New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-01-03


retrieve. Gambling is scarcely looked upon as
i vice in Spain, and young selano saw nothing
| unusual or blameable in the Counts INDUCING
in his afternoons .fHego. or in his losing his
| money if it SO pleased him, and If he thought an
hour or two's excitement worth the large sums
which it usually cost him. Indeed the eireum.
stance Of their visits to the gaming room APP
peared e him 50 unimportant that it never oc
CURED to him to mention it to his father or sis
ter and they on their part never dreamed Of in
qniring in what way the young men passed tile
few hours Of the day during which they ali
sented themselves from their society
The monte table which Valleia was in the
habit of frequenting, was situated on the third
floor OF house in a narrow street leading ou
of the Gale Alcala, within two or three hun
=drea yards of the Casa Solano. Among the
persons to be met there were many of the rich
est and highest i'll Madrid: generals and min
listers, counts and marqueses, and even grandees
Of Spain, were in the habit Of repairing thither
to while away the long winter evenings, on the
sultriness of the summer day; and the play
was proportionate to the high rank and great
opulence Of most Of the players The bank
was held, as is customary in Spain. by the per-
son who offered to put in the largest sum, the
| keeper Of the room being remunerated by cer-
tain tax upon the cards; a tax which, in this
instance, was a heavy one, in order to compen-
safe for the luxury displayed in the decoration
and arrangements Of the establishment. The
three rooms were fitted up i'll the most costly
| manner; the walls lined with magnificent pier
glasses, the floor covered in winter with rich
carper. and in summer with the finest India
mating, the furniture was of the newest
| French fashion. Splendid chandeliers hung
| from the ceiling; musical clocks stood upon the
side tables the gilt balconies were filled with
| the rarest exotics and towering plants. Two of
the rooms were devoted to play; in the third.
ices and refreshments awaited the parchcd
| Threats Of the teyerish gamblers.
| Qna searching June afternoon, about month
| after Vallejo arrived at Madrid, the Mexican
| and Rafael left Don lose's dwelling, and bent
| their steps in the usual direction. While as
| eendlng the well-worn stairs Of the gaming
house, young Solano could not forbear address
ing remonstranee TO his friend on the subject
of his losses. Although the Count perfect com
mand over himself and his countenance made it
very difficult for so young and inexperienced a
man as Rafael to judge of what was passing ia
his mind, the latter, nevertheless, thncie,l thai
for three OF four days past there had been a
change IN his demeanor, denoting uneasiness and
| anxiety. 1t was not that he was tluler or more
silent on the contrary, his conversation was,
perhaps more brilliant and varied his laueh
louder and more frequent than usual; but there
was hollowness in the laugh, and strained
tone ~ the conversation. as it he We're compel
ling himself to be gay, in order to drive away
painful thoughts ~ intoxicating himself with
many words and forced merriment Rafael At
tributed this to the annoyance caused BY his
heavy losses, and now urged him to discontinue
his visits to tile monte table, at least for time
or until his luck became better The Count met
the suggestion with smile.
My dear Rafael cried he gaily, you sure
lv do hot suppose that the loss Of u few miscr-
able ounces would be sufficient to annoy me for
moment As TO abandoning play, we should
be puzzled then to pass the idle hour or two fol-
lowing the siesta Besides that, it amuses me.
But do not make yourself uneasy; | shall do my
self 10 harm, and, moreover, intend this very
day to win back all my losings. | feel III the
vein y
q heartily hope you may do as you intent,"
said Ratael laughing, quite treasured by lis
friends careless manner; and, as he uttered the
words, the Count pushed open the door and they
entered the monte-room
The game was already in fill activity anu tic
play very high the table strewed with the snowy
Spanish cards, on which, instead Of the spades
and diamonds familiar TO most European card
players, suns and vases. sabres and horses were
depicted iii various and brilliant colors. An Of
fcer of the royal guard and dry, snuffy old
marquis held the bank which had been very
successful. Large piles Of ounces, and of four
ana eight dollar pieces, were Oh the green CLOTH
before them, rs we'll as a roll Of paper nearly
treble the value Of the specie Twenty or thirty
players were congreg@tea round tile table, while
u few unlOrtunates, whose pockets had already
been emptiel, We're solaeing themselves with
their segars, and occasionally inanlain@ in an
oath or impatient stamp OF the foot when they
saw a card come up which they would certainly
have backed had they had Nancy 50 to DO AWo
Or three oilers were sttngon the low sls Of tile
long french windows, reading newspapers and
enjoying the fragrance Of the flowers; protected
from the reflected glare of the opposite houses,
on which the sun was lartin4 its rays, by AVA
ings of striped linen that tell from above the
windows, and hung over Tic outside Of the sIu5ll
semi-circular balconies
Alter standing iol. few lninntes Mt the table,
and stalking douhEoon which he Instantly lost.
Rafael Solano took up paper, alrl threw HIM
self INTO an arm chair, while Eallejn remained
Watching with keen attention. the yitfionS lIuc-
tuations Of tile cards, For some time he lilndt
Join III the game, rather to the astonshmclft If
the players who We're accustomed TO see lin
stake his money, as soon Us he entered the rodlt
with an unhesitating boltlresS aud centi,Ieuee
Hall IN hour passed III this manner, and lie
presence Of Nalleia WAS beginning 70 be forgot
ten, when he suddenly drew i heavy rouleau q
gold from his pocket, and placed it upon earf
Inc game went on; Vallejo lost, and with his
usual sang.froi1 saw his stake thrown into th0
bank Another followed, and Il third, ana a
fourth In four coUpS he had lost three thou.
SAINT dollars. Still not a sign ot excitement on
dlscomposure appeareau upon the handsome eoun-
tenance Of the Mexican only in officer who was
standing by him, observed tlat n pack Of tie
thin Spanish cards, which lie had been holding |
III his hands, fell to the ground, torn completely
III halt BY one violent wrench
The four high stakes, 50 hply played ana s,
rapdly LOST, risetcd the observation OF the gam
blels upon Nalleja.s proccedillgs Every bedY +
crowded round the tuhe, md even die slight /
buzz Of conversation that had before been heard +
totally ceased, His attention ATTRACTED by this T
sudtlen stiffness, Rafael rose from his chair ail [
joined his friend 4 glance at tie increased [
Wealth OF the bank, and the engerness with I
which all seemed TO h. awaiting Nalleil,s moYe,
mentss made him conjecture whatha occurred /
- gu have lost, said he to the Count. ami
heavily. fear. Come. that viii do for to-day /
Let us go"
g Psha = replied the Mexican; n mere rifle.
which You shall see me win h3els, Anal tAr8. /
turning to the bunker. who was inst commencing
/ deal:
coPo,. said he, :. the kim against the ace =
fur the nninitiatea in tile mysteries ii monte.
t may be necessary to state taaf, Ia nttering
hese words, YalIGi4 boun, ilinlsalI il. an ace
,ane up before king, TO pay an elual amount
q that IN the bank, as well rs the winnings d
hose who had backed the ace IT, on the 6ther
lanl, the king won, the whole capital Of the
'ank was 4is, as we'll as the stakes Of those who.
yet against him.
,FY{ 1