The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1858-11-27
TIL NORTH CAROLINiAN.
FAYETTEVILLE, N. G..

found in q late number of Harpers' Magazine !:
Great Garnbling-House at Wa >hington.
The death of a noted gambling-house
keeper at Washington has induced a CORES
pondent of the Boston Post to give the fol- |
lowing review Of his place:
6 His establishment was on Pennsylva-
MIA Avenue, between the National Hotel and
the Capitol. Let approach and look at it.
$ You enter by a door of variegated
stained glass, which, by gas light, reflects
all the colors of the ranbow. Ascending a
flight Of stairs you reach door, pull the
bell, and instantly small aperture opens,
and you are greeted with pair OF red eyes
and a double row Of ivory, set in black, !
which nominally belongs to Sambo, but
which, in fact, are the property of the pro
prietor. A glance suf1ices. You have filed
Sambo's eye, and are deemed passable.
The door is at once opened, and you are
ushered into the ante-room-the vestibule
Of hell This room is not large, but ele-
gantly appointed-the chief attraction being
the sideboard, which is of solid marble and
white as Diana's breast. Here are airang-
ed in long and glistening columns decanters
of cut glass; sparkling like brilliants, filed
with the choicest nectar, and blushing to
the very necl<s with the glowing vintage Of
the olden time. If you pass this rubicon
without tasting its sparkling but dangerous
waters, it is not from any dearth Of hospi-
talty on the part of your persuasive host.
The spacious Sporting hall is now visible.
The floor is covered with carpeting from the
Orient. of immense cost and marvellous beau
| ty. The walls are adorned with superb
paintings of the old masters and the new,
while pendent from the windows hang cur
tains of embroidered lace, covered with
golden tapestry of Oriental magniticence
with mirrors Of mammoth size rejecting your
| form and features from score OF gllstenlnG
embrasures. Along the hall, at convenient
distances, are ranged circular tables OF pol
| ished rosewood, around which are seated
mum bers of thoughtful, anxious, dark-visage d
men, who heed you not-their eyes having
another and stronger attraction. One
would naturally suppose this to be theatre
for jest, drollery, and song, or bacchanalian
revelings, or puglistic encounters. Far
from it. On the contrary, all is hushed,
silent, and sepulchral.
No real voice or sound
Within those cherries walls is found.
You are oppressed with The fearful stiffness
and awful silence which pervades the place.
A laugh, joke, Or even a curse would be a
sensible relief. But you hear nothing Of
this. An occasional lcng breath or half
subdued sigh, is all that tells the that
these mad devotees are possessed Of lungs
and life
| THE SUPPER.
! &C An hours inspection satisfies your curl
osity, and you are about takin your depar-
ture hen a soft hand taps you on the shoul-
der, and in a low voice Please don't leave,
Sir supper will be ready in few minutes.
At precisely half-past ten O'CLOCK the doors
of the dining hall are thrown open, and
Supper's ready proclaims an immediate
armistice between the combatants, and IN
vites to a more healthy and rational duty.
The long tables groan beneath Their bur
den Of gold and silver plate, and the heaps
of fdelicacies which surmount and adorn them.
Here are venison from the brown forests of
Maine, turkeys from the broad savannas Of
the West, canvas backs from the placid Po-
; tomac trout, from Superior, and salmon from
the St. Johns together with fruits, flowers,
and wines for every taste and from every
cline.
The repast over, you are permitted, with
a patronizing invitati on to call again, to
make your retreat 10 the open air, there to
thank Heaven that you are not a worshlper
within this magnificent yet checrless abode. ;
HOW SENATOR BROKE THE BANK.
* One nights work, few days previous
to the close of the last session, made sad
havoc among the Golfers of this den. 1t is
5 said that distinguished Senator won on
that night $4,000 which broke the bank
f and caused a temporary suspension. new
house, however, was soon purchased by him
and was magnificenty decorated, when the
r king of terrors, the great unbeaten ane
e unchallenged, stepped in and closed the
p game of life forever.''