About Betting and Gambling. 9 J 



what you read in the papers ? Read " Digby Grand," that 

 splendid life-picture of Whyte-Melville's, and inwardly 

 digest it ; it is as true as Gospel. Be content to put your 

 sovereign into the lottery on the race-course or back your 

 favourite for a sovereign in the Garrison Steeplechase. 



If you bet and gamble you become the property of 

 scoundrels. I know garrison towns pretty well, and there 

 are always a certain class who have decent houses and keep 

 up outward respectability somewhat, and pass for gentle- 

 men, which they almost are. You never meet these men 

 in society in the county, but they are always hand-in-glove 

 with the officers, and they are always ready for loo, 

 lasquinet, poker, nap, or any other game, and generally 

 have a horse for sale, and not unfrequently are stewards at 

 third-rate race meetings. Xot unfrequently, too, they have 

 a pretty daughter or two who are ready for lunch in the 

 garrison drag. Many of this class are jackals for money- 

 lenders. 



You can convict them of notlnm/, but they never lose. 

 Oh ! if you knew, my boys, how many of your class, some 

 of them old schoolfellows, who have come and told me their 

 sad tale— simply a tale of wholesale credulity on their part, 

 and wholesale robbery by those whom they thought were 

 their friends. " It is impossible," they tell me, " that Major 

 Blank, of the yellows, could have ' rooked ' me ; why, he is 

 a glorious fellow, and I lost ninety pounds to him at poker 

 at a very good fellow's house, Mr. Jollyboy, where we 

 dined." It is no use telling the poor youngster that I know 

 all about Major Blank and Mr. Jollyboy, and the Major is 

 never about with men of his own age and rank, but always 

 with youngsters. Alas ! alas ! it is like the moth in the 

 candle. And nihil ad rem to this subject, why on earth 

 luere moths born to go into candles ? Now, if you must 

 gamble, I will give you a recipe. Sit down a party of six 



