l soon he had lost
what little money he had about him. He became much excited, went to his
state-room and drew out a large package of bills, and returned to the
table, where very soon he had lost twelve hundred dollars. He now came
to the place where he was to leave the steamboat and go to his father;
but he was so intoxicated with the excitement of the gaming table, that
he went on. He played on, and continued to lose. Several of the more
respectable passengers tried to get him away. But the passion for gaming
had taken such possession of his heart, that he was held to the spot,
till his package of five thousand dollars was all in the hands of three
hardened gamblers. Two of them afterwards won from him his watch and his
diamond breast pin, and left him without money enough to buy a meal of
victuals.

About ten days after he left, his mother received a letter from his
father, saying that he had heard nothing from him. She immediately took
her younger son and went in pursuit of him. But, the only intelligence
they could gain concerning him was, that he had been ruined by a company
of gamblers. The father immediately started for New-Orleans, in search
of his son, but hearing nothing from him, he, in despair, took to
drinking, and returned, after two years' absence,--"his frame worn--his
cheek pale--his eyes wild and fevered--his lips parched--his hopes
crushed--his very life only the motion of excitement and passion--his
very soul shattered--his property mortgaged." In a short time he went
again in pursuit of his son, but returned home, heart-broken, and died
of _delirium tremens_, the drunkard's disease. The daughter and the
other son, both became maniacs. Thus was a whole family ruined, in
consequence of the foolish habit of playing cards for amusement. If that
young man had never learned to play cards, he would, in all probability,
have gone on his way, and reached his father in safety, with the money.
And, if he had been firmly principled against playing, his answer, "I
_never play_," would have stopped all solicitation. I travelled on those
Western waters, when I was a young man, at a time when gambling was
carried on every hour of the day, and almost the live-long night; and
yet I was never solicited to play. And why not, as well as this young
man? Because, (1.) I did not know how to play; (2.) I felt a great
aversion to it, and did not hesitate to show it; and (3.) I made myself
known as a _religious man_. These t