The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1857-09-26

vi Tue DankeFs OF cfouptcrS, TdHeS tOs
jeur, Mcssieurs," was distinctly heard
from the head of each of the six tables,
where these distinguished men had taken
their seats. One of the tables was de-
voted to roulette, another to rouge c'
no,re, a third to ecarte, &c. took my
position close to the fourth table, where
a game called Faro, believe, was play
ed. The game was played in the follow
ing manner: The banker dealt one or
two cards to each Of the players each
player placed his cards with the face
open before him, and put as large stake
as he chose upon each of the cards. Af-
ter the words from the banker, Tore
Jeu est .tah,' no more stakes could be
placed upon or taken from the cards by
the respective players, while the banker,
taking new pack of cards, would slowly
draw off one after another, and place
them in regular succession, one on his
left, the second on his right, tie third
on his left again, the fourth on his right,
and so on till the entire pack was thus
distributed. Those cards falling to the
left would win, those on the right lose.
To illustrate-Thc queen should fall to
the left, and the king to the right the
banker would pay to those players who
staked on the queen the sums they
staked; while he would take the monies
stakcd on the kings. This is a game
which seemed to have the greatest po-
pularity, on account of its rapdity and
the fact that any sum, from five francs
to five thousand, might be staked upon
one single card.
| had watched the progress of the
game for at least half an hour, when my
attention was drawn to young man,
elegantly dressed, and evidently an Eng
lishman, il VIC mi5ht judge from his
stiffness and conscious superiority over
all others, who had just entered. He
made his way towards the table where I
stood, and nodding familiarly to the
banker and several others with the air
of one evidently at home, he placed a
five hundred frame note upon card.
Lighting cigar, he watched the game !;
when at last the corresponding card fell
upon Tue lclt Stut, lllt bdHhtt IJdlu
to him roll of twenty gold Napoleons.
Putting these additional FIVE hundred
francs upon the same card, he again fol-
lowed with his eyes every motion Of the
banker. The same card won again, and
he received an additional roll of forty
Napoleons.
BY this time the attention of the play
ers was fixed upon the lucky English
man. One after another ceased stalking,
and soon none but John Ball was play
ing. lie had won now fifteen hundred
francs, which, in addition tn the original
five hundred he had staked at the begin
ming, made total of two thousand francs
which had now accumulated upon the
lucky card Without removing the cigar
from his mouth, he left that sum upon
the identical card, motoning the banker
to GO on. There were now but four
cards left in the latters hand, and the
third card which fell upon the winning
side was again our Englishman's. The
banker, with the utmost sang .froid, paid
over two thousand francs, which the
winner, with the same appearance of in
difference, left standing upon his favor
tic card. The lookers-on were, by this
time, in a high state of excitement, and
regarded the Briton with marked defer
ence. The banker had taken new pack
of cards, and looking at the four thou
sand francs which were now staked upon
the queen of hearts, with somewhat of the
same gaze as that with which panther
looks upon the prey which he is about to
leap upon, drew off slowly and delibe-
ratcly one card after another, until q
queen of hearts fell upon his right, and
lost. Without the least emotion, he
raked the money from the losers card,
while the latter, placing package Of
bank-notes before him, placed a one thou.
sand franc note upon another card. The
card won. Adding two other notes OF
the same denomination to the two ono
thousand franc notes now upon the card
the game continued, and the money lost
This seemed to be the beginning Of il
mck tothe Enclshman, for loss succeed
ed loss, until the pile of bills had beer
reduced to two single notes, each of one
thousand francs
During this time | had watched the
countenance of the young man very
closely. but had not been able to detec'
the slightest change in his features. Ht
had lost already over seventy-fve thou
sand francs. and yet he remained thu
same quiet, passionless being, as wher
he was winning But when he placee
one Of the two remaining notes on card
| I noticed perceptible change. Hi
hand trembled, his face had assumed al
anxious expression, his cigar was lait
aside, end drawing his chair nearer t.
tha table, and leaning with both his arm
unan il. while he supported his hca'
| wi.h - h;2era~ he Watched the progress
~ ,ba game with feverish anxiety
slowly one card after another was draw
off, until at last the card upon which tn
money was stakcd fell upon the right
and - lost. The change which ha'
taken place with the young gamester wa
fearful one. His lips were ashy pale
not a particle of blood could be discover
ed in his cheeks his eyes were spark
lino with a wild and feverish excite
ment his hands were con'ulsivel
buried in his hair, and he presented a
together fit picture Of habitusl fr'
ouenter Of gambling hell,--a plae
where the physical, moral, and intelle,
tual being Of man is gradually but sure'
destroyed. An almost breathlcss sllen.
re;pned throughout the saloon, the ticl
ing of the costly pend",e could be d'
, tinctly heard, and all eyes were turne
upon the banker and his victim sio'
" the Englishman took up his last
! naming bill, and with countenanc
every muscle Of which was firmly set,