The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-30
LTTERATURH.
REVIEW OF VIEW B0oK

a. nan elnngef.
The author of this series Of sketches was
well known as a journalist of much ability.
He was attached to several of the leading pa
pers of the United States, and distinguished
himself as vigorous and forcible writer on
vast number Of topics. In 1888 he went to
Europe, and finally settled himself In Paris as
head of a bureau of correspondence, in which
employment he continued up to the time of
his death, which occurred not many months
ago, at the age of forty-one.
With the educated eye of an experienced
Journalist Mr.. Buffum saw everything, and
knew how to present the salient points of a
landscape so as to bring the scene vividly be-
fore his readers With all the vigor and force
of well-trained newspaper correspondent,
his style is not without elegance, and his
sketches are entertaining and animated in
their descriptions of persons places, and the
Characteristic scenery of Europe. As speci-
men of this work, we quote the following de-
scription of roulette as played at Hombourg:-
~ shall never forget my initiation into
the mysteries of roulette. 1t was many years
ago, upon Long Island race-course, where an
individual In a white hat, half covered with
Grape, very flash vest and extravagant guard
chain, was inviting custom by the not very at
tractve assurance to his prospective victims that
the more they put down the less they would
pick up So far as the fact was concerned, he
was perfectly correct, and 1t must have been
that there was avein of honesty running through
his nature which would not permit him to lend
himself to deception. The wheel he used was
q twenty-eight roulette with advantages to
the bank of single and double zero, and an
'eagle-three in thirty-one, or little less than
ten per cent. But when it is understood that
besides these apparent and legitimate advan-
tages, the wheel was what is known to the in-
tiated as q snapper and that by simply touch
ing q little concealed spring the honest indi-
vidual in the white hat and flash vest could
cause the ball to drop into red or black at
pleasure, it requires no very intimate knowledge
of the doctrine of probabilities to perceive that
the prospect of winning at that game was poor
indeed know that all the pocket-money
had been saving for months disappeared like
dew in a June morning. and that was obliged
to content myself with short commons of candy
and cinnamon cigars for long time afterward.
SIT is not probable that at Hombourg the game
OF roulette is played with such certainty OF
profit to the bank and loss to the player, but, on
the contrary the Legitimate advantages are con-
siderably less than they are at Baden-Baden,
where the percentage of the bank is derived
from single and double zero, while at HON.
bourg the former only initiates against the
player. The game is played upon a long table,
covered with green cloth, around which the
players sit or stand. In the centre of the table
is large hole, in which the roulette is fixed.
This consists of a moving cylinder, the peri
phery of which is divided into thirty com
partments, severally numbered from to sc, and
separated from each other by little wires of
brass. The cylinder is put in motion by push
against one of the four branches, forming a
cross, which surmount it. During its move
ment little ivory ball is thrown in the opposite
direction; and this spinning round for minute
or more upon the immovable part of the appa-
ratus, finally falls into one of the thirty-seven
compartments. These, besides, containing each
{. number alternate in color-one being red
the next black, and so around the entire cir
cumference of the cylinder. Upon the number
into which the hali. .fols- depends tho winning
or losing of all the stakes upon the table.
SAT either end of the tGpis Uert on each side
of the cylinder, the thirty-seven numbers which
it contains are painted in three columns and the
other chances which may be staked upon desig-
mated.
sNow, although at first view roulette appears
to be an exceedingly complicated game, it is in
reality very simple one. The basis of 1.-THE
principle on which it depends-is the evident
fact that the ball, having been whirled by the
finger of the operator around the cylinder, must
finally fall into one of the compartments of the
wheel; of these there are thirty-seven, and the
object of the player, who wishes to bet upon
single numbers, is of course to hit the winning
one In order to simplify the explanation of
the chances at roulette, let it be supposed that
horin-the smallest sum permitted to be staked
at Hombourg-be placed by thirty-seven differ
ent players, one upon each number on the tdpiS.
One OF these must evidently be the winning
number, while all the rest must lose. Let it be
supposed that the ball, after spinning until it
loses its momentum, drops into compartment
six, which is declared the winning number.
The crOupier then takes the florin from each
one of the other numbers, amounting to thirty
SIX horins, and pays thirty-fiVe of them to the
fortunate better upon six, the winning number.
Were the game q perfectly even one, did the
bank have no advantage other than the player,
1T will be readily seen that the latter should in
this case receive thirty-siX instead of thrty-ive
horins. But here is exhibited the percentage
which exists in all banking games and which at
Hombourg provides the means for gliding and
furnishing these splendid salons, and keeping
in order these magnificent gardens. This per
centage, as will be seen, is one in thirty-seyen,
or two and twenty-siX thirty-sevenths per cent.
10 make still palmer this matter of percent
age which obtains in all banking games and
which is but little understood by the uninitiated
let 1t be supposed that single player at roulette
should place an equal amount, say one tiorin,
upon each number from zero to thirty-siX inclu-
slVe, 1t is evident that he will win upon one
and lose on all the Others. Now, were the game
played without any percentage or advantage
TO the bank, the banker should take the money
from each and all of the losing numbers, and
place IT upon the winning one. The player
would then receive thirty-siX horins in addition
to the one he placed upon the winning number;
ana TINS making up the amount he had staked
upon them all, he might thus continue playing
without profit or loss to the end of time. But as
at present the game is arranged, the player
would lose one torin at each turn of the wheel,
and In this manner the bank would, sooner or
later, eat up the largest capital, without the
player having the slightest possible chance of
winning. Now although, of course, no player
would be silly enough to bet in this manner.
where it is palpable that he must lose and can
not win, il must be borne in mind that even
though he bet upon but single number this
which cannot in any manner be avoided, still re-
mains, aud that IL must in time absorb his capi-