FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171  
172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196   >>   >|  
is rather down upon us, and that it ain't the thing. We want your lordship to see it in that light." "I am open to--to--to--a--to conviction," said his lordship; "or, if the word is offensive to any gentleman present, I will say, to argument." "My lord," said MR. DOOBRUS, impressively, "the British turf is a noble and manly recreation, fostered by princes, and encouraging the finest breed of--" "MR.--a--DOOBRUS," interrupted his lordship. "_Mr. Punch's_ time and my own is valuable. Please to keep to the point. Betting-houses have nothing whatever to do with the turf, so suppose we don't talk nonsense. If you can give me any reasons why gambling-shops, that demoralise the rising generation and fill the gaols (with, I am sorry to say, the customers, not the dealers), should not be suppressed, do. But as to talking of the turf, you might as well tell me that St. Paul's is a big church, or, what is a little more to the purpose, that the House of Correction is in Coldbath Fields." "But, my lord, as a racing man, you must know--" "I am not a racing man, MR. DOOBRUS, but I have some race-horses. But once more, leave out of the question that which we have nothing to do with. We are speaking as men of business. It's all very well to cant out of doors about "one law for the rich and another for the poor", and to say that "JACK JONES has as much right to bet his half-crown on _Joe Miller_, as LORD BATTLEAXE has to bet his thousand pounds on _Hydaspes_", but that trash is of no use here. Rich and poor has nothing to do with the matter, except that you do your best to make the rich poor and the poor poorer. But when you take JACK JONES'S half-crown he no more bets on _Joe Miller_ than on the Moon. He knows and cares nothing about _Joe Miller_, but he wants to gamble, and a horse's name does as well for that purpose as anything else. What has JACK JONES to do with the turf, or you either?" "But, my lord," exclaimed all the Deputation, "JACK has a right to gamble." "Let him. But you shall not keep gambling-houses to tempt and ruin him. The law forbids them to the rich, and so it shall to the poor. The Bill will be law this day fortnight. Anything more to say, gentlemen?" The Deputation retired, considerably disgusted, and were understood to have subsequently made particular inquiries as to the cost of passages to Australia. * * * * * THE TEA-TOTAL MOVEMENT. The Tea-totallers--wh
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171  
172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
DOOBRUS
 

Miller

 

lordship

 

gambling

 

gamble

 
Deputation
 
houses
 

purpose

 
racing
 

BATTLEAXE


subsequently

 

understood

 
thousand
 

disgusted

 
considerably
 

Hydaspes

 
pounds
 
MOVEMENT
 

totallers

 

matter


inquiries

 

passages

 

Australia

 

retired

 

forbids

 

exclaimed

 

gentlemen

 

Anything

 

poorer

 

fortnight


valuable

 
Please
 

Betting

 

interrupted

 

reasons

 
nonsense
 

suppose

 
present
 

argument

 
gentleman

offensive
 

conviction

 
impressively
 
British
 

princes

 

encouraging

 
finest
 

fostered

 
recreation
 

Fields