Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-06-16

he plays but single coin the next,
loses that, and rises at once from his
seat and leaves the house. The man
never plays when he thinks luck
is turning against him. The next
one to him on the same side of the
table seems to be fixture. But he
does not play always. His doctrine
of chances must be secret, and he
watches the game as if he could
tell Just when the right time comes
to venture his silver, for he never
risks gold. For an hour he has
made no gains, but he is hoping to
do better, and seems to be very sure
that he will begin to win soon, for
he has been losing so long the tide
must change.
You never saw ladies' in a gam
bling house, did you There are
several around this stable. Here is
one standing at my shoulder, plead
ing in an under tone Of voice with
an elderly man, who may be her
father, or husband, or, more likely
than other, her friend, for fresh
supply of forms, as her purse is emp
ty. lie pretends TO be absorbed
in the game that the rest are
playing, bu, she is impor,u-
nate and he turns: she then has his
eye, and looks SO imp loringly that
he yields and fills her purse. Isaw
her lay down the foriris, tvoar thee
Of them at time. iluii erang like a
frightened pigeon some lines, reveal
ing her Disappointing IN. when she
lost, and her Joy as Gle ,a.iy when she
won but the tide was against her,
and before she quit The table the
purse was emptied sgsin; and there
was no smiling ehen she took the
old mans arm and marched out Of
the hall as mad asa March hare
But have bee 4 watching with more
interest than .ng,ei these, woman
OF rare beau .tY at.ihc. corner of the
table in FRO at. Of me. Five hours
age she wa there; she may have
been o'Lt iisthat time for refresh
ments, but SHE is a ha6itue of this
house. Dressed in rich black silk,
with n neat collar, stomacher and
scarf, she would be taken for lady,
had she .ess jewelry ;.bul those brace
lets, md chains, and charms, are
rather too rich and many for such q
place. No gentleman is here who
seems 10 stand in any relationship to
that splendid creature.
Blu I women will show their feel
lnss, and with all her effort at calm
ness, and indifference, the ,ell-taIe
bloc d asst flies INTO her face. or
PUSHES back 10 the heart, leaving her
white as marble, discloses the strue-
gle that is heaving her bosom. She
has not played for five OF six min
uies her head has rested on her
hand, and her ivory arm as it stands
up there has been glanced at even
by these who seem 10 be engrossee
IN the game. She plays again ane
loses, and now she has placed he
hand on her forehead, as if it ached
II was for a moment only: she re-
covered and instantly threw gu
double her usual stakes and saw
them swept away without Il sigh.--
1t was exciting To see her. lnvolun.
lailly my sympathes were with her
and was wishing she might be the
winner every throw she made. -
who was she ? Nobody, but a.gay,
ruined, wreiched woman: one OF
thousands thronging these watering
places bankrupt in fortune and rep
utation the least of their vices is
gambling, and if The love of money
was the worst Of their passions. they
would be pure, as they are beautiful.
With the dukes and duchesses, the
lords and ladies, the sharpers, black
legs and pedars of all sorts, and
travellers, who resort in summer time
TO these fountains of health and Plea
sure, come these gay women, and as
they roll through the streets in their
splendid carriages, or sail into the
ball room at midnight, you might
mistake them for the greatest ladies
of the land. "Neyer buy book by
the cover" said my Irish coachman
at Dublin, and the advice is quite as
good in Germany.