The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-02

again. Will IL De settIeu bnls 1line. ~ 10
doubtful.
Those industrious people who, thanks to
some high protectors, have succeeded in OBJ
tanning from the prefecture an authorization
to open club. do not neglect to surround
themselves with committee composed OF
men known for their artistic and literary
talents, and hide themselves behind these
names, which serve as ''fag" on the WALL
They choose convenient club premises, giving |
q preference to those situated on the grand
in the center of the real Paris
movement. between the Madeleine church
to established clubs, from which they consid-
or it q duty to draw clients: Next comes the
installation of the clubs. Luxury before all. |
but an intelligent luxury. without gilt, that
shocks one, and without loud hanglngs and
curtains. On the contrary, they are heavy
ated here and there with several good pic
lures In the drawing rooms, sea OF light,
heavy Oriental carpets, an army OF footmen
in sober but rich livery. obeying everybody
with readiness and giving the illusion OF
high life to club members, who have not
varnish their boots themselves in the little
rooms they occupy in the some Furnished
house. -,
The club is thus established, and the gam
bling customers begin to float into the
"saloons." Until o'clock in the afternoon .11
thew are reading papers, practice at bill
iards or, owing to the fatigues of the pre-
cedinp night passed at the baccarat table.
sieep in peace on the large and comfortable
sofas and easy chairs; others, leaning on
the mantelpieces, discuss the interesting
events and topics of the day before they
proceed to the gain of the one or the losses
Of the other.
Punctually at 4 o'clock club employee
crosses the different salons, announcing
with loud voice: Gentlemen, there are
fifty louis in the bank" AT this news
sleepers, takers, readers. leave their
dreams, conversation and newspapers and
rush into the gambling room, which is
filed in twinkling. The "Salle de Bac-
CARAT is high. spacious, splendidly deco
rated place Illuminated by large Lamps 4Fs
ceiling and covered with green shades.
which are put on them to protect the eyes
and pockets of the gamblers. The pun
ters'' take their seats around an oval table,
six on each side, which is divided into
numbered compartments and in the middle
"oroupier'' in front of him, with the rake
in his hand. Gentlemen, the cards pass
is his cry, and after shutf1ing the cards he
hands them over to the banker.
The game now begins, and counters are
planked down on the taR's. If t ths
punters grumble and make observations,
what in in club slang is called making
music" or they murmur between their
teeth that the 'sery" is not natural If,
on the contrary, the banker after having
lost certain number of 'coups'' wins
again, the "musical' punter complains
still, and afiirms that this can only happen
to him, that he closes always when wager
ing a higher stake" The first banks are
generally held by the lighters" who make
the game until the more serious gamblers
arrive which is between $50 and 1870. 1t is
then that the heavy gambling begins, and
at times there is small fortune on
the table.
Then comes along an Englishman who
puts 500 louis in the bank. He Jumps
after his first coup" and asks cashier
in phlegmatic manner for another 10000
to "fresh up'' the bank, sometimes losing in
few minutes $1,000 francs and more.
1t is here necessary to observe that the
leaders of the big gambling clubs belong,
as a rule, to the cosmopolitan world, such
and sometimes to Americans and English
men. Names finishing in ~ III "a, IN
CO.. in ''ski'' and in or arc in abundance
there. Frenchmen, more prudent, or less
we'll off. content themselves with the hum
BILE role of puntcrs.
the bankels have lost the punters. who have
made their material or a certain sum,
after which they generally stop playing. dis
appear until the next day. If, on the con-
trary, the bankers have been victorious,
the punters try to make up for the losses
and wait for some banker to come from
whom they could win the sums lost in the
previous banks. During this time excellent
dinners are served for almost nothing in
the dining rooms. Conversation turns gen
orally on the utility of drawing on five or
about the incidents during the recent:game.
Of fyap
mixed into the talk, rs gamblers have their
legends and like to tell outsiders of the an
Gent exploits of Napoleon III with the
"Lady of Space"
After dinner the gambling commences
hotter than ever and lasts ordinarily unit
morning. Such is, in outline, an ordinar,
club day. No ceremony whatever mod!tie
its habitual run. If the committee declde
that an exhibition of painting should b.
held in the premises of the club. OF pre-
in the shape of concerts or theatrical per
formances, the baccarat party continue
nevertheless Only few days ago was il
one of the better clubs of Paris. at soiree
where large number of distinguished
artists were among the guests.
After the dancing, towards in the morn
ing, an excellent supper was spread, at tn
end of which croupier made sudden az
appearance at the door of the dining sailor
shouting out: "Messieurs, there is two z
louis in the bank" These clubs, therefore
which figure under q title more or less arti
tic or literary, are in reality nothing els
but gambling hell.
Do they offer complete guarantee
those who play there?
Numerous examples taken from the mo
stylish of Paris clubs prove easily the COZ
trary Nevertheless, it must be said tn
in general gambling is going on honestl
Those who are managers of clubs kno
perfectly Vel that. III fact, these clubs a
only tolerated.. and that the police prefe
can shut them up whenever it p!enses hii
in spite of the influence of those perso
which protect them. To say the trut
since the summary action of Mr. Came
casse who closed in 1884 the greater null
Der Of Paris '.tripots." the regime in clu
has been sensibly changed. U
does not see any more to-day.
IN those times. those ul-fsmed plae