Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-21

Vignaux employees several of the best billiard
play, rs in France. 1t is their business to play
against each other during the hours just men
toned. The public knows that the playing will
be Of high order and that it will be strictly
honest. None OF these hired experts could af-
ford to play other than his best, for the patrons
would speedily recognize it. refuse to back
his game. and then his occupation would be
gone. These games are played IN the room
first described. When the contestants have
been appointed by the manager, the style
of game decided and the odds an
nounced, for it is seldom that players
are evenly matched. the spectators
crowd about the table to make their bets. The
PLAYERS stand at either end of the table, each
with book in hand to register the bets laid on
himself and to collect the money. After all
who wish to bet have deposited their money
and named their choice the books and cash are
locked in a tin box and placed on the ca hiers
desk. The game then proceeds and az the end
the hackers of the winner receive their money
less twenty per cent. This amount is de-
Quoted for division equally between
the players. 1t sounds like heavy
tax. but no admission is charged and the
omnipresent refreshments are served at
ordinary prices Still, if any American sport
feels that he would object TO laying fifty
francs for the sake of winning thirty in
game where the chances had been evenly
adjusted the handicap of odds could effect
that, shall offer no arguments against his
Frenchmen do this day after day, not only at
Vignaux's but in many other billiard rooms
of less fame in Paris.
The games, as have said. are of a very high
order and it would naturally be thought that
all pains would be taken to secure the best con-
dltions for play. The table is as good as posi-
BILE, it is thoroughly renovated at intervals of a
few days The players OF course, use their
own cues and good balls are provided, but the
atmosphere is so exceedingly bad that the balls
NM hafn rafn rhn rrlh
to, and that means nearly everybody,
smoke constantly; no arrangement of the
windows and doors. opening tor the most
part into covered areas or passages, would give
proper ventilation; even with the most bril-
liant play in progress it is difficult to keep the
eyes open.
Among Vignaux's employees this summer and
autumn was MIR. Eugene Carter, the remark
ably expert cushion player from Wisconsin.
He has been in receipt of a good salary and
plenty OF distinction, but he has not experienced
unalloyed happiness.
Can't do myself justice here, ;" he explained;
''the atmosphere is so bad that both balls and
cushions get out OF order quickly, so that fine
playing is almost out Of the question. feel as
If were using sledge-hammers half the time
Besides that have the most dreadful off DAYS.
Its reasonable enough, for if the air has an eff
feet on ivory that the player can distinguish,
why.shouldn't it affect the player himself?
That might pass without complaint if it were
teaching me anything. cannot improve I'M
der such conditions, and besides, one Of the
chief inducements under which came here was
that snould have the privilege Of playing
with Vignaux. l beat him at cushion
Se wen. '''s o inso the sha coun hsp
to stay rather than take any more defeats from
an employee. The other players while magnifi-
cent billlardists, are excessively Jealous and
hard to get on with. have to play all sorts Of
all lat- 4
the time whether am to appear or not"
Mr.. Carter said good many other things
not wholly complimentary to the French, but
he may get over that when he is once more in
familiar atmosphere and in sound Of familiar
| language. had the pleasure OF seeing one of
his games with Vignaux and know that soon
after it the famous Frenchman be-
took himself for an extended vacation into the
country. curious feature Of Mr.. Carter's eX-
perience has been that though he speedily
| cushion play, the habitues of the
place would not back his game unless
| the opponent allowed odds from 40 to so in 49,
They could not seem to persuade themselves
that monster Cartay," as they called him,
could play billiards. / saw him play once at
balkline with the most expert players at that
game in France, Vignaux alone excepted Car
ter was allowed forty points. He ran out in
four plays, leaving his opponent with q modest
three points to his credit. Naturally enough
whole he has made a strong record here.
The Vignaux school is not entirely mis-
named. The salalied experts give lessons in
the morning to ambitious amateurs, using gen.
orally the tables in the upper rooms. From
these lessons and their percentage on the bets
laid they earn from Sl2 to Sl5 daily the year
around. It would seem that Vignaux's
income from the establishment must depend
largely upon the sale of drinks, but in addition
to this he does business in billiard implements
aud repairs.
Two smell points to conclude with. There
are no buttons on a wire to count with here;
the score is kept either by pressing q knob at
the side Of the table, which registers the play
on a dial somewhat like q street car conductors
punch or by marking with chalk on q minia-
ture blackboard sunk in the rail.
There are many halls in Paris where the
tables and implements are not SO very un-
intentionally bad where the cost of the play is
only forty centimes or eight cents an hour. In
the more attractive places it costs as much as
twenty-five cents. In all cases it is expected
that refreshments Of some kind will be called
for during or after the game.
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