bling leads to a long train of crimes. In
addition to his crime of theft the professional gambler, through passion
or drink, becomes a murderer. I knew a professional gambler who killed
a man, with whom he had been playing cards for money, for fifty cents.
After it was all over the man was sorry he had done it, for he had
committed the crime in a passion while he was intoxicated. The one who
speculates on the markets is not counted dishonest by the world, but how
often and how quickly it leads one into crime! In our neighboring town
in Illinois a man of a good family and of good standing in the community
began to speculate on the Chicago Board of Trade. He was as honest a
person, perhaps, as you or I. He thought he was. For years he had been
a trusted, Christian worker, and treasurer of the Sunday-school. But he
made just one venture too many. He had lost all; could not even replace
the Sunday-school fund that he had simply used, no doubt expecting to
replace it with usury; but the loss and disgrace were too much for him
to face, so he deserted home and friends and honor and all, and secretly
ran away. The speculating gambler became a deserting embezzler. The
person who has acquired a passion for betting on races and games is on a
fair way to professional gambling and to speculating on the markets. And
rarely does one ever escape these, if once he gets a start in them.

The evil of society gambling is most dangerous of all, because it is
most subtle of all. Ah first no one would suspect an innocent game of
cards, played just for fun. You may be the fourth one to make up a game;
you may not know how to play, but you are told you can quickly learn.
You brave it, and go in for a game. The next time a similar circumstance
arises, you can not easily decline, for you must confess you have
played, and so you go in as an old player. This may be as far as the
matter ever goes with you. But here is one who is more impulsive than
you; his surroundings are entirely different. He learns to play, and
comes to revel in it. A passion is created for the game. He is shrewd;
soon learns the tricks, and one evening--purely by chance, as it seems
to him--he wins his first five dollars. Strange possibilities with
cards lay hold upon him. He is consumed by that passion. He plays for
business, for keeps; he has become a professional gambler. Ah! this is
no finespun tale; it is being worked out every year in our country, all
over the world. Amon