Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1886-03-20

man which may always keep him In the
path of honor and duty, If ever an
evil thought crosses his mind, let him
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 m honorable
man." :
Long after the events recorded a
taken place, chance led me to the
shores of the Mediterranean, For
many days | 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 Ge-
noa by the Corniche road, when n
day the fancy seized me to enter. tthhf
Monte Carlo Casino. Thu, nh
| received was s. '"re~ "sH."f lfust
frankly confess sat the sight which
met my eyes c~ontrasted d~isagreeablv
| 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 a feel
inc of WEAKNESS and depression.
Picture to yourself a splendid saloon
brilliantly lighted by numerous chan
deliers; the walls are magniilcentlH
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-notcs
and pile up before them heaps OF gold.
The play begins. This consists OF
throwing an ivory ball, which rrvolyer
in a wheel-a species of round basin
with numbers, and which is itself
whirling in an opposite direction
There are t~hirty-six numbers on the
wheel without counting zero. EAcI
PLAYER stakes a sun of money upon I
number. The croupiers pay thirty-sl>
times the sum which is stakcd on the
number at which the ball stops. Al
= the money risked on the other numbers
3, forms the gains of the Casino,
A gentleman of military appearance
is standing near a table, He stakes
louis, and whether he gains or whethe
q. he loses, the sum which he risks neve
varies-it is always a louis. AcroSsth
table a young woman is noting dow
4 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 herseI
to making innumerable calculations
She reckons how many times each nun
j., Der has come out during the day, sh
= strikes an average. and thus settles tn
number on which next day she will ris
the money at her command. At al
other table two players of a diiferel
: temperament face each other. One
e brutalized by play, the other is impa.
sive; he has what is called "a stron
d stomach Whetherhe loses or wheth,
d., he wins, his face always remains II
-" same. No nervous contraction bctra,
: the feelings which are agitating b
II heart. He digests equally well all 70
II tunes vagaricS, and when the roulet'
carries off the shcaf of bank-not,
which is before him, the digestion
4 this loss does not appear to give hi
" the slightestdiscomfort hence his nan
" of ''strong stomach
! had been in the gambling salo,
for some moments when | noticed
I'd young couple enter. The woman W
French, the man spoke English, b
a with a strong American accent. Doul
less they were a newly married coup
i. who had come to Monte Carlo for the
4 honeymoon. Both took their places
le a table and began to play.
at The 9th of December was our we
r. ding day." whispers the young WON;
at in her husbands ear. Suppose
choose the number 8; perhaps it W
hit bring us luck?'
is. just as you like" answers her b,
he band, and they placed five pounds
ID, the number 9.
cir The ball is thrown. and whirls arou'
the wheel. The husband, with his han
~ on the table, awaits the result almt
We with indifference, The lady, somewE
VS. less cool, puts up her glasses to get
re better view. The ball revolyes for
of long time, but eventually slackens
oh pace, passes alowly by the numbers
Tor i, 20, IA, 81, and finally stops at nu
ce. Der 9.
ats The croupier takes one hundred a
ON eighty pounds in gold, and Dois
to sounding the coins, places them
, a fore the young woman, who smiling
the takes a rake, and heaps up a lit
mountain of gold.
ich "If instead of five pounds" says
the husband, 1--WE had risked one humid
nd pounds, we should have gained a SIN
ur- fortune, thirty-six hundred poun
VS. and we might have abandoned the il
ifs. of living on board our vessel"
of LET us risk one hundred pounds,
RS, we have won it. 1t was on January
ent that you were so nearly drowned
gn- sea with your father and mother;
de- us put one hundred pounds on mum
owe IL
ave The one hundred pounds are pla
Gu on number II. The ball revolves,
out quite gently, as though guided by
an invisible hand, stops at number II.
;. l Every one for himself!' excla
me the husband. gathering in the h,
an packet of notes which the croul
cen passes him. at is | who risked
'es- hundred pounds; the winnings sho
Ter. belong To- me.
his II thought that between us two
y a was in common said his compani
en- timidly.
bat AT play-no. l repeat, every
ele- for himself"
and "Our winnings are considerab
up ventured the lady. 'Let us leave
mo- room, and 60 back to Marseilles, wi
he your vessel awaits YOU
BOAT ''You are mad; don't you see tn
who have a run of luckP ] mean to bl
zach the bank"
Iuge In fact, the young American, exc
rave by his extraordinary success, begin
dis play wildly. But, alas! the little u
way ball seems to have become caprici