Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-25
POINTERS FROM A CHAMELEON.
How Lord Aylesford Won 100000 by
watching the Creature Change Color.
[The Chicago NALL

They were talking about alligatOrs at the
Union League Club the other day. A
Gentleman in tho party had just returned
5rom Florida, aud had been telling some
rather acrobatic stories about shooting the
saurians from the deck of river steam
boat. IAN alligator" he explained, rs
only n bic lizard, any way. All these
Legged and tailed reptiles belong 10 the
same family, but vary IN size and habits.
Why. I've seen lizards an inch long and
olieators thirteen feet, yet their anatomy
is about the same"
Speaking of lizards" said another gen
tleman. reminds me of a story In which
one about two and half inches long
played a prominent part. Did any of you
ever know the late Lord Aylestord? he
died in Texas a couple OF years ago. be-
lieye; mad a ranch next TO mine down
there and got very well acquainted with
him. Joe was good fellOw-One of Gods
own. in fact, in generosity, cordlality. and
the general characteristics which go 10
make up good fellow. He was. however.
considerable OF sport.
well. as | say, met Joe III Texas, and
later in the same season went abroad with
him. We stayed in London for fortnight,
and then ran over to Paris for week. l
had been there before, but I'd never seen
the town under the tutelage OF q fellow
rieties. the circus, and--other places. At
the end of a week we had about enough OF
Paris for once, and when Joe proposed
run down to Monte Carlo | was ready at
short notice. had never been IN the Ri
ylera. Well, we got TO Monte Carlo and
were out seeing the sights. 1t was during
our stroll that Joe picked up this little
lizard. He was dirty black "hen ne
caught him, but changed IN few moments
4 - Il. , lt.4
Think I'll keep him. | laughed, but he
nut the little beast into his pocket. aud on
the wav back to the hotel stopped into a
iewelrv store and had a little gold band
fastened around the lizard and hooked to
a light gold chain, which he pinned to lis
waistc0at. | thought II a queer fancy. hut
Joe said the CubGns had "A habit OF carry
inc them that way. and he was gong to
give it TO Cuban lady at the hotel.
"That night Joe and Invent To the Caslno
after the promenade concert andgot places
at a rou3e-e,-noir table. didn't bet much,
only a few rouleauX of hve-tranc pieces,
and lost. Joe. however, won the hrst small
bet he put down. and then began doubling.
He kent winning. and finally began play
inc higher and higher till he reached the
limit. lie stuffed his winnings all INTO an
outside pocket and played every turn.
Pretty soon he began 10 attract attehtion
the other tables and came to watch his
play. One younger fellow followed his
bets and made number or WIN
ninos and quit. Another, an old
German, 'coppered' hm and lost ms pile.
Presently nudged Joe and told HIM to
Quit. No, he was going TO break the bank.
1 hat settled it. Word passed around tho
room that an Englishman was DONG some
fabulous winning, and presently the crowd
around that table amounted 70 "A perfect
crush. Joe didn't seem TO be playing any
system. lie would bet the black twice,
NAV be. and then the red dozen times,
and rice re.sG. The croupIers were excited
and amazed. Explanations came from all
sides in "A dozen different languages. He's
crazvp No he isn'tn The black won't
stand another turn BY Jove. he's going
10 try 1t again" He's tempting Proyl-
dence"
Joe paid no attention to anybody. He
played steadily along, winning. two bets
out of every three. and never hesi5atling.
/ was a little behind him, and wedged IN
next was an old French woman with nose
| like q hawks beak Her eyes fairly popped
ont as she watched the play, and once or
twice minute she would gasp when the
| crounier uushed JOe's winnings over. His
rockets bv this time buged with notes,
! and he had more gold coin than he could
| carry in ms trousers. Inc IouleuuN
were stacked in, front OF HIM IKE
chips. The game had been going aoout
two hours when the croupier said Mon
sieur. if you win this time, the bank
| closes Joe had the limit on the red.
The wheel turned and the red won. At that
moment the old Frenchwoman gave a yell
that startled the house and jumped about
| two feet in the air. Everybody started.
The snake! Take it of she cried, and
Topped down on the floor in a faint. As
She did saw Joe. who was piling his gold
into his hat. grin and pull up the lizard by
the chin. The little brute Is what fright
ene6 her. he said. But he's ell right
| He's my SYSTEM
Gentlemen" continued the narrator,
ait was true. That fellow had let that
lizard crawl around the table in front of
him on the painted squares and had won
| 500. 600 francs betting on him as he changed
color from red to black and rice rersd."