Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-06-19
DAILY EVENING STAR,
GAMBLING AT w1EsHApEN.

UdAbL1No Al WIESBAOEN
lrenaeus," Rev. s. |. Prime. in hi.
last letter to the n. Y. Observer. from
Germany, gives sketch of Wiesbsden
the celebrated watering place, including
the following account of the Kursaal. one
of the greatest gambling establishments
on the continent: :
And now let us drop in at the Kursaal
long and imposing building on one side
of the square, while colonnades lin,
other two sides with all manner of shops
for the display of fancy articles for sale.
This Kursaal is the temple of Niesbaden
the greatest gambling house of Germany:
and having something of a national estab.
llshment character about it. With that
strange but very common fallacy by
which government as well as individuals
often deceive themselves into the belief
that what cannot be prevented must be
licensed in order to regulate it, the govern.
ment sells a license to q company to set
up gambling tables here, and handsome
revenue is secured to the Grand Duke by
the operation. The company paw to the
government about S25, 900 year for the
license, and besides this they are obliged
to lay out a large sum in keeping the
house and grounds in order. Will YOU
walk in
" What, into gambling house 2"
" Why every body 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 go and see what is going
on. In the dining rooms, or if you pre-
fer to eat under the shade of the great
trees bees behind, you NAV order a
dinner of dozen different dishes, which
would cost you about as many pence as
you would pay of shiliiDgs for such a
dinner in London. These two magnifi-
cent saloons, are twice week the scene
of gay balls, where princes and mobiles
and others mingle in the merriest dances
IN which Germans ever engage, with
sprinkling Of French and English, with
titles and without. But now these halls
are silent though hundreds of men and
women are in them. They are all crowd
ed around large table, one in the CEN
tire of each room. Not a word is heard.
On the sofa around the walls, few list
less loungers are sitting, but the rest are
standing at the tables, while perhaps
twenty are scattered. None may sit down
exceptthose who play. The game is rouge
et-noir. The manager at the table where
we are standing, sits by wheel; the
players place their money, as much as
they please, but not less than dollar,
on whatever number or color they choose;
the wheel is whirled, little ball flies
out and upon number: the manager an
nounces it, and the fate of each player is
decided. Some have won, some
have lost, more of the latter than the for
MGR of course, for the bank must win In
the long run, or it could not pay the great
sum demanded for the license, and make
fortunes for the managers besides. am
interested in studying the game
and the company. Here just in front OF
me is genteel looking man. with red
and clear white skin, rather
too much dressed to be a gentleman; he
is playing high. Not with silver; he
never lays down less than Napoleon,
and often five and sometimes more of
them at once. He 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 looses this time;
he plays but single coin the next, looses
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 fix
ture. 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 neJer saw ladies in gambling
house did you! There are several around
this table. Here is one standing at my
pleading in an undertone of
voice with an elderly man, who may be
her father, or husband; or, more likely
than either, her friend, for fresh supply
of forms, as her purse is empty. lie pre-
tends to be absorbed in the game that the
rest are playing, but she is importunate,
and be turns; she then has his eye, and
looks so imploringly that he yields and
fills her purse. 1 sawher lay down these
forms, two or three of them at time,
tluttering like frightened pigeon some.
times, revealingher disappointment when
she lost, and her joy as clearly when she
won; but the tide was against her, and
before she quit the table the purse was
emptied again; and there was no smiling
when she took her old mans arm, and
marched out of the hall as mad as a
March hare. But have been watching
with more interest than any of these, a
woman of rare beauty at the corner Of
the table, in front ofme. Five hours ago
she was there; she may have been out in
that time for refreshments, but she is a
habitue of this house. Dressed in rich
black silk and neat collar, stomacher
and scarf, she would be taken for lady,
had she less jewelry: but those bracelets,
and chains and charms are rather too
rich and many for such a place. No gem
tleman is here who seems to stand IN any
relationship to that splendid creature
She plays On her own account.
But women will show their feelings,
and with all her effort at calmneSs and
the tell tale blood as it flies
in her face, or rushes back to her heart,
leaving her white as marble, discloses the