Sun River sun., 1884-02-21
SECRET GAMBLING ROOM.
Lined with Iron and Apparently Without
Doors.


main street of San Francisco some
100 feet when Choy 10y, my guide,
stopped suddenly, and turning around
confronted me. Involunta,ily my
hand swung around to my pistol pock-
ct. My heartbeat quickened, and /
wished that I had not made up my
mind to enlightcn readers us regards
the Chinese.
'Do not stop" said he, "whatcver
the lookout may say, but show him
your tickct,' which he handed me,
nnlwith thrt he desc endcd into n dark
basement, and I followed close behind
him. AS wc nearcd the foot Of the
stairs perceived light burning in
what appeared to be q sigar store.
The door was open and my guide en-
tered and said something in Chinese
to n fellow-countryman. We passed
to tho left of the store, and drawing
aside heavy curtain which was fas-
tened to the ceiling sld trailed on the
floor, Choy showed the way into nn
ante-room dimly lighted by n waxcn
taper burning in nut oil. Choy, draw
ing me close to him, informed me that
tho room we stood in was as far as
any one uninitiated into the workings
of the house could go I Igazed around
mo and not an opening of any des-
cription was discernablc except the
ono we had cntcredby. ! could hard
ly believe that the walls surrounding
me were sheet iron, but Il blow with
the head Of my cane convinced me
that tho ncat-pattcrned wallpaper,
with which the walls were covered,
had hidden beneath layer of quarter
inch sheet iron. The room was desti-
tote Of furniture Of any kind, with the
exception of II clock.
Tho den wis to be reached, not by
words, but by action. Lee walked
over to one corner Of this iron tank
and pointed out to me q small plush
colorcd button, almost concealed by
the clock, the bands Of which pointed
out to us the hour of 8. He pressed
on tho button and n small door, prob
ably six inches square, flew open
about five feet from where We stood
This opening showed us n Enotted
rope which appeared to pass through
Il second wall of sheet iron. Choy
then directed me to pull the rope out
as far rs I could. I did So, and slow
ly about one-half of the wall began tc
move. BY degrees it opened, some
thing after the fashion Of n folded
door; the difference being that only
one half rccedcd, leaving to my MS
tonished gaze n room shout twenty
five feet square, well lighted and nj
most filled with molly collection Of
men of all nationalities, and two wo-
men. Choy did not show the least
sign Of astonishmcnt, and nndoubt-
edly was dcvotcc Of tho fascinating
gamc, for no Immediately walked NJ
to tho table around which the players
were soatcd, and, taking II ticket, pro.
ceeded to mark it. While he was thus
engaged l turned around, and, looLin.
back of mo found the wall had closeG
after our entrance. There were abou
thirty men and boys of all persua
sions seated at the table and two
American women. The women were
heavily veilcd, and the dark veil ant
cloak worn by one of them could no
hide her youth and beauty. To he
right was q big burly negro smoking
short-stcmmed clay pipe; to her lcf
n butcher, whose apron betrayed hi
vocation. Two Cinnamon, callc,
Markers" were seated at the head o
the table engaged checking off tn
tickets and receiving the money frol
the players. All was quiet. Now ant
then you could hear sigh as som
unfortunate player, by comparing hi
tickets with tho drawing, found on
he had lost.
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