Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-10-02
THE Z J GA MBL Frs WIFE \
scenes In tho Summer Capita1 which Re

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The hotel-keepers are inquiring
whether this steady increase in the
number Of gaming establishments,
which flourish under the name of club.
houses, IS not injuring Long Branch
and incidentally hurting their business.
There was no particular objection
made to Phil Days gorgeous gaming
place. In fact, it was rather regarded
as an attraction for men of wealth.:
But Days prosperity has induced
other disciples of chance to set up their
own temples. There are six of these
places now dotting the shore from the
East to the West end No attempt is
made to disguise their purpose. Driv-
ing past, the voice of the dealer or the
clerk of the roulette wheel is heard
through the open windows. Perhaps
the commissioners would be disposed
to take some actionin the matter but
that the owners OF the houses prudent
lydeclineto allow natives" to risk any
money in them. Thehouses are traps
for visitors altogether All sorts OF
visitors, too, are taken in, from
wealthy bankers down to the keepers
+ OF little shops. Now and again some
unfortunate, having been cleaned out,
attempts to put an end to his ex-
istence, but nobody minds that.
There is this to be said about the
gamblers, they are spending more
money here this year than any other
class of men, and their wives are the
most elegantly dressed women OF the
resort. No other class, hotel men say,
can afford to live so extensively.
Let us walk down the corridor of a
leading hotel after dinner. while the
band is playing, and the ladies have
taken possession OF the sofas and chairs
to show themselves and their toilets.
There in the full glare of the light you
observe q finely nodded, stately blonde.
Her hair indeed, is so wondrous vel
low that, it looks like fine threads of
gold. Her toilet is superb, and the
laces on her embroidered dress are of
the finest texture. Diamonds sparkle
on her fingers and in her hair, and
splendid necklace Of gems makes a cir
Gle of flashing fire round her beautiful
neck. She fans herself leisurely, sur
veying procession ofelegantly dressed
women passing slowly up and down.
She sits alone, and nobody bows to
her, but every eye casts upon her a.
look OF admiration. She is the wife of
a New York gambler, the owner of a
superb furnished palace Of hazard in
East Fifty-ninth street.
Further on your glance is caught by
the splendid attire of q vulgar little
woman whose pudgy fingers must feel
the weight Of the big diamonds which
they bear She has none of the we'll
bred grace of the woman With the
golden hair. Her little eyes follow
every form that passes, taking note OF
each toilet, her mind comparing it,
doubtless, with her own garish and in
harmonious outfit. She, too, is alone,
and no one speaks to her. Her hus-
band is the owner of one Of the smaller
s'club" houses. The thousands that
have served to bedeck her uugraceful
person have come from the pockets of
small merchants and giddy clerks,
whose love Of lucre or adventure leads
them into a Hateful bout with the
tiger.
Quite at the end OF the corridor three
showily dressed youths chat with a
young woman OF rare beauty. Two Of
them are sons Of wealthy New York
banker; the third has an income Of
$4,000 year that was left him by
his late father, an iron man whose
name was known throughout the
United States. The woman is charm
ingly dressed and quite simply,
Her voice is. much better attuned than
the voices ofAnerican women usually
are, her air and carriage are perfect,
and there is that something in her
style which shows she has had tram
ing in department III a school abroad.
She chats and laughs gayly, and her
quick replies show that she is cleverer
than any of the three gilded gos,,;::,gs
who are fluttering around her. Now
and again other young men in the
stream flowing past bow to her, or
step out to say a word; but no wom-
en- recognize her in any way. She is
the wife of an accomplished and push
ing young gambler, a man who is max
ing his way by devoting to that bust
ness the thought and energy that u.s.
ually bringsuccess in honest vocations.
He owns one Of the most elegant hells
in New York, and is growing rich rap
idly. No small part of his property
is due to his beautiful and cultivated
wife. She, they say, is the brilliant
beacon that lures many agolden-laden
human bark upon the rock-bound
toast where her husband is wrecker
While the dangerous beauty is still
chatting with her suitors, a child's cry
is heard and presently, q little thing,
all enveloped In laces, comes running
and sobbing down the corridor. She
throws herself violently into the arms
of the woman with the golden hair,
whom we first saw, while her bosom
heaves and tears we'll over from her
great blue eyes. Mamma" mamma"
she cries, it's--it's happened again.
And oh! don't see what have done.
What I have done"
"What has happened again, my
child?' ~
IL was in the parlor, and wanted to
dance ever so much, and I just made
up the set. But a lady came over and
took her little. girl away. And after
awhile tie little: girl came back and
said that her mamma told her she
must never play with me. Then the
other girls wouldn't play with me
either. And what have I done, mann
ma, and why is some one always tell
| ino mo that she ia not allowed to play