The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-28
THE CHARLESTON DAILY NEWS. SATURDAY MpaHiNG

topped neck5 r15e out OF Ice. Iour selectlou 10
placed before you on the slightest hint, for the
walters at Hills have no visions OF ices TO dis
tract their attention and hinder their move
ments, and before You signify it ,yeur wishes
are anticipated. viii you take glass OF wlne'
| with Mr. Hills compliments? and 1t STANDS,
| beady and bright, at your hand. Wlth !ne
ready bottle in the grasp OF the serVltor penlno
your chair to refill it as you sip. -
Your host is remarkable man. he slts at
the head of the table, watchful OF your wants
and of those OF your dozen neighbors: enter
tainine the whole company. not bali OF whom
| know the other half, with quiet talR ior QUE,
repartee for another, laying irlenoiy masG. se.,
with third, adapting himself with VersatiiIIy
which marks HIM as first class aipioma. aa,.nca e
with dark hair, slight moustache shadlng
mouth in which the teeth arc somewhat to2
prominent. aud dressed with unosl entatlous
elegance. His hands are thin and wnlte, MS
psThaps "a too IL
all about the table, gracefully receiving new
comers from his seat, You recognize one who
knows his business and ID fitted forit.
When you finish your supper, your dusky at.
tendsnt bripgsta cigar on % salyer and offers
you light. You make your iadieux to your
entertainer and step into the. street again or
through the arcbed doorway into the room
where the game is in progress. =
THE pnATfAND THE PLAYERS.
Here you win find two tables. and il the
crowd is oppressive, two more in an adjoining
private room, IN full opsrstioh.y Faro and
the favorite with small operators, while on the
latter large sumNare etaked. The presiding
genius OF the roulette table is q smoofh, lnno-
cent.lookipg youth, With q marvellous Skill IN
the ends Of his fingers for counting onecks.
One unlucky fellow, after loosing ior nan an
punted On the eagle, and when he won, after
seventeen losses, this mechanical croupler
planked the twenty. seven checks on the top OF
the one staked, without glan,e to verify the
number which his finger ends told nim was
right. Clustered about this board-ail stand
ing, for there is not room enough to slt-you
will see strange collection. The old man on
the left, who continually bets the red checks
Of large value, is treasurer OF corporation
widely known. The resplendent youth next
him has Just Get up in business for himself,
AID is no longer limited by the certain income
which sslaried position gives. Bald-hesded,
cool and unobservant OF any about hlm,
chips from his rapidly diminishing pile on
numbers and color with every turn OF the
wheel; while why individual opposite, who
narrowly escap.d fat Office and one OF honor
under this administration, places his STAKES
with what seems to be careful CALCULATION,
and which certainly Dr1nR raplQ Increase.
TIE game is in silence, broken only by the
rattle OF the ball as it flies around the circle
before popping into the red or black hole
which determines the fate OF the stakes which
are rapidly being placed. The walters quietly
hand wine or cigars or whiskey, as may be
wished to the players. Bills are thrown across
the table to be exchanged for ivory checks;
and,the game goes-on without stop or. stay,
the wheel FbiaMa and the sqbdueda avoiesSf
the refouPief calling the2Dumbet and coaotS1
OocasionaIIys there ia BIT ofeexcitement.
The other night party Of Californlans, fresh
from the land OF gold and with plenty OF it
in their pockets. arrived at the Springs and the
frat evening made visit to George Hill's. It
was the first game they had struck since they
len Frisco, and they were correspondingly
eager. One bite at woodcock's breast, one
sip of wine, and they left the supper TOR tie
faro rable. Down went their hands into deep
pockets. and click! olckl click came double
eagles Of the yellow metal on king and nine
and three LOST Down came the gtittering
stakes again. The dealer examined the coin
twice to be sure Of its genuine character; the
roulette table was deserted; the supper was
hastily LETT, and all in the rooms crowded
about the table where gold was staked as they
had been used to see ivory. Eighteen hundIed
dollars were, LEFT behind by that party before
they went to their hotelan hour after. -