The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-01-24
Summers vidt to q Partisan Gambling
saloon.

Sumner having arrived In France at
the close ofthe year 1887, found himself
at ROuen on It's last day, December
2l. Knowing that by law just passed
all the public gambling places were 10
be closed after the midnight following
that day he hurried on to Paris to wit
ness the scene in one Of the "hells. )"
The following extract from his journal
is a description Of it: Dinner des-
patched, / went about ten O'Clock to
Frascati's-the great "hell" of Paris.
By law all the public gaming houses
are forbidden after the lst Of January,
which commences this midnight. Pas
sing through an outside court and then
a court entry we entered an ante-eham-
Der where there were large number
Of servants In livery who received our
hats and outside garments, no one being
allowed TO enter the gambling salons
with either. The hats already hanging
up and In the custody Of the servants
seemed innumerable, and yet the ser
wants had no numbers or marks by
which TO indicate to whom the hat be.
longed, trusting entirely to orecollecting
the countenance. The door of the
salon was then opened and the first table
Of gamblers was before us-men, young
middle aged, and old, with the bloom Of
youth yet mantliDg on the face and
with the wrinkles and gray hairs Of
age. This table Was roulette, | believe.
Ii was about the size Of q common bill
lizard table, and it was completely sur
rounded BY q double and tri pie row of
persons-the first row sitting and the
other standing. Among those sitting
were two or three women of advanced
age and moving about the room were
several younger-undoubtedly Cyprians
possessing considerable attractions.
Passing into the next salon through an
open door we found a larger table,
with players more intent and more
numerous, where the game turned upon
cards. The silver and gold spread on
the table was to a vast amount, and |
saw one man with lip that quivered
and a hand that trembled, stake g
double handful Of gold on s single
throw-smounting to many hundred
dollars. Little wooden rakes or hoes
were used to draw the money in. The
third salon had d table where the chance
turned upon dice. Itwas a scene which
| am glad | have witnessed. The ex-
citements of gambling have been said to
be strong, and | can understand how
persons have been drawn by its fascina-
tions within its terrible m8lstrOm.
They try once for experiment and are
seduced by momentary success or ex-
cited by loss, and observing others,
perhaps winning large sums, they are
finally absorbed in the whirling vortex.
Several OF the friends that went with
yentured several francs and alternately
AoSt 0uN NOHs dDA Tree W CUulcse GuAl
| felt the temptation, and / restrained
my hand. Tonight being the last
night, the rooms are very full, the
gamblers wishing to have their game.
We left some time before midnight,
thinking that there might be some dis
turbance at any time, when the trans
forming wand Ofthe law would exercise
its power. l, however, walked the
boulevards, which were splendidly
Illuminated By the shop windows till
long after midnight, as well as thronged
by people; aud attwelye O'Clock stood
before Frascati's. The people were re-
tiring from within, and as the women
came out they were subjected to the
sneers and jeers OF considerable crowd
who had collected In the street about
the gateway. A few of the police were
present, who at once interferred TO pre-
vent the uprosr and in few minutes
three horsemen rode into the crowd and
speedily dispersed them. Such was the
first night Of Frascati, and my last night
in Paris.