Morning journal and courier., 1882-09-11
SaratOga's CIub-HOuse.
Description Which win be Pro-
 nOuncsd Perfect by Hundreds.


 nouncsd Perfect by Hundreds.
 Correspondence St. Louis Globe -Democrstl
 The Saratoga clubhouse, otherwise John Morrissey's great gilded gambling palace, is an institution of the place that every man goes to on the night of his arrival. Pious citizens and fathers of large families count their visits as in the line of legitimate sight seeing, and chill the blood of their home broods as they tell in mortified tones of the crowds that openly gamble there every night. It has so long been the rule for ladies to take peep at the inner wickedness and furnish ings of the place that no one stares in any great amazement to see whole strings of them going in there each morning. The eminently respectable brick structure facing Congress Park is frequently mistaken for a private residence by the truly verdant, and clergymen stop to admire the beds of coleus and luxuriant foliage plants that ornament the little corner of lawn, and to theorize and speculate upon the principle that keeps small rubber ball dancing up and down the fine jet of water that fills the dripping basins of the fountain. The most perfect quiet al ways ref gns about the establishment, and at night the lights are subdued by thick cur tains and frame shades, and only the chatter and odors from the kitchen give any indica- tion of what goes on within. Midnight finds the place crowded, but in the early morning hours it is cool and deserted, except by the attendants, and ladies are ushered into the mysterious resort with all the pleasu re in the world.
 There is vast deal of rubbish talked about such places, and from the pictures that purblind color blind, and half observing men draw of gambling rooms anyone ax- poets to be completely dazed and struck dumb at sight of their interiors. The Sara toga club IS supposed to be specimen and superior establishment of it's kind, depend ing for it's patronage upon the greatest and richest gamesters of the country, but, as in- terior decorations and the furnishing art stand nowadays, it affords the most ordinary and commonplace example of unesthetic taste. There is nothing gorgeous about the rooms at all, and even in the way of gliding, which is popularly supposed to be the trade mark of the gamblers, there is nothing striking extraordinary. The entrance hall is a rather blank, white-walled place, furnished with high desk holding regis ter, an umbrella-stand, and 8 series of Eng fish Autographs depicting racing scenes. A long reading-room on the left contains vel vet carpet of the old style, horiated pattern, some ordinary sofas and tables, and Shaker chairs. The bar room on the right has 8 long buffet built into the wall, set with a fine array of cut glass, and the refrigerator and ice box occupy B prominent place in that room. A showcase, filled with cigars, also decorates this scene, and few cheap slate topped tables, with cane seat chairs, com plete that set of so, called gorgeousness Beyond the bar there is a fine and lofty apartment politely designated as ''the con versation room" by the sable attendant, and six green tables ranged around the walls are supposed to suggest diverting topics. One faro table, with little chips set in tidy row one dice table, three roulette tables, and an other strip of green baize devoted to rouge ct noir comprise the 'outft," as they say 1T the West. There are large mirrors above hnv fo1c or16I nho Isrpr from the cupola skylights in the ceiling.
 There was one very blunt-speken lady ir one party of nine who had been talking fol days of the intended visit to the clubhouse and feeding her imagination on the highly colored accounts of the unreliable sex. Con temptuous astonishment marked her counte nance after the first step across the thresh old, and, after comprehensive glance at the tables and the surroundings she said ''Well, if this is gilded hell don't think much of 1t, and any woman with half wits would see the swindle in these things, bringing her parasol down with crash or the green tables. The escort of the party smiled, and dilated upon the dazzling scene the same vast apartment presented at nigh when it was crowded with men, the chande Hers all lighted and the air blue with tobaccc smoke. superb racing trophy in the shape of the Travers cup ornaments one of tht mantel. pieces in this roomy lair of the tiger ana IS the only bnlng III Cue plac6 tnaC as al came up to expectations. The Travers cuI for 1882 is broad, low tazza, or bowl, o hammered silver, ornamented with @ buncf of grapes or grape leaves in the beautiful irri descent silver that marks the last advance il the metal-worker's art. Two horses heads with bits and bridals hanging, serve as han dies, and the trophy is mounted on 8 blocl covered with pomegranate plush. Across the end of the house and opening from thu reading room, bar and gambling-room, is tho restaurant, which is furnished with the same Spartan simplicity and attention only tt practical details that distinguishes the rest o the rooms One solitary man was sitting of in a corner, and looked affrighted when six teen eyes were turned upon him, and eigh noses were turned in the air at the unmis takable proof that he was taking beefstsal with onions for his late breakfast.
 From the old lady who had always wanted to see them play gamble' to the travelet dame who had watched games at Hamburs and Monaco, we were, one and all, sold ane disappointed with the club house interior It may have been a handsome place ten ol fifteen years ago, when it was first furnished but it is now so shabby and so far behind tn, age that no irst-class hotel parlor steam boat cabin presents counterpart. It Is pos sible that this is single instance in long lis of truly gorgeous gambling establishments but as knowledge of those things is confined to hearsay and the word pictures of nal, relatives, discredit on general principles and with one grand sweep all the extravagan nonsense that is talked on the subject.