Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-03-01
FAYETTEVILLE, TENN: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2s 1855 NM

$500 isWgofg .II dIiv 4
! an interest in watching his proceed
1ings, that he had lost not only al
his winnings, but a very considera
1ble sum in in addition. Raf@i. Wit
i rarely played, and then. only 70
small stakes. urged his friend to dis
continue game which he found 50 10
Fsing;but Valleja laughedathis remon
strances and treated his losses as trl
fling ones, which a single days gooc
fortune might retrieve. Gambling
is scarcely looked upon as a vice II
Spain, and young Solano saw nothing
unusual or blameablei in the Count 5
indulging in his afternoon juego, or in
his losing his money if it so pleased
him, and if he thought an hour OF
two's excitement worth the large
sums which it usually cost him. In
deed, the circumstance OF their VS.
| its to the gaming room appeared
to him SO unimportant. that 1t new
er occurred to him to mention 1t TO
his father or sister; and they. on
their part, never dreamed oil 'nqulr
ing In what way the young men
spent the few hours of the day. du'
ring which they absented themselves
from their society.
The monte table which Valleja was
in the habit of frequenting was sltu-
ated on the third floor of the house
in narrow Gala Alcala, within two
or three hundred yards of the Casa
Solano. Among the persons TO be
seen there we're many Of the richest
and higest in Madrid, generals and
ministers, counts and marquises, and
even grandees Of Spain were in the
habit Of repairing thither to while
away tie loug winter evenings or the,
sultriness Of the summer day; and
the play was proportionate TO the
nigh rank and great opulence 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 keeper of the room
being remunerated by a certain tax
upon the cards; a tax which, IN this
instance, was heavy one, in order
to compensate for the luxury dis
played in The decoration aud ar
rangements of the establishment ID
The three rooms were fitted up IN
the most costly manner; the walls
lined with magnificence pier.glasses;
the floor covered in winter with rich
and in summer with the ii |
nest India mating; the furniture
was of the newest French fashion,
Splendid chandeliers hung from the
ceiling; musical clocks stood upon
the side-tables;the gilt balconies were
filed with the rarest exotics and
Towering plants. Twoof the rooms
were devoted to play; in thethird, ices
and refreshments awaitedthe parch@
ed throats of the feverish gamblers
On a scorching June afternoon,
about a month after Valleja arrived
at Madrid, the Mexican and Rafael
left Don Jose's dwelling, and bent
their steps in the usual direction.-1
While ascending the well-worn stairs
of the gaming.house, young Solano
could not forbear addressing a re-
monstrance to his friend on the sub
iect Of his losses. Although the
Counts perfect command over him.
self and his countenance made 1t
yer difficult for so young and mex
perienced n man as Rafael to Judge
Of what was passing in his mind, the
latter, nevertheless, fancied that for.
three or four days past there had
been a change in his demearor demo-
ting uneasiness and anxiety. 1t
was not that he was duller or more
silent; on the contrary, his conver-
lion was, perhaps, more brilliant and
varied, his laugh louder and more
frequent than usual; but there was
hollowness in the laugh, and a strai-
ed tone in the conversation, as if he
we're compelling himself to to be gay
In order to drive away painful
thoughts-intoxicatin himself with
many words and forced merriment.
Rafael attributed this TO the annoy
ance caused by his heavy losses, and
now urged him to discontinue his VS.
its TO the monte-table, at least for a
time, or until his luck became better.
The count met the suggestion
with q smile. - ...g..,,ois.a.. /.
MY dear Rafael, cried he gaily,
..s.. adngi ,,0t cunroaA that the