The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-07-28
llISCELLAN n EO US.
GAMBLING AT WIEsBApEN.

"lren9us,r Rev. s, L. Prime, in his las,
letter to tho New York Observer, from Ger
many, gives a sketch OF Wiesbaden, the
celebrated watering place, including the fol-
lowing account ofthe Kursaal, one Of the
greatest gambling establishments on the
continent:
"And now let us drop in at the Kursaal,
a long aud imposing building on one side Of
the square, while colonnades line the other
two sides with all manner of shops for the
display of fancy articles for sale. This Kur-
sal is the temple Of Wie>badcn, the great
est gambling house Of Germany, and having
something of a national establishment char.
acter about it. With that strange but very
common fallacy by which governments, as
well as individuals, often deceive themselves
into the belief that what cannot be prevented
must be licensed, in order to regulate it, the
government sells a lisense to n company to
set up gambling tables here, and a handsome
revenue is secured to the Grand Duke by
the operation. The company pay to the gov.
ernment about S24 900 year for the Ii.
ccnse /; and besides this. they are obliged to
lay out large sum in keeping the house and
grounds in order. Will you walk in!
What! Into gambling house ..' +.
Why, every body seems to be going in,
and it is now about The time to dine This
is the great eating house Of The place."
Wen. let us 60 and zee what is going on.
In the dining rooms, or il you prefer to eat
under the shade trees brhind, you may order
dinner Of dozen different dishes, which
would cost you about as many pence as you
would pay for such dinner in London
These Two magnificent saloons are twice n
week the scene Of gay balls, where princes
and mobiles and others mingle in the merri-
est dances in which G.rmans ever engage,
with u 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
crowded around ahree table, one in the
centre Of each room. Not a word is heard.
On the sofa around the walls few listless
loungers are sitting, but the rest are stand.
ing ut the tables, while perhaps twenty are
scattered. None may sit down excep, those
who play. Tho game is rouge tinoir.- The
manager mt the table where we were stand
ing, sits by wheel; the players place their
money. as much as they please, but not less
than one dollar, on whatever number or col.
or they choose; the wheel is whirled, q lit
tie ball flies out and upon number the
manager announces it, and the fate of each
PLAYER is instantly decided. Some have
won, some have lost, moro oil the latter than
the former, 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 Tor
tunes Tor the managers besides | am in
tensely interested in studying the game and
the company. Here, just in front ofme, Is
n genteel looking man. with red moustache,
. and clear, white skin, and iather too much
! dress to be gentleman. lie plays high |;
not with silver he never lays down less
than Napoleon, and often FIVE, and some.
I times more Of them at once. He wins every
time and thrus,ing out his little wooden
scraper, draws in his double pile, and adds
/ il 10 the heap ut his side. He loses this
! time; he plays but single coin the next,
loses that, and rises ut once from his scat
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 otthc table, seems to be fixture. Bot
he does not play always His doctrine oi
, chances must DO secret, and he watches
the game rs il he could tell just when the
right time came 10 venture his silver, Tor
q ne never risks gold. For an hour he has
made no gains, but he Is hoping to do btt-