Thermometer of the different Stages of a Gambling Life. seen them apparently prosperous, he becomes anxious to do as well as any of them, let the means or consequences be as they may, and makes every exertion to keep even with them, flinging conscience, laws of God and man, and every thing else, to the winds; and here, then, is the stage at which there is but a step between him and hopeless infamy. 34. When he is made fully acquainted with all the mysteries of the villains of this class, he has learned to do every thing in the trick line; for having become thoroughly attached to this reckless band, they take pains to initiate him into a knowledge of all their deceptive practices; and they will conduct it in such a manner as to destroy any good feeling that may still linger in his bosom, and by this means he becomes completely prepared for entering upon the next dark stage in his career of crime. 35. When the youth reaches this number, he is then a regular graduate in every branch but one, and that is the picking of pockets, or things of the like sort. This branch, however, will be introduced to him but seldom, and with extreme caution; for though many of his associates may be adepts in this sort of villany, they will be exceedingly careful to keep it to themselves; and here he is every day liable to be arrested, with them, by the strong arm of the law, and to find out, when it is too late, that he has to take "pot luck" with those who (unknown to him) have been guilty of crimes or misdemeanors that will send them to the gloomy walls of the state's prison. 36. When he is fortunate enough to reach this number unharmed, and has become fairly awake to the peril of his position, has he sufficient courage to retrace his steps Thermometer of the different Stages of a Gambling Life. Alas! it is the - to break the connection forever? fewest number that have. On the contrary, when he is brought to this number, his feelings have been so prepared and accommodated to it, that he will probably take hold as eagerly as those who have brought him to it. But if he has sufficient self-respect left to resist the temptation, and tear himself away from this band of desperadoes, he is then cast upon the world to find out, as well as he can, where he shall perch next. 37. When he finds that he is bound to leave this band of villains, and finds no resting-place elsewhere, (not being willing to return to the paths of virtue and honor,) he falls into the hands of number third rate gamblers. They are composed of men of different grades, from the reprieved culprit to the young man that we have brought up to this degree. Their principal games are roulette, rolling faro, chucker-luck, fighting, and almost every description of low-bred villany; for when men have arrived at this stage, they are prepared to do almost any thing for money. 38. He now finds himself identified with a class who are so habituated to, and hardened in, villany of almost every sort, that their real character can no longer be concealed by any kind of artifice, but is as strongly depicted in their very countenances, as was the curse of the Almighty on the brow of Cain; so that, by their very aspect, with its invariable accompaniment, (the most impious profanity,) the most superficial observer is in no danger of mistaking them. So unmistakable is. the mark, that their real character is as readily known by it, as if the inscription were literally branded on their forehead, BEWARE! LOOK TO YOUR POCKETS; I AM A SWIN DLING GAMBLER. Thermometer of the different Stages of a Gambling Life. 39. When he becomes convinced that this band of villains (the same as number 4) are the very ones that must inevitably ruin him, if he continues among them, and under this conviction, he soars to number 2. This class is composed of low, narrow-minded, self-conceited fellows, who are generally men that are depraved enough to do any thing, and would have become identified with number 3 or 4, but were wanting in that desperate kind of bravery that this class is bound to have to sustain them. And this is the reason why they moved on to number 2, as they had no chance to retrograde; for the classes before he arrived at number 4 would not have received him. This class remains in this position until they are so cultivated as to be prepared to be admitted into class number 1; where they remain so long as they can make a living, and when they fail to do so, they sink to rise no more. 40. This degree is not reached by one in five thousand that start out in this course; for there are so many intermediate stages for the youth either to be ruined or be satisfied, that they scarcely ever have energy enough to bear them up to reach this stage of rascality, as the labor to arrive at this point is great, and the position that men have to take to sustain themselves in this number is exceedingly difficult to be commanded. Their chief dependence, however, is their money, and this they acquire by their desperate and deceptive practices. When they arrive at this stage, you will see men courting their favor the same as if they were lords; and ask those who thus cringe to them, who these men are, and their answer will be, that they are gentlemen faro dealers; and they will then state the different qualities of these men, and that this particular one is the only bad one they have among Thermometer of the different Stages of a Gambling Life. them; when all the time they do not take into consideration that the one who thus speaks is himself a villain of the deepest dye, and a graduate in the school of dissipation and swindling. Dissipation, let it be remembered, almost invariably follows close on the heels of the gambler, and does not forsake him either in prosperity or adversity; and when number 1 is in all his splendor, and feels as if all the world were at his command, the first thing he knows, he will be seized by the strong arm of adversity, and dashed against the rocks of ruin- total, irreparable ruin! Some, perhaps, will suppose that what I have called number 1 gamblers will more frequently become reformed than any others. This I will admit; but then let us see who those reformed persons are. Some may probably think that they are the regular, thorough-bred gamblers- those who have taken those forty degrees of depravity and moral degradation that I have described. But let me inform you, that whenever you see a reformation from the class of number 1, 2, 3, or 4, you will see death staring them in the face; and when they see that, they are bound to yield up their villany, and grasp after that which they have tried to keep down by their villanies. that is, a peaceful, self-approving conscience. Those of class number 1, who do reform coolly and deliberately, are those unfortunate men of respectability, that have been decoyed into this course of life by their deceptive friends, and having in this way become votaries of this dreadful vice, have lost their all. And when they become thoroughly convinced that they have been duped by these villains, they see no other way of escape but to abandon their society forthwith and forever, and attach themselves to some class of people that will sympathize Card Manufactories. with and sustain them. These are the persons of this class, that voluntarily reform; and as they have been thrown into the class number 1 by the pretended love of some of their enemies, they get the name of faro dealers, gamblers, blacklegs, &c. This class has not been satisfied with ruining these persons by the winning of their money, but endeavor to brand them, forever, with the detestable character which they themselves sustain. I will here remark, that during my experience, in this desperate business, of twelve years, these are the different degrees through which I was carried, and was witness to the same being the fate of all thorough-bred gamblers. And I will also remark, that in that time I never knew five that reformed, unless in such cases as spoken of in the 40th stage. CARD MANUFACTORIES. There is, probably, no country in which this business is carried on more extensively than in the United States; and we may safely say that there is no branch of business to which human industry is applied, that is more dishonorable in its nature, and more injurious in its tendencies and consequences. The profits arising from it are immense; and this is the great inducement for many to engage in it, notwithstanding the odium that is so frequently attached to it. But what must be the feelings of a man who thus contributes to that vice— the vice of card-playing — which (I am satisfied from my own observation) is productive of more mischief to the coun |