The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1860-05-23
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE wELL.GLOyED LADY.

Inc nrst time visited Spa was also tn
first time saw public gaming table.
had considerable curiosity on the subject
and had perhaps exaggerated little the in
tcrest Of the sc;ne. had expected to St
exhibitions of great emotion, and peopl
| risking their all on the turn of card
whereas, any manifestations of feeling j
exceedingly rare, and watching the play is
nine times in ten, exceedingly dull-that is
after you have possessed yourself of tn
standing features of the scene.
Some friends o.. mine had formerly tolt
me that their rest was disturbed at Badel
for several nights by an incessant walking
over their heads. On applying to the wait
er for an explanation of the noise, he tolt
them it was occasioned by lady whose an
nuity, which was regularly RENTED to he,
il quarterly payments, and as regularly los
at the gaming table.
"Alter this" said the waiter, "she be
comes perfectly frantic, and does not sleep
but walks about her room all night. Even
tually she becomes tranquilizcd, and goes
on quietly until the next time"
GLOW do you get your bill paid ~ asked
my friend.
ave know the day her money is due
we present it, and insist on immediate pay
ment"
My friends caught a glimpse of this unfor
tunate person afterwards. Her face was
haggard and old, and her dress mean and
shabby in the extreme yet, they were told
she was a wcll-born and well-connected wo
man, but deserted by her friends on account
of this unhappy propensity.
NV curiosity awak kpnnI Inv fhic and ci,oi
lar stories, FASTENED to the Redoute on the
first evening of my arrival at Spa, and
walked up to the fatal but seductive rou.
lctte-tablc.
There were not many people playing at
the moment, but there sat the four myster.
ious croupiers whom almost expected ia
see with tails and cloven feet, and whom
inspected with rs much curiosity as sho'd
have inspected the duck billed platypus, or
any other unknown animal, had it for the
first time stood before me. " '...
There too, of course, sat the old man in
a shabby brown coat, pricking card, with
little pile of two franc pieces beside him
one of which, about once in half hour,
when his calculations have satisfied him
he must inevitably win, he ventures on a
color, and loses and there sat my fat elder
ly country-w woman, with the rake in one
hand, pushing about her five franc pieces,
and her handkerchief in the other, wiping
the profuse perspiration from her face,
face, whilst she eagerly claims her winnings
with the most Anglicised accent and phra-
seology. ..
The third interesting character was rep
resented by mysclf-the neophyte-who,
after watching the play for some minutes,
furtively insinuates his hand into his pock-
ct, and draws out small coin, which, after
a few more turns of the table, he shyly de-
posits on the red ''lt's only the first step
that is difficult" and whether he wins or
loses his venture, he is in for it to certain
ty, for greater or less amount. think
my premier pas cost me about 20 francs !;
and then, taking counsel of discretion, |
walked into the adjoining room, where the
game is rouge ct noir. e.
Here the stakes are higher. There was
a good deal Of money on the board, and the
table was crowded, both by players and
spectators but could get view of the
former only by standing on tip-toe, and
pceping over the shoulders Of the bystand-
erS. ... .--.-.. ... ....
There was a vast variety of physiogno-
mics, some of which merited a second
glance; but my attention was at once ar
rested by pair of yellow gloves-buff
gloves would be more correct, but the
French call them auntejaunes-which COW
cred with the incest precision two small
hands resting on the table Immediately in
front Of me, in close proximity to two piles,
one of gold and the other of ive-franc
pieces. | looked down and beheld very
neat, but at the same time extremely elegant
little Leghorn bonnet, trimmed with rib
bon OF the same color; but the wearer was
sitting with her back to me, and could not