The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1874-05-14

having nearly . month of leasure, aftel
satisfactorily winding mp the business
matters that drove me hither, devoted
portion Of it to exploring the darker
portions of the metropolis, meeting with
some curious adventures, making . few
strange scquainsances. One OF the last
was . middle-aged man, with whom
first spoke, one afternoon, ata bull-6ghl
in Necatilan square.
A -trong feeling Of friendship speedily
sprsng up between ne, and with Don
jamie Aercado-as guide, had little
difficulty in fading means of passing
away the time And with him - com
psnion, one night found myself eau
tiously tresding the Callejon Gel Arco, OF
| ''Blind alley Of the Arcade" long no.
| t0rious Is one of the most dangerous
places in the Mexican Capital. The dense
mass of houses, OF which the Merchant
Arcade forms Q part, known - the I'm.
pedradilIo. does not form one compact
street. On the southWestern side Of the
/ Cathedral, . narrow lane runs into the
lmpedradillo; this 10 called the CallejOn
del ArcO. 1t is like one OF those caverns
which the sea sometimes ho1icwS out in
the face of cliff
Even In the day time. when the suns
rays pouring down upon the square
are almost binding, this alley Is dark,
gloomy, fcrbidding. Advance within il.
though only a few PAGES, and you seem
precipiiated into the shades of night; an
involuntary shudder creeps over you. Ivy
no means lessened ss you catch glimpse
of some shadowy figure lurking in an
archw way, closely shrOuded in cloak and
sonbrero. the black. evil eyes watching
your every motion. Then there is an
unhealthy iampness around you; water is
cOnstantly Oozing GU. of the walls; under
the foot il is vet and slimy-almOst I'M
consciously comes the terrible fancy that
one is ,resding in the gore of the count
less victims whose lives have ended here,
Yet through thls alley Don jamie
Mercado guided me--hc with drawn
sword. l With cooked revolver. Three
several times We closely Rugged the
widowed walls, our weapons pointing
outward. to await the passing By OF some
suspicious character. Either these gen
tlemen were wronged by our suspicions.
or else they did not like cold steel or hot
lead. since they quietly passed rs BY,
though edging close to tie further wall.
At length Don jamie paused lefore .
heaviIy>ironed door. striking three loud
blows upon 1t with the pommel OF his
sword. Almost Immediately this open
ed, and . porter, bearing lantern, held
the light up to our faces. Evidently sat-
isfied, he raped . signal upon the
door behind him, which also promptly
opened
This revealed long. steep fight of
stairs up which We tramped. Here q |
serge curtain surmOun:ed by . trans.
parency bearing the legend ''Sociedad
FilarmOnics," swung noiselessly aside
and we were in one of the most fashion.
able gambling lie in the City of Mexi-
co. For q minute the light dazzled me,
and could distinguish nothing else than
q low, indistinct hum, mingled with the
click of the roulette balls. and the more
musical jingle of golden coin.
The hall WAS of extraordinary dimen-
sions lighted by hundreds of wax tspers.
Two dozen long, green bsize covered
tables were surrounded BY the eager de.
voices of fortune; this much I saw, and
then introduced to the proprietor of the
hall, q dapper little Freedman whose
name have forgotten.
He was extremely polite and attentive
leading US to the elegantly fitted up side
board, pressing US to partske Of the
wines and lusc;" fruits. He
soon left us, however, l., greet come
other visitor, and then we joined the
crowd around one of the tables.
1t was devoted to rouge ct noir, with its
circle of devotees, who came night after
night to tempt fortune. one moment tim
Cling with q wild delicious joy as the
tickle fame deigns to smile upon them,
The next plunged into the depths Of des-
pair as the croupier's rake transfers the
Rlittering offering to the wrong side OF
The table.
"See," whispered Don jamie into my
EAR, "observs that lady in black, she
with the lace mack, who places little
pile on the red double zero with such
,ueenly air. That 10 Sonora de los
-. Ten years ago she was tho idol
# her husband, who possessed almost
,rincely wealth, but the mania seized
Ter, She visited the tables nightly, los
ng enormously, giving orders ON her
husband for the amounts, which were
lady taken, for Don D., every body
new, would sacrifice his last thsco
ather than dishonor his name by refus-
pg payment. her husband soon discOv
red the truth, and paid her debts, but
here was stormy scene between them,
{ is said, and two dsys afterward he was
ound dead In the street, slain by the
troke of cuchillo in the hands of
hired brave. The truth Is not known
or certain, but many believe that che
paid for the murder Since then she has
been q nightly visitor here. losing al
most constantly. The last of her bus
bands property is sold, and when that
s gone-well, she has . choice, to be
'ure-a suicides grave. or-the pave"
At the next table . Californian of
'warthy features, sinister aspect, nor
essened by the strips of court plaster
hat diagOnally cross his face from eye
% Jaw bone, deals monte for the ''ben-
.fil" of the moths who hutter around
he golden piles in momentary expec-
.ation of raising them first into their
,Wn pockets; but, alas! though riches
oave wings they do not fly in that direc-
ion
The low criee, "Cavello en- Ia peur-
alp "So,o mozo!" C"The Queen is
he ga:e?" 1.-THE knave winner?') at
announce in set phrase the
progress of the game. The golden stakes
IRE transferred from hand to hand, their
HARP metallic click contracting with the
Ioft, rapid shuttle Of the cards. But then
he betting almost ceased, when q man
,ushed himself forward and seated in
rOnt of the benches. while q servant
deposited an iron box before his master.
" hen the lid was thrown back glitter
ng mass of opss appeared, causing even
he imperturbab.e dealer to stsrt with
Wonder, and . glance Of joy to fit
CT oss his fsce-two things that had
lot occurred be ore within the memory
# man.
The stranger played heavily. for the
,ank had no limit, and in less than an
lour the banker slowly uttered. Gen
lemen, this bank is cloeed!" The
trapger ordered his servant to gather
lp the gold, and then scattered .
handful Of ounces among the crowd,
'anished amid the confusion, by this
escaping Q probable blow from
cuchillo in the alley without.
"That man is an enigma" muttered
Don jamie, with long drawn breath.
This is the third time that have Wit
lessed the same thing; each time he
,roke the bank and then vanished, Just
low nobody could tell, though ! have
leard that the best cuchillo in Mexico
las been hunting for him the past
month. No one knows who be is. where