The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-03-24

these large establishments, arc the soul Of
good-humor aud pOliteness. The bank
sometimes loses heavily, but not muscle
of their faces betrays emotion, and they
pay out d 900 with the same seeming In.
difference that it's taken in. There Is no
limit 10 tho amount the player may stake.
He Is never told to ''takc down" though
tho checks in the "racE' be exhausted and
their original value increased m0ny fold.
Wien the supply fails the bank buys them
buck again, and SO on until luck changes
In It's favor. ,il an 40 y lf.. NJ
Il is to this establishment, then, that
the "hiCler classes" Of society flock.
Those only are admitted who are person.
ally known, or who como in company
with some ono OF It's many frcvuenterS, A
single glance at the group around tho
taro.ta6le when q game Is going on will
reveal the character and, In many cases,
tho identity Of tho persons playing. II Is
well.dreSsed group, and well worth q
sketch. Here, standing shoulder 70
shoulder with an ex-GcnGral In the Union
army whose long straight haiF, dark mus
tache, and somewhat iashy dress mark
his identity, Is a Senator Of the United
States, bearded md tall, with face cor
rogated with wrinklcs-the result Of in.
tense study Of knotty financial problems.
No man In tho finance committee Is bet.
ter known than he. He holds in his hand
stack Of blue chips, worth $25 piece.
He wins well and loses better, and Is
warmly welcomed at the gAlning.table.
Vis-a.Yis. watching huge pile Of red
chips, valued OF five dollars apiece, stands
another United States Senator. lie halls
from the fur West, and this is tavoritc
resort Ibis after the evening dinner par.
w or caucus. lie docs not exhibit the
same stoicism as his friend, but fushes and
palcs alternately through his gray beard
as his money Is doubled or swept away by
the turn Of the cards. One Of the richest
mining States on tho Pacific coast also
has a representative from the Senate, who
is desperate better, ind who always
plays to win, Ills bald head fairly glistens
with satisfaction when he has a run. "
Another far, Western and another Pacific
Stat6:watchfthe cGrtls through Senatorial
spectaclesshIt the.bets,thcy mako are few,
and far between.
The "othcr end Of the Capitol" Is repre-.
sentcd none the less fully, Two sons Of
Illinois are to be seen llerc-the one tall,
with full, flowing beard, the other short
and thck.sct, with hair md mtlstache
bIuck US the ravens wing, New York,
PENNSYLVANIA, Indiana, 0litO, Missouri and
Minnesota seldom full Of having ono or
more representatives around tho fAro- table.
Some ore Inns chilled the establishment the
Congressional hrO-bank.". Ii tue tact
that a dozen or more Senators or Con-
gressmcn visit II every night for gambling
purposes be taken into consideration, the
manic may not be misapplied. There arc
some, however, who rarely show in these
lower rooms, but use tho upper stories,
which are nicely fitted up, and where
there is no danger of detection or intru-
sion.l On these occasions the game Is gen.
orally whist, cucher, or poker, and some
times keno. There is q waiter constantly
in attendance to bring up. wines, cigars,
&c, and also 10 give notice OF the ap-
proach o.. any one who docs, not belong
to the party. ,,f-.... -, a..
There are, however, other visitors to
this place, who occupy equally prominent
positions with the Congressman in public
life. Tic Indian Bureau sends heavily
built man, with swarthy complexion
and black, restless, glittering eyes. This
man smokes US he plays, and, whcnunusll-
ally excited, gives vent TO ,CxclamAtlons
that at once show his Indian blood: PEG.
Die from almost every department OF the
government, md business men known IN
Washington rs well and flmiliarly us nj.
most any Of tho public officers, nightly
crowd this place Bank clerks, book
keepers, and society men, may be seen
late ut night crowding around the fatal
board, whose countenancCs, incapable OF
REFRESHING emotion, form picture which
the bchOider never lOrgets. -
Scattered here and there over the city,
and not confined TO my one particular To-
cality, are card.hOuseS, where small par
tics occasionally moet. Poker Is the prin'
cipal game played, and the stakes range
nil tho way from flve.cCnt to tivc'dollar
"antc." Tho members Of Congress some
times have card parties in their own
rooms in tile hotels and boRrding.hOuscs,
but on these occasions care is ta'
ken 10 select players who have con-
troll over, their voices, so that lnuma'
ton be not given without Of what is go,
Ing on within. Western members gen.
orally make up these parties, which in.
cludG also those who have passion for
gambling, but who hesitate TO enter Il
known "hell." The Congressman who
arc in the habit Of thus spending their
evenings arc, in nino cases out Of ten,
those who draw their salaries in advance,
under tue plea Of unexpected cmergen.
cics''-"thc falling due Of u long standing
note" sickness in the family" &C., &c.
Among the diplomats. gambling in al
small way Is extensively carried on. La:
dies and gentlemen alike play their cards
for so much q point, or game, the stake
being bon.bons, gloves, or sometimes
money. Senior Roberts, the Spanish
Minister, llas card parties regularly every
Sunday evening alter dinner, TO which
diplomats only arc invited. Piquct, be.
ziluc, and viugt.et-un are the games most
in vogue. Play occasionally runs high,
however. Two years ago one of the
English Secretaries Of Legation lost
nearly five hundred pounds at n single
sitting. -... .-sr /
MISSISSIPPI. -.,,.rfl