Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1845-12-27

Landgrave, or Sovereign OF Hesse Homberg |
is the proprietor. The lessees of this celebrated
watering place are couple of Frenchmen, who |
have erected the Kuyaai and who are enabled |
by their gains from the gaming table to support
this splendid establishment without any charge
10 visitors:
"As there is q Kursaai, or public house Of the
same kind in all the different watering places OF
the country, particular description Of the Kur-
sual at iomberg will perhaps be worth while.
| will finish my account Of one day at this place,
by describing my evening at the KurSsa.
A carriage avende, thst forms crescent
around an area Of greenswerd, sculptored vnses,
stone sents and the other belongings Of the from
tage to palace. led me from the principal street
Of liombrrg to handsome portico, filled with
servants in livery. One OF these took my cloak.
and walked into the marble vestbule of the
grand mansion of Prince Nothing..o pay. De-
fore me open'd central saloon, with floor of
tesselated and polished wood, and ceiling bril-.
lianily pajnted. The side walls were of scag.
lola and gliding, and the ends were occupied
with the marble columns that supper, galleries,
and back'd beneath the galleries, with immense
mirrors and crimson dvans. Queen Victoria
Lifts her royal eyeds in no handsomrr room
Two or three couples lounged upon the silk
cushions; and lady or two, and their makers.
sgreeable paced up and down beneath the
/ brjgh, lamps bot the crowd was farther Oh.
4 cd ", NO ietf ,rtn linn
ed for lounging, and thence into the extreme
apartment Of the sute-a beautiful saloon, de-
! voted to Rouge CT Noir.
! Here were perhaps fifty or sixty people.
The large table in the centre, covered with
gold and bank notes toward the middle, and
mark'd on the two ends, with the figures
and diagrams OF The game, was surrounded with
chairs, occupied by ladies and gentlemen while,
behind them stood, three deep, the players and
lockers on. The four croupcrs, or directors OF
the game, were seated on higher chairs, near
the money, and, with lcng rakes, hey drew in
the gold and silver saked upon the losing spots
or showed about to the winners, the pieces they
had won. At one corner of the table sat lady
of perha Pc sixty. who had evidently been beau
tiiul, but who, though very elegantly dressed
WAS toothless and tremulous handed. She was
a woman of rank, who had been dame dhon.
nenr to the Empress Louisa, and is said to have
been beloved by Napoleon At this table she
sits from breakfast to dinner, and from dinner Ill!
midnight, gambling during two.thirds of her
waking hours A little beyond her sat the lit
tie Spanish Countcss. whom mentioned in my
last letter, the soft pei'ry Of her moustachc Civ
ing nervous twich whenever the fatal rake
drew ic her money. but, between the stakes
she gossipped gally with her admirers. Next
to one of the croupiers stood the player upon
whom most ofthe attention Of those present was
concentrated-an erect, phlegmatic looking
man in black gloves, before whom, on the table
lay halfa peck Of gold pieces. He played
bv handsfui He would lot three or four
stakes 90 by, then suddenly seize az much gold
as he could clutch, and throw il on number
: II it won he never even looked at the croupier
who counted it TO give him the double Of il. |
he lost, he was quite as Indifferent while It wa:
, hauled away. He seemed well known as des
perate player, and anecdotes of him were circu
. ating freely around. dare not mention th,
enormous sum he is said 10 have lost: but here
and at another watering place, ne has repeated
y 'hroken the bank"-that is, won all the,
could stake for the day. OF course, in the end
he is sure TO lose proportionately.
The most rigid and frigid of the virtuous vii
come to look on at these gambling scenes ant
to me it was very interesting to watch the be
ginners-young ladies especislly, who threw
down a form or two 'fc- fun. The flushed spo
. IN the cheek, while their little pocke,-mone,
t was at stake, was more burning then comes "
for any other game they are likely TO play; ant
there is doubtless most ensaving and diaSoli
cal intensity in this passion beyond that Of al
others. could easily fancy how the iadet
court-dame OF ofNapoleon's time, with her beaut
gone her life burthen, should fly from colde
comfort to mix once more with the world, in
. game where her stake was equal interest witt
that Of the Youngest and fairest. She is one
. those volumes OF the human library, probably
. which the angels, who read us, find curious a
. well as sad,
e There are always, at IA gaming. table, som
n players who have gone into deep calculations c
!. the chances and come to play with what the
o think to be certainty of winning.
t These men are easily distinguished by tn
a harroped meanness Of expressions which III
/ intensity of this passion gives to III. counte