Gambling-we mean not simply the kind known and acknowleged on all hands to be wrong, but gambling, such as is openly practiced in our public streets, our business marts, our stores and our shops, where men strive continually to get possession of that for which they make no return either in money or labor; strive to live by their shrewdness and wit at the expense of some one else. Why we verily believe if some person -kind-hearted and simple-who did not know it would ruin him, would come amongst us and advertise that he would give to any person in consideration of the payment of one dollar a chance to obtain any article from among a stock of goods worth from $1 to $50 a piece, that many of our best citizens would see no wrong in taking the poor fellow's merchandise at such ruinous rates. And yet what would they be doing but engageing in a game of chance, and that by the authority of "Webster unabridged," we pronounce gambling. Men league together in companies and call themselves "Stock Companies." They buy up a certain kind of stock, and by dint of cunning management and financiering, they create a "run" for it, under the impression on the part of the people, that the stock will be permanently valuable, and then they sell it off at greatly advanced prices. Now what have they done? They have played a game of chance with thousands of dollars for the stake, and a foolish community for the one party to the game, and they are gamblers. Then we have "Gift Establishments" where they generously give away valuable gifts as a thank offering to you for having purchased something from them, at the regular price. These men go beyond all others in their liberality, and are certainly to be commended for their generous spirit of enterprise and great business tact. But let us lift the curtain a little, and see how this thing is managed, and perhaps we can understand the motive that prompts to this great generosity on the part of these very honorable business men. If we were speaking of that narrow hearted class of business men who do not give gifts, we would assume at once the average profit on their merchandise to be 333 per cent.; but these enterprising firms are not old fogyish enough to buy their goods in the regular way-in nearly every instance their stocks are composed of auction goods, and on stock of this kind the profit is vastly more, averaging nearly one hundred per cent. At this rate they make a profit upon every dollar they receive of one-half, or fifty cents. But allow that they do, how can they afford to give a gift along with each sale, valued at from one to fifty dollars? They tell you they can do it because they purchase vast quantities of jewelry and get it cheap, and selling an "immense" amount of goods, they can easily be content with small profits. So they say. Now let us see what the factory price list will tell us, as to the value of their gifts. We quote from the circular or price list of the "Hubbard Brothers," and others, who, "invite the special attention of the speculating community in general, and supply by "special contract gift enterprises, auction sales, Indian trading establishments, and the like." Chains average about $9 per doz., some as low as $3 per dozen; finger rings as low as $1.25 per dozen-average assorted about $5 per dozen; bosom studs, $1 per gross, or 8 cents per dozen; sleeve buttons $1 per dozen-average cost about $3 per dozen; Ladies' sets, pin and earrings, $4.50 per dozen-average assorted about $15 per dozen ;" and in this ratio throughout the entire assortment of the various styles of jewelry. They state to persons wishing to buy for gift enterprises, that "for $25, cash in hand, we will send the following goods, numbering over three hundred peices, at an average cost of 8 cents a piece," and then they enumerate the different articles, which it is not necessary for us to do in this article. We have extracted sufficient from these precious circulars issued from the fountain heads of this iniquity, whose boast it is that their "goods are well calculated to deceive even the most expert judges," to show the character and value of the gifts bestowed in these places. With this light, we can see how it is that these men can be so generous. Their valuable gifts average them in cost, 8 cents a piece, and yet, notwithstanding this immense outlay, they give to each customer a gift along with his purchase, which they tell him, with the most unblushing impudence, is worth one, two, three, or fifty dollars, as it may suit their easily arranged consciences to declare, or the gullibility of their customer to believe. That this manner of doing business is pernicious and degrading, can scarcely be doubted. It is founded upon a lie, and maintained by deception and trickery; but it could not exist for a single year, were it not for the prevalence of that spirit to which we have already alluded -the spirit of gambling. We are so prone to try "our luck" just once; so ready in invent excuses for ourselves, in order to justify or excuse a wrong action; we were curious to know how the thing was done; we needed the article we purchased from the gift store at any rate, and we just happened to think of its purchase as we were passing such a place; in this way we excuse one or two transactions of this kind, while our judgment and conscience condemn the affair as wicked and devilish, yet we have aided in maintaining them by every cent we pass into their hands. We have said that these places are founded upon a lie, and so they are, from the greatest to the least; from Evans' original gift book store to the meanest concern in a country village. All of these profess to give gifts of valuable jewelry, and in no single instance has the thing given, anything near the value they place upon it. In many cases it is almost without any value. Is that speaking the truth, or is it 1- prevaricating? These shops are degrading, because, among other reasons, they tend to demoralize every community in which they are located, by fostering the spirit of gambling. The young of both sexes are especially exposed to their baneful influences and temptations. Here they suppose they have the opportunity of getting, for a mere trifle, some much coveted piece of jewelry, and they will try again and again with the hope of ultimately succeeding. The peculiar fascination which attends gambling is well known to everybody, if not practically, at least theoretically; and it is this spell which induces persons to spend money at such places as these, which should be devoted to other and better purposes. These shops are pernicious also, in that they call in question the honesty of every dealer who will not follow their lead and give gifts to his customers. Men will argue that if these gift stores can sell their wares at the same prices that those do who do not give gifts, then the parties re fusing to present their patrons with a gift, said to be worth more than the amount of the entire purchase, must of necessity be making enormous and dishonest profits. In every sense and under any aspect these places are wicked and condemnable, and it is a great pity they cannot be hooted from the land. The cultivation of a sound public sentiment in regard to matters such as these, is one of the first steps to be taken towards their abolition; for all laws are inoperative which go before the general sentiment of the community they are to regulate or govern. It is incumbent therefore upon every christian to see to it, that the whole force of his influence is brought to bear against everything of this kind, and both by word and deed to labor for the enlightenment of all upon these questions, bearing as they do, upon the well being of the entire community. Men are not distinct and isolated beings in this world, independent of each other like separate grains of sand in a vast heap, but each individual in society, or the world, is a part of an organic and united wholea portion of the great human race, like the hand is a portion of the body, or the branch a portion of the tree. It is this fact which makes anything injurious to one man, or one class of men, an injury to some extent to the whole community in which the wrong is perpetrated. We see this truth illustrated around us in every direction, and in numberless ways. In our own country men live safer, and the rights of person and property are more secure, because of the prevalence of christianity, altho' the majority of the people may not be sincerely pious. Yet the very fact that christianity is publicly and generally acknowledged to be true, does good (we speak of things temporal,) to the rankest infidel in the land, in that it surrounds him with influences and laws calculated to check and destroy ultimately all evil doing and violence. It is just so with anything evil. Whenever anything essentially evil or wroug is allowed to locate itself, no matter what its pretended character, whether it be in the guise of a lottery for the benefit of a church, a horse racing agricultural exhibition, a faro bank, a gift establishment, or any such thing, it will spread broadcast throughout the community the seeds of evil and sin, which years of patient toil, on the part of honest men, cannot root out or destroy. Aside from all considerations of man's duty to God, the obligations he is under to protect himself and his fellows, ought to be sufficient to make every one earnest in his efforts to suppress wrong doing, in whatever shape it presents itself-no matter how plausible its character or praiseworthy its pretended end. MUSIC. The refinement of female character is greatly augmented by the knowledge and practice of music. Byron says: "There's music in the sighing of a reed, There's music in all things, if men had ears." THE CHILDREN'S HOUR. BY H. W. LONGFELLOW. Between the dark and the daylight, When the night is beginning to lower, Comes a pause in the day's occupations That is know as the Children's Hour. I hear in the chamber above me The sound of a door that is opened, From my study I see in the lamplight, A whisper and then a silence; Yet I know by their merry eyes, They are plotting and planning together To take me by surprise. A sudden rush from the stairway, A sudden raid from the hall! By three doors left unguarded, They climb up into my turret O'er the arms and back of my chair; If I try to escape they surround me; They seem to be everywhere. They almost devour me with kisses, In his Mouse-tower on the Rhine! Do you think, O blue eyed banditti, Is not a match for you all? I have you fast in my fortress, And there I will keep you forever, Till the walls shall crumble to ruin, A great deal is said of the faithlessness of the present age. The aged tell us that men are not as true and trustworthy as they used to be. It is said that their word and obligations are more lightly esteemed by most of men, than formerly. We hear more frequently the expression of astonishment: "Who can be trusted ?" That there is much truth underlying this discouraging estimate of society and men, who can doubt ? We hear of it every day from abroad -and see it every day at home. Public official trusts are betrayed; private obligations are disregarded. In public life men seek positions of power and influence that they may enrich themselves by appropriat ing the sacred trusts which they were set to guard. In private business life cunning has in many cases taken the place of honesty; and the boldest frauds are planned and executed without shame. Meanwhile the administration of law is either lame, or performed with respect of persons; and, as a consequence, its solemn requirements are not regarded, nor its penalties feared. Nor has public opinion the power of making crime odious. Such as should be in the penitentiary, move in the first circles; and such as should wear the blush of dishonesty, and the shame of crime, with bold and open face awe the community into silent toleration. In a word, men are no more reliable-promises are not kept-obligations are not remembered as they have been and should be. Where lies the cause? Why can man so little rely on man? Why are men so loosely bound to each other? Why are solemn promises so easily broken? and sacred trusts so often betrayed? The answer is ready: As men break loose from God, they break loose from one another. The man that is not true to God, cannot be true to his fellow man. He that can lay aside his obligations to God, will find no trouble with his duty to men. Shall he who does not fear God regard man? Shut out the sun that shines down, and he will no longer reflect his rays from surfaces of earth; and so shut out the sense of responsibility to God, and duty to man will be a mere name. Put out the light, and the way is open for deeds of darkness! Knowing the source of evil, we can easily find the cure. Let men keep their vows to God, and they will keep their promises to men. Those whom God finds reliable, will be found reliable by man. Let law makers feel that they act and vote before the face of God-let executors of law feel that they are the ministers of God to act for Him-let those who hold trusts feel that an eye from above is on them--let men deal, and do business, and make promises, in the fear of God, and in view of a day of reckoning-let a deep, clear, constant consciousness of accountability to a higher power, and a higher world, pervade again all hearts, and confidence, honesty, and reliableness will resume their places among en. |