, 1877-01-28
LADY SPECULATORS,
FEMALE GRAlS-GAsIBL1SG on TIE BOARD OF

LADY SPECULATORS.
FEMALE GRA1S-GAMBL1So on TIE BOARD OF
| TRADE.
The opening scene in George Eliot's las
novel is located in u ricll1y-furnishcd gambling
house at one OF the continental spas. It is thcrt
| that Daniel Deronda for the first time sec.
| Gwcndolcn Harleth. She is seated at the rou
| lettc-table, where she has been very successful
Under the searching eye Of Daniel, who, she in
rariably believes is examining her with scientific
curiosity, she loses her grip, and in short time
her pile Of golden napolcons disappears into the
capacous pocket Of the bank with the cclcrity
with which margins are arped out in
panfcky stock-market. GK'cndolcn Harleth Is
the representative Of large sfstcrh0od. She
loves gambling for the excitement and for the
winnings which sometimes accrue from battle
With the god Of chance. The continental water
ing places are filled with English dowacers,
italian and French Couutcsscs, Russian
Pfinccsses, apd female adycnturcsscs with
graceful! manners, good loolss, and fictitious
LILIES! all o. Wnom exc out living or feed the
morbid craving for excitement by a devoted
worship At the shrine Of rouge-et-Doir. In En-
gland Whist tor sums ranging from sixpence to
guinea 4 corner is fayoritc form OF gambling
among old LADIES OF title aud Of greater or less
wealth, while younger ones OF fast tendencies
bet on horses, cards, and dice with the sang
1d drolu OF The most accomplished poker PLAYER.
The history Of the British pccrage is SCARED on
many pages with the rec1tals OF bapkrupt noble
men who were compelled to sacrifice their
estates and seek oblivion in order to settle the
ucbts of honor contracted at the ga,1ling-tablc
by their wives, who played with rcck1cssness
That is unknown at any of the gilded palaces Of
q chance u the Western World. The Derby day
Is one ol the great nbling events in England
Women OF all classes, from the maids of honor
to the Aspasias OF the clubs, have their tbooSs
And back their fayorites. Stock spcc,1lat;ons
are also lndulScd i'll to large extent, mainly by
Old laoles, nliddlc-ngel dows, and maiden a;1nts
OIL moderate fortune. They speculate in consols
aud colonial shares; though good many have
been tempted, with the hope of acquiring
speedy fortune, to invest in mining aud railroad
enterprises that promised well on paper.
II, lee mama lor gambling, either at cards or on
foothold among the feir sex in the United
States. During the flush times growing out of
inc kcbellion some of the would-be fasliouablcs
OF NeW York endeaVorcd to establish the custom
OF backing the fayorites at the jerome Parl,
races: Ihc fair daughters of the new regime
would bet boxes OF gloves and small sums
o. o. money, lust to make it interest
lng' r. you Know. but the practice did
not lump into universal circulation to quote
phrase from the prospectus Of defunct al
tcrnoon paper, once published near the corner
OF Washington street and Fifth avenue. It. was
pronounced vulgar, and was left e1clusiycly to
the 'tndeGnables,'' whose masculine friends
belonged to the Jim Fisk school. These .tindc-
hnables " also dabbled in stocks. They were
given pointers By the brokers aud operators, |
by whom they were maintained, and at times
their gains we're quite large But the brokers, |
In the Thlrl1sig Of corners and panics, found |