Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-02-04
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tinue game which he found so losing I;
but Valleja laughed at his remonstranees,
and treated his losses as trilling ones,
which a single days good fortune might
retrieve. Gambling is scarcely looked
upon as vice in Spain, and young So
lano saw nothing unusual or blameable in
The counts indulging in his afternoon
juego, or in his losing his money if it so
pleased him, and il he thought an hour
OF two's excitement worth the large sums
which it usually cost him. Indeed, the
circumstance of their visits to the gam
ing room appeared to him so unimportant,
that it never occurred TO him to mention
it to his father or sister, and thew, on
their part, never dreamed of inquiring in
what way the young men passed the few
hours of,he day during which they absen-
tedthemselves from their society.
The monte-table which Valeja w in
the habit Of frequentlng was situated on
the trird floor of house in narrow
street leading out of the Gale Alcala,
within two or three hundred yards of the
Casa Solano. Amongst the persons 10 be
met there were many the richest and
highest in Madrid; generals and ministers,
counts md marqulses, aud even grandees
Of Spain were in Tie habit OF repairing
thther to while away the long winter
evenings or he sui riness Of the summer
day; and the play was proporlionate to the
high rank and great opu!ence of most Of
the players. The bank was held. as is
customary in Spain, by The person who
offered TO put in the largest sum, the keep.
er Of the room being remunerated by a
certain tax upon the cards; lax, which,
in this instance, was heavy one, in Or
der TO compensate for the luxury display
ed in the decoration and arrangements of
The establishment. The three rooms " ere
fitted up in the most costly manner the
walls were lined with magnificent pier
glasses the floor covered in winter with
rich carpets, and IN summer with the
finest India mating, the furniture was Of
the latest French fashion. Splendid cham
dnliers hung from their ceiling; musical
clocks stood apon the side tables; the gilt
balconies were filled with the rarest exot-
les and howerlag plants. Two of the
rooms were devoted to play, in the third.
ices and refreshments awaited the parch-
ed throats of the feve.ish gamblers.
On a scorching June afternoon, about
month after Valleja arrived at Madrid,
the Mexican and Rafael left Don Jose's
dwelling, and bf Mt their steps in the usual
direction, While ascending the well-worn
stairs of the gambling house, young Sol
ano could not forbear addressinga a remon-
STRANGE to his friend on his losses. AL
though the counts perfect command over
himself and his countenance made it very
difficult for so young and inexperienced a
man as RafGl to judge of what was pass
ing in his mind, the latter, nevertheless,
fancied that for three or four days past
there had been a change in his demeanor
denoting meanness and anxiety. 1t was
not that he was duler or more silent on
the contrary. his conversation was, per.
haps, more brilliant and varied, his laugh
louder and more frequent than usual, bu,
there was a hollowness in the laugh, and
strained tone in the conversation, as il
he were compelling himself to be gay in
order to drive away painfal thoughts-in'
toxicating himself with many words and
forced merriment. Rafael attributed this
to the annoyance caused by his heavy
losses, and now urged him to discontinue
his visits 10 the monte table, at leas
for time, or until his luck become bet.
ter. The count met the suggestion with
smile.
"My dear Rafeal," cried he, gaily-
"you surely do not suppose that the loss
Of few hundred miserable ounces would
be sufficient to annoy me for moment
As to abandoning play. we should be puz'
zled then to pass the idle hour or two fol-
lowing the sies,a. Besides that itamuses
me. Blu. do not make yourself uneasy
| shall do myself no harm, and moreover
1 intend this very day to win back all my
losings / feel in the vein."
Il heartily hope you may do as you
intend" said Rafael, laughing, quite re,
assured by his 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 full activity
and the play very high the table ssrewed
with The snowy Spanish cards, on which,
instead of the spades and diamonds IA.
miliar 10 most European card players,
suns and vases, sabres and horses were
depicted in various and brilliant colors
An officer of The royal puar and dry
snuffy old marquis held the bank, which
had been very successful. Large piles ol
ounces, and of four and eight-dolar pie
ces, were on the green cloth before them,
as we'll as n roll of paper nearly treble
the value Of the specie, Twenty or thir-
" players were congregated around the
able, while few unlor,una,es, whose
pockets had already been emplied. were
solacing themselves with their cigars, and
occasionally indulging in an oath or i'm
patient stamp Of the foot when they saw
a card coms up which they would GER
tainIy have backed, had they the money