The Hawaiian gazette., 1886-12-14
A Partisan Gambler.

wlthstandIng the moral to be deduced
from 1t, affect practically the life of
single gambler in existence. That
unfortunate was a grandson of the
Admiral Of the same name who was
hanged IN 1779, on a yard arm Of the
Minerva, in the Bay of Naples, under
the eye Of Lord Nelson, and whose
Gagical death cast stigma on the
fame of the British naval hero. AL
berto Caracciolo. Prince of Melisano,
resembled the ill-starred Admiral in
RE and in the outline of his head,
but was devoid Of his dignity, his self
mastery and frmness of character.
He was small and why, and his little
person was always attired in what is
here supposed to be a correct English
style that Is to say, like a groom in
the morning and like a ''masher" in
the evening. His shirt bosom and
collar seemed to be of metal with
white enamel on 1t, and his cravat was
IN keeping with the shirt. He had
bilious complexion, and there was
something In his profile which set one
thinking Of a raven. The eye that
was not perpetually hidden by an
eye-glass was hard, sunk, inquisitive
and suspicious. 1t appeared to have
retreated as far back as it could to lie
IN ambush, and to hide its own move
ments. Italians thought it an evil
eye, and would not gamble with its
owner. Indeed, his Neapolitan com
patriots Of his own rank, thinking him
a Jettatore, would not, on any account,
stay in a room where he was. At the
clubs to which he belonged, both at
Rome and Naples, his entrance into
the card-room frightened away the
players.
This superstitious dread of his evil
eye obliged him to come to Paris,
where as he was provided with the
best introductions, and had an uncle
who was the lover of Madame Krauss,
the opera prima donna, he was at
once well launched. TIE took hand
some suite Of rooms in the Rue dan
tin. got admitted to the most select
clubs OF cercles. mainly those of the
Rue Royale and Champs Elysees for
merly Cercle Imperial,) and acquired
a reputation as a collector of choice
canes and art furniture. He had a
good many lady friends, who were too
well known in Paris and in the pleas
ure and gambling resorts Of Europe
Some of them were on the stage. 1t
was whispered that whenever any Of
them introduced to the Prince a rich
flat. he shared with her the money
that he won of him. The Neapolitan
nobleman was extremely intimate with
the red-whiskered Polish Count who
some years ago became the INSOFAR
able friend of the Prince of Wales,
and remained so till he died. In a
short time Prince AIelissano's set of
rooms In the Rue d'Antin became a
center to which illustrious and wealthy
pleasure seekers from all points of
the compass gathered. His gambling
parties We're so "swagger" that rich
money lenders who wanted to extend
their social relations did not mind to
what an extent they or their sons lost
money at them. Since Mile Schnei
der shut up shop there was no place
IN Europe where a vulgar millionaire
had such good opportunities for be-
coming acquainted with Royal and
Imperial personages.
The host however, had too long and
strong a spell of luck for this sort of
thing to go on forever. He never, at
this period of his career played but to
win. and he always played for high
stakes Nobody thought here of his
evil eye. but it was remarked that he
had phenominally thin and long nails,
and it was suspected that by their aid
he INDUCED in that kind of cheating
known as ta p2usette. Gold coins placed
outside a certain line on the card
table could be showed forward by the
long nails within the boundary, if to
be inside was to win. This caused
his rooms to be suddenly deserted.
As he always lived at the top of his
speed. creditors came down in a shoal
npon him when his gains decreased.
His art furniture was sold by them;
but he contrived to keep his curious
canes. He was involed in the scandal
Of the Cercle de la Rue Royale, and
when it was broken up to be reconst-
tuted the committee refused to admit
him. Mile. Tina Dalta, the Opera
Comique singer, with whom he went
TO America. ordered him from her
presence. and when he would not go,
but kept running after her, behind
the scenes, horsewhipped him. He
became one of the most cantankerous
of human beings. His nails being
closely watched whenever he played,
his luck" utterly forsook him. The
committee of the Champs Elysees
club, where he had bedroom.
watched for opportunities to expel
him. He often lost temper when he
was cleaned out, "a thing one must
never do among gentlemanly game
sters in Paris. According to their
code of manners, when a player is
ruined, he should grin and bear it. If
rhev mean TO commit suicide they
should do so without apprising any
one of the intention. Prince Melis-
sano got up scenes about his gambling
nisfortunes. When be saw himself
posted as a defaulter, he smashed the