The Opelousas courier., 1889-02-16
MONTE CARLO.
How Gambling is Carried on at
This Notorious Resort.
Daily Preparations for Receiv-
ing the Playing Public.

Before play commences at Monte Car
10, the notorious European gambling
resort, which it does at II OF 10 o'clock,
according to the season, solemn process
sions may be seen on their way to the
Salon, writes Charles G. Wellman in the
Cosmopolitan. First come two attend
ants in livery, carrying between them a
money chest, and close behind march
the croupiers who are to begin work and
of whom there arc seven to each table.
Four of these sit facing each other on
either side of the roulette board in the
centre, and n at each end. The seventh,
the chef-de-partie, as he is called,
perches himself on high stool close
behind one of the pairs of croupiers at
the centre, keeps a lookout all around,
and is appealed to in case of any dispute.
'Je domino are the words in which he
expresses his position.
Each of the croupiers, the chef-de-
partie excepted, is armed with a long
handled rake, which, as it has so much
Ruu.>;k to do, is strengthened at the foot
by uIsplate of brass. The bank-notes are
placid in boxes, the money counted out,
and whe louis and fve-franc pieces ar
rangeA in long rows standing on their
edgesfso that they look like go!fuhd
silver fsnakes. Each of the -four crou-
piers N. the centre has" snakes of both
colors te eLook after. Those at the ends
of the n netElles have nothing to do with
raking'b he or paying out the money lost
Or won; f'1Reir business # to put stakes
on, or raEse. winnings off, for those who,
unable toSa care seats at the table, are
crowding G undiad outside; to get change
for them as'reduired, and to keep order.
And now itvF time to begin; the rakes
of the %croupier facing each other at the
centre are laid across the table head
to head, their ~lot1ethin handles appear
ing beyond the { et to J of the men about
to WELD them witQrIb much skill. The
croupiers at the toPhnd bottom lay their
instruments close III front of them at
right angles to the kngth of the table,
which is long enough to accommodate
about twenty players besides the Group
iers, and eight shorter rakes unshod with
brass are placed ready for the use of
players.
All is o prepared for ahe attack, the
garriasn is perfectly dril1aa and disci-
plined, and amply suppnHsd-with the
sinews of war. Table and len together
form one machine, a machine that plays
without committing a mishsake, never
made reckless by disaster, stsver rend-
cred foolish by success. IT, ~
Open the doors, then, anddet all who
will approach and do battle. Daily the
challenge is accepted, the chairs are
seized at once, the forces are ready to re-
new the assault. Many of the players
produce p~ocket-books or sheets of paper
ruled in every conceivable way; these
are the believers in systems or martin
gales. Others are content to use the
cards and pins supplied by the attend
ants; others again neither know nor care
what color or number last came up, but
play hap-hazard as the fancy takes
them.
When those who mean to play have
put on their stakes, the croupier in
charge of the roulette board, who has
several times uttered the warning
"Messieurs, faites vos jeux," give the
ball a spin in one direction, the revolv.
ing disk a twist in the other, and the
battle begins in earnest.