Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-12-02
HIGH PLAY IN GERMANY.
INTERIOR OF THE PRIVATE GAMBLING
HOUSE AT BADEN.

A Baden correspondent of the Lon.
don Times in giving description Of
the modern "Kursael" says:
The shrine contains two rooms open
ing into each other one consecrated
usually to trente ct quarante, but in
which faro and other games of hazard
are also played, and the other devoted
exclusively TO roulette They are very
quietly, though comfortably, furnished
and the only thing that strikes one as
at all unusual about them-except, of
course, the tables--is that the various
pier-glasses are employed, of all odd
places in the world, for posting the
placards containing regulations with
regard to the different games and other
official notices This novel use of n
mirror certainly looks like business
and prepares one for the discovery that
no ladies, whether "from Paris" or else
where, are admitted, as they are TO
the hotel roulette tables which have
in former letter described. Their
presence might lead to trifling and
trivolites incompatible with the serious
objects of the meeting. In the same
earnest spirit there is no fourishing
about, as at the hotel, of iced cham
pagne. Any such public house parade
is carefully eschewed, not merely as
snowy and vulgar, but as a reflection
on tho game itself, as tending to imply
that the gcuine gambler and gentle
man has to be tempted into losing his
money by any other excitement or
pleasure. than that Of the loss itself.
But as, of course, being human and
reasonable, he must drink, such simple
and serious liquors as brandy and soda,
beer and light wines are provided
without stint / have no doubt that
anybody who liked TO ask for it could
have champagne or for the matter of
that Johannisberg or TolSay. But
there is very little drinking--wonder-
fully little, considering how many En-
glishmen are in the room. The courte-
GUS walters, gliding swiftly and noise
lcssly from chair to chair, are gener-
ally carrying only scltzur water or a
segar.
There is not, however, much money
-at least what an ordinary plain man
of business would consider money
lying upon the tables. The small
strong box in the centre, over which
the noble host himself presides, may
indeed contain, for aught | know, un-
told millions. But lying visibly about
in confused heaps among the players,
or near tho banker in carefully ar
ranged rows, are endless bone count
ers, some plain white, others tastefully
inlaid with rings of various colors, from
red TO the most delicate mauvc. Their
intrinsic value is not great-not more,
perhaps, than of bank notc-and they
look charmingly inBocent and pretty
playthings for children. Still good
deal of mischief may be done with
them. The plain whites are the low
est-the copper coinage-being worth
only two thalers each, or 6s. A red
ring at once raises their value to ten
thalers. Then there are other colored
nieces of yarious values from f;ve
tbalers 10 100 until tho plain white
reasserts itself md two or three mod.
est figures in black show that it is
worth from 200 10 500 thalers or f75
Tberc NAV have been counters of higb.
or voluc tbougb did moi see any
Yet by playins steadily from saw II
n a, ~ IL ,,ss;l,Io - Iosa a