The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-03
Monte Carlo.

TO one who travels in northern Europe
one of the most curious places to visit il
Monte Carlo, the Gambling Hell of Europe
| the only place, since play has been forbid
den at Weisbaden and Baden Baden, where
it is lcgalized. TO make the plcasantel
trip, let one leave the car at Monaco. 1t is
the dwelling place of the Prince of Monaco,
and is but u short walk from Monte Carlo.
| Monaco is Il small principality, one of tho
oldest, if not the oldest, in Europe, now
under the protection of France. A short
walk, and the long, smooth road, leading tc
tho castle, is reached. 1t stands a low, plain
building, simple in its architecture, on tho
top Of a high and picturesque bluff, whose
western base is washed by the waters of the
bay. 1t is open two days in week, whel,
the prince is at home, but the day in qucs-
ton being neither Tuesday nor Saturday,
| had not the pleasure of going through il.
Leaving the plain, bare yard, the road is
bounded by Il luxurious growth of gcra-
NUNS, cacti, century plants, llg trees and
others of, tropical growth. Now we have
scarlet notwithstanding wild and uncarcd
for by the roadside; no" along the water
front, under the shade Of olcandcrs, now up
Il gradual slope, with charming villas along
the road, and we turn to the right. a park,
finely cultivated, is before us, on the right
the Hotel dc Paris, and just in front solid
white stone building, shining with Il hun
dred lights-it is the "Sallc Maurcsquc dll
Casino dc Monte Carlo" Beyond are cleo
trio lights, and over the roof scalfOlding
is visible and two towers as yet unfinished.
They are adding to the building, and night
and day the work goes Oh. There is money
there to carry it on. Let us hasten in. n
polite attendant opens the door and we are
in Il marble hall like Il grand Office or wait
ing room. The walls are dclicately fres-
coed, and the niche halls are lit up by cleo
trio lights On the right is cloak-room and
beyond a reading room, where one can
learn Of the world from a hundred journals
of different nationalitics. Opposite the cn-
trance double doors open into the prince S
theatre, gorgcously gilded and decorated
room, where performs one of the finest or
chcstras in Europe. Two more doors yet
remain for lis to enter. One to the mama
ger, if he may be 50 called, where, if one is
thought to be Il minor, he must apply for Il
card Of admission, not to be granted if un-
der twenty-one. But Il constant line of
men and women are going into the other
door. Enter, and you arc in the gambling
saloon. 1t is in two parts, the first contain
ing two, and the larger four large green
covered tables. The room is magnificent
marble floor, varicgatcd panels, easy sofas,
elegant chandeliers and flowers; but It's not
the room which demands the attention of
the eager crowds who surround the tables.
Gold, silver and bank notes are rapidly
changing hands, and fortunes are made and
lost at the turn Of the wheel or the face of
the cards. Pretty English and French
maidens are watching the numbers as they
come up, and daintily putting down five
franc ninrna "nd Ll.-si., >a,"~.'''
numbers. Old ladies are there, too, fat and
tidgcty; men who play by system, night
after night some losing, some gaining;
young men taking the early steps; fast
v"men playing for themselves or the cs
,orts whom they may find; spectators who
have come to look on, and, lurcd by the
nope that they may win, arc vcnturing coin
after coin while amid ALL cooly, quietly,
sit the four crO,t1,icrS, or bankers, rapidly
counting, taking in and pouring out money
with their. little rakes with wonderful &C.
lerity. There are two games here, roulette
and trcntc- -quarantc, the former of which is
the most interesting of the two. And OF
this | will try to give some explanation, as
played in Monte Carlo. The table has in
the centre round bowl in which is
mounted silvcr-mountcd wheel, its peri
phcry divided by little partitions into thir-
ty-seven sections These are numbered
from zero to thirty seven in certain order,
and the squares are alternately black and
red, zero and the number next OH its right
being black Around the bowl, above the
wheel, is groove. After the bets are made
by those who wish, putting down upon the
table their several amounts, anywhere from
five francs to six thousand, one of the bank
crs turns the wheel one way, and the ball, a
small white one, is whirlcd around the
groove in an opposite direction. Soon it
slacks down and drops into one of the sec
tions of the wheel. The color and number
decide the bets. In betting, bets may be
made on a single number, when, if fortu-
nate, the winner receives thirty-siX times
his stake, the bank having the odds, three
per cent, in its favor. Or one may bet on
odd or even, black or red, under eighteen
or over eighteen, on the first, second or
third dozens, on thrccs or skies, the returns
being in proportion to the chances riskcd.
Tho bank always has the odds OF about
three per cent. A great many bets arc made
at once, and, as the wheel stops, the stakes
arc rakcd in, except those winning, and the
owners of these are then paid very rapidly.
Some have great runs of luck, and it is said
that prominent American tobacco mer-
chant made 570,O00f, but as a rule those
who play loose, and that, too, heavily. The
play goes on afternoon and evening until |
Or II. 30, when it ceases, aud with scale and
pencil the bank rcckons up its gain. Monte
Carlo being The only place where playing
is lcgalizcd, heavy license is paid to the
Prince of Monaco, and this forms his chief
revenue.
The ball OF tho Gsllows.