lead men to spend money
who have not that money to spare. You
will understand me. | would not cry
down the game of billiards for if un-
dersstood it, should certainly try you
game now but whenever | visit a place
of this kind, am led to reflect upon
strange and prominent weakness of hu-
man nature as Developed in our sex
For instance, observe that young man who
is just now settling his score. He looks
like clerk and | should say from his
manner, and from the fact he feels it his du-
ty to go home at this hour, he has a wife
aud children. / see by his face that he
is kind hearted and generous. and I
should judge that he meant to do about
as near right as he can. He has been
beaten, and he pays dollar or SO for the
recreation of some two hours duration.
If you observe, you will see that he pays
it freely, and pockets the loss with smile
Happy faculty But how do you sup
pose it is in that young mans home p
Suppose his wife had come to him this
morning and asking him for few dimes
to spend for some trihiDg thing-some
household ornament, or some bit of jew
elry for the ornament of her person-and
suppose the little child should put in the
plea for dime or two to buy dolls and
picture books with, what would have been
the result? What do you think he would
have answered ? Or fifty men just like
him, would not five and forty have de-
clared that they had not the money to
spare for any such purpose ? And, more
over, they would have said so, feeling
that they were telling the truth. Am
not right 2"


"Upon my SOUL" responded the man
who understood billiards, ''you speak to
the point All it is well for such wives
and children that they do not know
where all the money goes p'


The game was finished the two gen.
tlemen moved on and Albert Landman
arose from his seat and left the place
Never before had he had just such
thoughts as now possessed him. lie had
never dwelt upon the same grouping OF
ideas. That very morning his own true,
Ialthlul, loving VIE hau oeeh sdu anu
heart-sick because he had harshly and un-
kindly met her request for small sum
of money And his sweet Lizzie had
crept away to her home almost broken
hearted for the want of simple toy such
as her mates possessed. And yet the
sum of his little ones wants amounted to
not as much as he had paid away that
evening for billiard playing.


Albert I4audman wanted to be an hon.
est husband and father, and the lesson
was not lost upon him On his way home
he stopped at Mr.. Grants and purchased
the best and prettiest hoop to be found,
with driving stick painted red and white
and blue aud in the morning when he
beheld his child'S delight, aud had receiv-


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