The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-03-26


path of honor and duty. If ever an
evil thought crosses his mind, let hi@n
look at this cross, let him think of his
father, and feel sure that he will i'm
mediately return to the sentiments
which alone are worthy of an honorable
man"
Long after the events recorded had
taken place, chance led me to the
shores of the Mediterranean. For
many days 1 staid at Monaco, not to
gamble, for, thank Heaven, / have
never felt the passion of play, but to
settle some family business. Morning
after morning had travelled along the
coast, and had admired the truly adj
mirable picture which nature offers to
the traveller who goes from Nice to &C.
nOa by the Corniche road, when one
day the fancy seized me to enter the
Monte Carlo Casino. The impression
l received was strange, and l must
frankly confess that the sight which
met my eyes contrasted disagreeably
with the beauties which nature has Law
ished upon this country. If the view
from the top of the terrace of Monte
Carlo dazzles the eyes, Gains the mind
and fills the soul with an infinite
charm, the scene which the gaming sa-
loon presents troubles the sight, sad
dens the heart and fills one with feel
ing Of WEAKNESS and depression.
Picture to yourself a splendid saloon
brilliantly lighted by numerous chan
deliers; the walls are magnificently
| decorated, but the sole furniture of the
room consists of tables and chairs. On
each table may be seen a roulette
wheel, miniature rakes and a locked
box. Gradually the crowd enters, and
| the gaming saloon is filled. Visitors of
/ the most varied types take their places
/ round the tables, the crOupiers come
| in, open the box, fill it with bank-notes
/ and pile up before them heaps of gold.
The play begins. This consists of
| throwing an ivory ball, which revolves
in a wheel-a species of round basin
with numbers, and which is itself
| whirling in an opposite direction.
| There are thirty-six numbers on the
| wheel without counting zero. Each
| player stakes a sum of money upon a
number. The croupiers pay thirty-six
! times the sum which is staked on the
number at which the ball stops. All
the money risked on the other numbers
forms the gains Of the Casino.
A gentleman of military appearance
is standing near a table. He stakes a
louis, and whether he gains or whether
he loses, the sum which he risks never
varies-it is always a louis. Across the
/ table a young woman is noting down
the winning numbers; for hours to-
gether she is absorbed in this occupa-
ton, and in the evening, when she re-
turns to her hotel, she devotes herself
TO naking innumerable calculations.
reckons how many times each num-
49, has come out during the day, she
strikes an average, and thus settles the
number on which next day she viii risk
the money at her command. At an
other table two players of a different
temperament face each other. One is
brutalized by play, the other is impas-
sive; he has what is called "a strong
stomach Whether he loses or whether
he wins, his face always remains the
same. No nervous contraction betrays
the feelings which are agitating his
heart. He digests equally well all for
tunes vagaries, and when the roulette
carries off the sheaf of bank-nOtes
which is before him, the digestion OF
this loss does not appear to give him
the slightest discomfort; hence his name
of ''strOng stomach"
I had been in the gambling saloon
for some moments when l noticed 8
young couple enter. The woman was
French, the man spoke English, but
with a strong American accent. Doubt
less they were a newly married couple
who had come to Monte Carlo for their
honeymoon. Both took their places al
table and began to play.
The 9th of December was our wed.
ding day." whispers the young woman
in her husbands ear. Suppose we
choose the number 9; perhaps it will
bring us luckP"
Just as you like" answers her hus
band. and they placed five pounds OF
the number 9.
The ball is thrown, and whirls around
the wheel. The husband, with his hands
on the table, awaits the result almos
with indifference. The lady, somewhat
less cool, puts up her glasses to get {
better view The ball revolves for (
{ long time, but eventually slackens it
pace, passes alowly by the numbers SO
: /, 20, IA, 81, and finally stops at mum
Der 9.
) The croupier takes one hundred anC
! eighty pounds in gold, and nOisil,
, sounding the coins, places them be
4 fore the young woman, who smilingl,
e takes a rake, and heaps sup Gttl
mountain of gold.
! "If instead of five pounds, says tn
g husband, eve had risked one hundred
I pounds, we should have gained a small
= fortune, thirty-six hundred pounds
s and we might have abandoned the ide
of living on board our vessel"
Z "Let us risk one hundred pounds. a
, we have won it. 1t was on January
{ that YOU were so nearly drowned a
= sea with your father and mother; lie
r. us put one hundred pounds on numbe
q Il 81
e The one hundred pounds are place,
: ON number IL. The ball revOlves, an,
t quite gently, as though guided by a.
d invisible hand. stops at number II.
l Every one for himself!' exclaim
e the husband, gathering in the hug
d racket of notes which the crouple
4 passes him. sit is l who risked tn
hundred pounds; the winnings shOul
I. belong to me.
Il thought that between US two al
a was in common" said his companion
= timidly.
: cat play-no. repeat, every on
= for himself.
/ "Our winnings are considerable,
p / ventured the lady. Let us leave tn
10 room, and 90 back to Marseilles, wher
e | your vessel awaits YOU.
{ you are mad; don't you see that
o have run of luck? 1 mean to brea
b the bank"
e In fact, the young American, excite
e bv his extraordinary success, begins t
J. play wildly. But, alas! the little ivor
Y ball seems to have become capricious
Il One bank-note follows another, an
y the ''run of luck does not appear t
T, return. In very short time all hi
s winnings have been lost, and NOR
e than once our player has plunged hi
Il hand into his pocket to draw OF
4 money which was not intended to
e 1,, 1Dune