The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-03-13
Monte Carlo.

thC iotS w. Diduts IpiFSSSius thC ih''
of Hamburg, took possession of IT,.
There mad been a Casino there for
some years before, styled Elysee AL.
berto. till the reigning Prince of Mon
AGO, Charles Ill, resolved to immor-
talize himself by naming it Monte
Carlo. Blanc bought out the old
glambling company for million and
a half of francs. and from that time
till his death was lavish in his expen
ditures on the extension and MAIN
tenance of the fairy-land he had ere
ated in the loveliest spot of the globe.
The great Casino was formally open
ed In 1868 by a banquet, at which all
Monaco and great deal of Paris was
present. The whole establishment is
Indirectly under the control of com.
missioner of the Prince of Monaco,
but the chief function ofthis officer is
to drawIhis own salary and remit to
his sovereign his own share of the
plumber. All that money can do to
make the outside and inside of the
gambling-house attractive has been
done. The gardens are marvels of
beauty and floral wealth; palms. OIL
ives, aloes, carob trees, all the semi
tropical vegetation. flourish luxuri-
antly. The building is provided
with concert-hall, a reading. room
and Darlors. all luxuriousIy fitted up.
The great hall devoted to roulette is
In the Moorish style, with lofty
ceiling. and windows which look on
one side to the square, on the other
to the sea and the rocky height of
Monaco. Crossing two spacious ar
cades. the stranger enters great gall
lery, in which are placed three tables
-one for roulette. the others for
trente-et-quarante. Here the throng
of players assemble some merely to
pass the time; many, however, seri-
ously and anxiously studying every
turn of the wheel or every spot on
the cards. They are as solemn as the
alchemists of old in their search for
the philosophers stone, with the
same firm belief that an infallible
method will one day be discovered.
Play requires GOODNESS, patience, and
perseverance as well as courage. At
Monte Carlo everything is perfectly
fair; what the player has to struggle
with is the advantage which the
rules of the game give to the table.
The officials of the Casino are num-
erous-two inspectors who superin-
tend the whole, inspectors of the ia
bles, and an army of croupiers linen
who watch the cards and collect the
money!. The latter functionaries
number seventy or eighty in sum-
mer and 100 in winter, and are dress
ed irreproachably in black. with
white ties. The croupiers, through
some myteriOus cause, are most bald,
and have wearied, melancholy
look the other officials are at the
same time cringing to those in au-
thority or TO the rich habitues of the
place and overwhelming to those un.
fortunates who are down on their
luck. Some of the losers go out and
kill themselves in the gardens. which
unpleasant affairs are. If possible,
hushed up or attributed to some
other cause ; few have the sense to
run away home; some come back
regularly.
Nor Is the passion for play restrict
ed to the ruder sex. The tables have
a potent fascination for ladies of all
ranks and classes. Not a year passes
without the report of some women of
wealth and position being a victim to
her Infatuation for play. The crowd
Is motley one. AS among the men
we see the weak and wicked, the
pigeon and the rock. the swindling
adventurer and the man of honor, SO
dthOuS TIC WOu1tii dIu iduIco vi iduhs
mothers and families, innocent
daughters. ballet dancers. actresses
and the worst of female adventures.
A calculating mother, an old hand at
the tables, often thinks that in this
shifting crowd her daughter will find
q greater chance for her career than
anywhere else. Some of the ladies,
too. are kind enough to volunteer adj
vice to players who seem in doubt.
"Put your money on seventeen,
monsieur" she will whisper. land
we will divide ifyou win." IF she is
pretty and the player is a fool. her
advice may he taken. But the steady
player will make no such bargain
like all gamblers he is superstitious.
and will ask child or a stranger to
make stake for him, but he will
not share his winnings. He consuIts
the card on which he has pricked
down the winning and losing num-
bers. It seems as lift would be safe
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