Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-11-05


losing but Valleia laughed at his
remonstrances, and treated his losses
as trialng ones which single days
good fortune might retrieve. Gam
bling Is scarcely looked upon rs q
wee In Spain, and young Solano saw
nothing unusual or blameable IN the
counts indulging In his afternoon
ljuego, or in his losing his money II 1t
10 pleased hm, and II no thought an
hour or Two OF eyoitement.worlh the
largo sum which It generally y cost him.
Indeed the circumstance Of their visits
to the gaming room seemed 30 un'
important that II never occurred to
him TO mention II to his father or
sister and they on their part never
dreamed of inquiripg in what way tho
young men passed the few hours OF
the day which they absenled them
selves from their society.
The monte.table which Valieja was
in the habit Of frequenting was sltuat-
ed on the third floor Of house in a
narrow street leading out Of the Gale
Alcola, within two or three hundred
Yards OF the Casa Solano. Amongst
the persons to be met there were
many of the richest and highest in
Madrid generals and ministers,
coants aud marquises, and even gran
dees OF Spain. were in the habit of re-
pairing lhi,her to while away the long
winter evenings or the sullrness OF
the summer days aud the play was
proporlionatc to the high rank and
great opulenec Of mcst OF the players.
The bank was held as is customary in
Spain by the persons who offer to put
in the largest SUN. the keeper Of the
room being remunerated by a certain
tax upon the cards; a tax which in
this instance was u heavy one, ln order
to compensate for the luxury and dis.
play of decoration and arrangements Of
the establishment. These three rooms
were fitted up in the most costly man
ner the walls lined with magnificent
pier-gass the floor covered in winter
with rich carpets, and in summer with
the finest India mating; the furni-
ture was Of the newest French fash
ion. Splendid chandeliers hung from
the ceiling musical clocks stood upon
the side tables the gilt balconies
were filled with the rarest exotics and
Towering plants. Two of the rooms
we're devoted to play; in the third
ices and refreshments awaited the
parched ttroats of the feverish gam
blers.
On scorching June afternoon,
about month after Valleja arrived at
Madrid, the Mexican and Rafael lett
Don Jose's dwelling, and bent their
steps in the usual direction. While
ascending the well-worn stairs OF the
gaming house, young Solauo could not
forbear addressing II remonstrance TO
his friend on the subject Of his losses.
Although the counts perfect command
over himself and Lis countenance
made it very difficulty tor so young and
inexperienced a man as Rafael to
Judge of what was passing in his mind,
tie latter nevertheless, taucied that for
three or four days there had been a
change in his demeanor denotlng un'
easiness and anxiety. 1t was not that
he was duller or more silent; on the
contrary his conversation was, per-
haps, more brilliant and varied, his
laugh louder and more frequent than
usual, but there was a hollowness in
the laugh, and a strained tone in the
conversation, as if he was compelling
himself to be gay in order to drive
away painful lhoughts-into
himself with many words aud forced
merriment. Rafael attributed this to
the annoyance caused by his heavy
losses, and now urged him to discon-
tinue his visits to the monte-table at
least tor time, or until his luck be-
came better. The Count met the
suggestion with a smile.
"My dear Rafael" said he gayly,
"you surely do not suppose that the
loss of few hundred miserable ounces
would be sufficient to annoy me for a
moment +? As to abandoning the play,
, we should be puzzled to pass the idle
hour or,tse following the siesia. Be-
, sides that it amuses me. But do not
make yourself uneasy l shall do my
self no harm, and moreover / intend
, this day to win back all my losings l
feel IN the vein.
Il heartily hope you will do as you
intend" said Rafael, laughing, quite
reassured by bis friends careless man