Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-10-18
GAMBLING AT WIEsBADEN.

MS letters TO the N. I. observer, from
Germany, gives a sketch of Wiesbaden,
the celebrated watering place, including
tho following account OF the Kursasl, one
of the greatest gambling establishments
on the Continent
"And now, let US drop in at the Kur-
saal, long and imposing building ON one
side Of the square. which colOnades line
the other two sides with all manner Of
shops for the display of fancy articles for
sale. This Kursaal is the temple Of Wi
esbaden, the greatest gambling house OF
Germany, and having something OF "A ma
tiOnal establishment character about it,
With that strange, but very common fall
lacy by which governments as we'll as in
dlviduals often deceive themselves into
the belief. that what cannot be prevented
must be licensed in order TO regulate it,
Tho so~ornment sells license 20 a com
Psny to set up gambling tables here, and
handsome revenue is secured to the
Grand Duke by the operation. The COM
pany pay to the government about $25.-
600 year for the license, and besides
this they are obliged TO lay out large
sum in keeping the houses and grounds
in order. Will you walk in 90
"What, into a gambling house ?"
"Why everybody seems to be going
in, and it is now about time to dine this
is the great eating house of the place"
Well let us 80 in and sec WhaL is going
on. In the dining-rOom. or if you prefer
to eat under the shade Of the trees be-
hind, you may order a dinner of dozen
different dishes. which would cost you
about as many pence rs you would pay
Of shillings for such dinner in London.
These two magnificent saloons are
twice week the scene Of gay balls, where
princes, mobiles and commons mingle in the
merriest dances in which the Germans
ever engage, with sprinklinS of French
and English, with titles and Without
But now these halls are silent, although
hundreds Of men and women are in them.
They are all crowded around Is large ta-
bic, one in the centre of each room. Not
word is heard. On the sofas around
the walls a few liStleSs lounGerS are sit
ting, but the rest are standing at the ta-
bles, while perhaps twenty are scattered.
None may sit down except those who play.
The game is rO"ge et-n0ir. The manager
at the table where we are standing, sits
by wheel, the players place their mo-
ncy, as much rs they please, but not less
than dollar, on whatever number or col
or they chose the wheel is whirled. a
little ball flies out and falls upon a num-
Der ; the manager announces it, and the
fate Of each player is instantly decided
Some have won, some have lost, more OF
the latter than of the former Of course. for
the bank must win in the long run. or it
could not pay the great sum demau ded
for the license, and make fortunes for the
managers besides.
am intensely interested in studying
the game and the company. Here just
in front Of me is gcnteel looking man,
moustache and clear white Skin, rather
too much dressed to be gentleman he
is playing high, but not with silver; he
never lays down less than a Napoleon,
and of,en Eve, and sometimes more OF
them at once. IIo wins every time, and
thrusting out his little wooden scraper,
draws in his double pile and adds it to
the heap at his side. He loses this time;
he plays but a single coin the next, loses
that, and rises at once from his seat and
leaves the house. That 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 doc
triue of chances must be Il 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 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
F., been losing so long the tide must change
You neNe er saw ladies in gambling
house, did you? There are several
around this table. Here is one standing
at my shoulder. pIeadingin an under tone
of voice with an elderly man. who may
be her father, or husband, or. more lik.
than either, her friend, fer fresh supply
of forns, as her purse is empty. He pre-
tends to be absorbed in the game that the
rest are playing, but she is imPortunat'
and he turns she then has his eye, and
looks SO implOringly, that he yields anc
fills her purse. saw her lay down those
florins, two or three of them at a time
huttering like frightened pigeon some
times. revealing her disappointment wher
she lost, and her Joy as clearly when she
won but the tide was against her, and
before she quit the table, the purse wa:
empLied again; and there was no smiling
when she took her old mans arm anc
marched out of the hall as mad as 3
March hare.
--, But l have been watching with more
interest than any of these, woman oi
rare beauty at the corner of the table il